Dwayne Johnson Breaks Silence On Moana’s Bad Reviews

Dwayne Johnson opens up about Moana’s harsh reviews and box office reality.

Dwayne Johnson Breaks Silence

Dwayne Johnson has done something that few would have had the guts to do after such criticism – he openly spoke about the negative reviews that the film received, giving a very honest account of everything that happened.

This is the reason why Johnson’s reactions have become a major topic of discussion among the public.

What The Rock Actually Said

Johnson was asked about the harsh reception that the film received, as well as the initial positive feedback that came before it.

Speaking with People magazine, he described the turn of events as simply the way business works, recalling how everything seemed to be perfect just before the negative reactions started pouring in.

In addition, Johnson also mentioned how he and his wife would often discuss such topics at night while their children were asleep, calling it an insight into his personal life.

List of notable quotes

• …the reviews were great, and then they went another way…
• …just the way it goes
• …what matters to me is the culture stood up
• …people need to stop focusing on the opening weekend and realize that the movie will stand for what it is

The Disappointing Numbers

What exactly caused the turn of events, then? Unfortunately for Johnson, the numbers do not lie.

• As of the time of writing, the film has a rating of 32% on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Despite the negative reception, the film has so far earned a total of $266 million since its opening on July 10.
• The underperformance in terms of critical reception has been noted by Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, who spoke about it in a letter to shareholders.
• In the message, D’Amaro explained how, despite the box office success, the disappointing figures were a concern for the company, as they are not the ideal opening for a Disney film.
• He further elaborated on how, despite the setback, other areas of the company’s business would benefit greatly from the film’s performance, with Moana being expected to do well on Disney+.

The latter point is very important, as it is yet another sign that Disney+ is becoming a major competitor to other streaming services, with the original animated film previously breaking viewership records for the platform.

Our Verdict

What this shows is that for major studios such as Disney, theatrical releases are only one part of the equation, with earnings from other channels much more important.

In short, no one at Disney is worried about the film’s box-office numbers, given its overall success in other areas.

This is, in fact, reflected in Johnson’s own comments, as he was very satisfied with the representation of Polynesia in the film, as well as its ability to make his children excited about seeing it.

It is this kind of attitude that has led to Hollywood’s changing approach towards the film industry as a whole.

Speaking of which, what do you think about the turn of events concerning Moana? Does a film’s negative critical reception and box office performance really matter if it continues to be successful elsewhere?