Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- hopeful
- witty
- uplifting
- family movie night
- musical movie marathon
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Moana leaves her island by sailboat and confronts the open ocean as the central setting of her quest.
The reef marks the boundary between Chief Tui’s protective family duty and Moana’s pull toward ancestral exploration.
Maui is a legendary demigod whose partnership with Moana mixes mythic ability, comic friction, and reluctant friendship.
Failing crops and a curse connect the island’s material survival to Maui’s theft of a life-giving heart-stone.
Films like Moana, and why
The Little Mermaid
shared live-action remake format, musical fantasy adventure, youthful heroine, and family-friendly spectacle
Aladdin
shared Disney live-action reimagining, mythic fantasy quest, comic side characters, and musical storytelling
Raya and the Last Dragon
shared animated-to-live-action-adjacent family adventure, culturally specific worldbuilding, female-led quest, and themes of heritage
Movie Details
- Director
- Thomas Kail
- Release Date
- 2026-07-08
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (774)
Cast
- Catherine Lagaʻaia
- Dwayne Johnson
- Rena Owen
- John Tui
- Frankie Adams
- Jemaine Clement
- Emma Puahi-Shapazian
- Amaya Masoli
- Sam Puefua
- Sione Milford
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Moana about?
- A determined island chief’s daughter crosses forbidden waters with a reluctant demigod to restore balance and save her people.
- What is Moana like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Moana as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Moana violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Moana as mild.
- Which films are like Moana?
- Films with a similar feel include The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Raya and the Last Dragon.
- How long is Moana?
- Moana runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Moana?
- In United States, Moana is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
