India, July 11 -- It's the visuals that leave the first impression as you begin to watch Moana. It is a feast for the eyes, with its immersive CGI bringing an enchanting world to life spectacularly.

The story remains virtually identical to the 2016 animated film of the same name, only this time it's brought to life with real actors. Maui (Dwayne Johnson), the demigod of the wind and sea, steals the heart of Te Fiti, prompting the ocean to choose young Moana (Catherine Laga'aia) to restore it. What follows is the same two-hour voyage across the ocean, complete with familiar encounters and emotional beats, culminating in the inevitable triumph.

And that's where the film's biggest problem lies. When a story has already been told so effecti...