Casting is authentically Polynesian with leads like Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, supported by extensive consultations with the Oceanic Trust for cultural accuracy, avoiding forced diversity or race/gender swaps. While some interpret the independent female protagonist as feminist progressivism, this is incidental and organic to the story's emphasis on destiny and tradition rather than challenging patriarchy or systemic oppression.

Absent are LGBTQ+ representation, identity politics, pronoun usage, or critiques of traditional norms; environmental restoration is mythological, not activist. Directors Ron Clements and John Musker emphasized storytelling and cultural respect in interviews, with no stated activist intent. Audience reception lacks significant woke backlash, with criticisms centering on minor cultural inaccuracies rather than ideological intrusion, allowing the film to succeed as pure family entertainment without compromising its appeal through political messaging.