Pacific Islander Slams Movie Reviewer For Saying Live-Action 'Moana' Didn't Need To 'Exist' In Epic Takedown

The live-action remake of Moana has received critical initial reviews, with many critics calling it "unnecessary," "soulless," and poorly made.

TikToker @cinecultured, who uses her platform to review movies and discuss cultural issues, said that it was her "least favorite movie of the year" and went so far as to say that it "didn't need to exist."

Musician, filmmaker, and advocate for Pasifika culture Jay Taj, who is Samoan, Chammoran, and Black, has seen a lot of criticism like this circulating, but when he saw the TikToker's assertion that the film shouldn't exist at all, he had to speak up.

Taj stitched the video, pointing out that the importance of the film was in its real-life representation of Pasifika culture.

"The only thing that shouldn't exist is your opinion."

"Just because you missed the point of the film doesn't mean that it's pointless."

"Most of Pasifika history and Pacific Island culture has been erased, and we’re fighting every day to reclaim who we are."

"Regardless of the fact that this is a kids’ film produced by a giant movie studio, for us, it’s also an immortalization of what little bit we still have to hold on to in Pasifika culture."

"So, to call it pointless is to say that you have zero peripheral vision, and you kind of sound like a d**khead."

"This is a blockbuster that is fully cast with real Pasifika people, speaking real Pasifika languages, singing real Pasifika songs, covered in real Pasifika garments, and the list goes on and on."

"Those points serve many points for every Pasifika person on the planet, let alone our beautiful nieces and nephews who need to see themselves to be themselves."

"If you stepped outside your ugly-a** ego and your self-righteousness, you might find a point that teaches you something, too."

You can see the video here:

Taj also added an addendum in the comments section of his video, pointing out that he spoke from a place of anger in the video:

"NOTE: I don’t know this creator, and I’m not actually pressed about HER specifically."

"I truly respect that she reviews films and shares her opinion. I’m sure she’s a stand up person who also ISN’T racist by any means, like some of y'all are implying."

"I’d just seen this narrative that the film is pointless and unnecessary A LOT from folks today, and it just stung a lil bit because it’s accidental erasure of an entire community who’s celebrating the ACTUAL point of this film being adapted to live action RIGHT NOW."

"All that said, this was just the video I chose to stitch cuz it was the most recent one I’d seen."

"My point stands: it’s not POINTLESS."

"It may be a cash grab in your opinion, it may be poorly made in your opinion, it may be too soon in your opinion."

"But it’s NOT pointless, and the purpose of my video was to illustrate the very point that the movie exists in the way that it does."

@jaytaj/Instagram

Fellow Instagrammers agreed with Taj's points and were glad that the film had been made.

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

@jaytaj/Instagram

TikToker @cinecultured took the feedback to heart and took the video down briefly. She then reposted it with an addendum included in the caption of the video.

The caption reads:

"Pasifika representation matters greatly."

"I should have mentioned that as the silver lining. Because it is beautiful for that."

"I can always admit when I’m wrong, and here, I missed that very important aspect."

"I am only disappointed by Disney recycling content, and should have made it clear that is my gripe with the film."

You can also see the video here that launched the conversation:

The animated version of Moana was powerful when it first came out. With Pasifika language incorporated, Moana's curly hair and willingness to put it up in a bun, and many characters' tattoos, it was worth celebrating.

But seeing all of those same traits in the live-action version, with real people, locations, songs, and objects, is even more powerful, especially to children who may not be used to seeing characters who look like them on the big screen.

The beauty of entertainment, whether it be TV shows and film, music, or books, is that while a project may not be for everyone, it is for someone, and it has the power to be someone's favorite—and what makes them feel most seen.

Representation deeply matters, and for a culture that's been so deeply erased, every project that represents them matters, even if some people feel that it's been "done before."