The New ‘Moana’ Movie: 3 Things Parents Should Know about Its Story and Worldview
Movies
Audio By Carbonatix
By Michael Foust, Movies
The Story Remains Largely Unchanged
Unlike a handful of other Disney remakes, this live-action version remains largely faithful to the plot of the original. We learn in the opening sequence the creation story of Moana's people: Their island traces its origins to Te Fiti, a goddess with the power to create life. Te Fiti’s heart was then stolen by the demigod Maui, who, himself, was subsequently attacked by a fiery demon, who sent Maui, his magical fishhook, and the heart plunging into the ocean.
Although Te Fiti's heart has been missing for 1,000 years, Moana's people have managed to live in peace and prosperity – until now. Fish are disappearing from the reef, coconuts are spoiling, and a blight is spreading across the island.
But Moana's father, Chief Tui, refuses to risk venturing beyond the reef. Believing the safest path is to remain on the island, he forbids anyone from sailing into the open ocean.
“No one goes beyond the reef. We are safe here. There is no darkness, and there are no monsters,” he says.
The plot turns when Moana's grandmother, Tala, reveals the truth: Their island is slowly dying because of what Maui did centuries earlier. She also shares a long-forgotten part of their history – Moana's ancestors were once great voyagers who explored the vast Pacific.
“The ocean chose you,” Grandma Tala tells Moana, encouraging her to set sail beyond the reef, find Maui, and place the heart back into the goddess Te Fiti.
Although presented in live action, many of the comical elements that made the 2016 film so charming return, including the goofy, clueless rooster, Moana's lovable pet pig, the pint-sized coconut warriors, and Maui's animated tattoos.
Of course, without animation, Maui's larger-than-life expressions aren't quite as effective, even though Johnson wears a 40-pound bodysuit to help recreate the character's imposing physique.
Laga'aia is excellent as Moana. (Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the original animated films, does not reprise the role but serves as an executive producer on the live-action remake.)
Photo Credit: ©Disney
The Music Is Still Magnificent
Even viewers who don't typically enjoy animated movies or Disney princess films found themselves humming the songs after the 2016 original.
The live-action remake brings back all of those memorable numbers, with Laga'aia delivering a strong vocal performance again and again.
It begins with the high-energy ensemble piece Where You Are, as Moana's family and fellow islanders celebrate their close-knit community and teach her about the ways of the land.
Next comes How Far I'll Go, as Moana gazes across the ocean and longs to discover what lies beyond the reef.
Other returning favorites include We Know the Way, the Maui-led You're Welcome, the giant crab-led Shiny (the weakest song in the lineup), and, near the climax, the anthem I Am Moana.
The soundtrack is one of the film's greatest strengths.
Photo Credit: ©Disney
The Worldview Concerns Remain
It's easy to dismiss the plot of Moana by saying, “It's just a movie.” But for Christian families, the film presents spiritual beliefs that reflect worldviews embraced by millions of people around the world.
The story draws from Polynesian mythology and traditional spiritual beliefs, offering an alternative creation account (“In the beginning, there was only ocean”), an alternative view of the afterlife (Grandma Tala is reincarnated into a sea creature and talks to Moana after death), and an animistic view of creation in which the ocean possesses consciousness and obeys Moana. It also features a polytheistic world populated by demigods, goddesses, and other supernatural beings.
That isn’t to say Christian families shouldn't watch Moana. But if they do, the film provides a great opportunity to discuss how its worldview differs from biblical Christianity. Parents might ask: Did you notice that the goddess in the story needed to be rescued, while the God of Scripture is all-powerful and is the One who rescued humanity? Put another way for kids: Why is Moana rescuing … a deity?
The film stays well within PG territory, although the demon creature is more intense in the live-action remake. Likewise, the traditional Polynesian clothing, which exposes more skin than some families may prefer, is naturally more noticeable with real actors than it was in animation.
The families in my theater enjoyed this new Moana. Chances are, most families who loved the original Moana will, too.
Moana (2026) is rated PG for action/peril, some scary images, rude humor, and brief thematic elements. Entertainment rating: 3 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Photo Credit: ©Disney
