Dwayne Johnson has learned that even a Disney wave can turn unexpectedly rough.
The actor is opening up about the mixed response to Disney’s live-action Moana, admitting the early reviews looked promising before the critical tide suddenly shifted.
“Our first two reviews came out. I’ll never forget it… They were amazing. I was like, wow,” Johnson told People magazine.
He then watched the reception change: “it went another way — as sometimes happens. That’s just the way it goes because we’re in this business.”
And the numbers tell the story. The live-action remake currently sits at 31% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes, although audiences have been considerably kinder, giving it an 88% score.
Not everyone hated the voyage. The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney called it “one of Disney’s better live-action remakes” and described the film as “a captivating family entertainment that deserves to find an audience.”
Johnson, who reprises Maui after voicing the character in the animated movies, said he and wife Lauren Hashian talked about keeping the early reaction in perspective.
“The challenge was, OK, let’s remember, though, what’s going to be beyond this opening weekend. Let’s remember what’s happening right now and the noise that’s happening right now,” he said.
His attitude toward the criticism? “If you love it, great. If you don’t, no problem,” the Jumanji star said.
For Johnson, however, the movie means more than review scores. As someone of Samoan heritage, he said “the culture really stood up.”
“Because of me and our kids who can now look at the big screen and go, ‘That’s us for the first time on a big screen. That’s us up there. How cool is that?’,” he said.
The film has earned $264 million worldwide against a reported $250 million production budget.
