Disney released a live-action adaptation of “Moana” on July 10, a decade after the original animated film garnered critical acclaim and multiple Academy Award nominations. The new version stars Australian actress Catherine Laga’aia as the titular 16-year-old wayfinder, Moana, who embarks on a sea voyage to save her island home, Motunui.

Laga’aia, 19, was selected from an extensive pool of over 32,000 auditionees. This marks her first film role, though she has previous television experience, including a part alongside Sigourney Weaver in the miniseries “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.” She comes from a family with acting pedigree—her father, Jay Laga’aia, of Samoan descent, appeared in the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy. The original Moana voice actress, Auli‘i Cravalho, remains involved as an executive producer and contributes vocally to “Along the Way,” a new original song by Lin-Manuel Miranda featured in the film.

The plot follows Moana as she defies her father, Chief Tui (played by John Tui), who warns her to remain on land rather than venture into the ocean. With her island’s resources under threat, Moana honors her heritage by setting out to find the demigod Maui, portrayed once again by Dwayne Johnson, who returns in a live-action form while retaining his character’s animated style. Maui initially resists joining Moana but ultimately partners with her. They face several challenges along the way, including encounters with the armored Kakamora, the flamboyant crab Tamatoa (voiced again by Jemaine Clement), and the lava monster Te Ka.

The live-action film runs 115 minutes, slightly longer than the 103-minute runtime of the original animated feature. It carries a PG rating from the Motion Picture Association for “action/peril, some scary images, rude humor and brief thematic elements,” mirroring the original rating but including more overt humor, such as mild language and suggestive jokes. The film features intense action sequences, including shipwrecks and a notable scene implying the death of a relative, which may be unsettling for very young viewers. Moana’s near-drowning episode early in the film adds to the depiction of peril.

The adaptation places greater emphasis on Moana’s preparation to lead her people and presents a somewhat darker tone than its predecessor. This pacing may affect the engagement levels of younger children, though it maintains familiar elements such as singing, dancing, and comic relief, including appearances by Heihei, the rooster. The live-action format heightens the intensity of dramatic scenes, appealing more to tweens and teenagers, particularly as Maui’s humorous character becomes central.

Disney expects the film to remain in theaters for an extended period. Following the company’s recent pattern with live-action remakes, “Moana” will likely arrive on digital platforms about a month after release and become available on Disney+ several months later.