Disney is infamous for making sequels followed by a live action remake for any property that gains popularity. “Moana” was a hit in 2016, leading the public to wonder if “Moana 2” would have the same impact.
The return of Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (Maui) in their starring roles hasn’t been quite enough to quell the anxiety of fans. With new composers and characters, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the movie.
Ellie’s Review
2.5 out of 5 stars
After the first “Moana” movie made a splash in my life about eight years ago, I was curious if the sequel would do the same, or if it would follow the Disney animated trend of subpar sequels.
The “Moana” franchise is, of course, primarily targeted at children. But the first movie’s catchy music, spunky heroine, air of adventure and jaw-droppingly gorgeous animation widened the artistic appreciation of the movie to an older audience. The same cannot be said of the sequel.
While “Moana 2” was reasonably entertaining and maintained the gorgeously animated artistry of the first one, it felt like a re-hash of the original with more childish humor that didn’t land.
The story follows Moana as she voyages across the ocean in search of other tribes, but she can’t find any because the villainous ocean god, Nalo, submerged an island that would otherwise connect people across the ocean together. It’s somewhat confusing.
The story borrows most of its plot elements from the original: Moana discovers her culture is in danger, and she must embark on a voyage, she sings an “I want” song about traveling away, she has to rescue the wisecracking demigod Maui, she falls into the underwater domain of a semi-comic side villain (sinuously animated bat goddess Matangi, voiced by Awhimai Fraser) and, eventually, there is a showdown with a storm and an abruptly quiet and contemplative resolution.
They even repeated the beginning of the first movie with a little girl encountering the ocean, but it was Moana’s little sister Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda) this time.
The movie separates itself from the first by having Moana be joined by engineering enthusiast Loto (Rose Matafeo), Maui fanboy Moni (Hualalai Chung) and the grouchy old farmer Kele (David Fane). Moana’s rooster Heihei (Alan Tudyk) and her pet pig Pua, who is indisputably my favorite character, also join the crew.
There are elements of the crew learning to work together and discover how to grow as a team, but it’s not explored nearly enough. There was one moment in the beginning of the movie when Moana was reluctant to take them on as she was used to traveling alone, which made me excited to see her overcome some pride when making room for a new crew, but they all seemed to get along after one peppy song.
The problem with the story is that none of the characters develop in new ways. Moana and Maui mostly underwent the same emotional journeys they had before, with Moana’s being “can I fulfill my destiny on this perilous quest” and Maui’s being “I have to learn how to connect with people and put my ego aside.” Nobody else had any development.
The movie relied more on childish jokes and flat dialogue than I enjoyed. There was a lot more slime than I was expecting, and at least two scenes where characters presented their hopes and history to a group of people in a visual screen-like moment. I left the theater thinking about PowerPoints and slime.
The music, which took the original to a whole new level of artistry, did not have the same gravitas. While Lin-Manuel Miranda composed original songs for the first movie, songwriting duo Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear of the “Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” took the helm for this one. I could hear some stylistic influences that felt consistent with their “Bridgerton” album, but the songs were not as lyrically or musically complex overall.
Every song also felt like a repeat of the original. I did enjoy the “I want” song, “Beyond,” because it explored minor key, which is refreshing in the often positive and hopeful song trope. That said, I can’t truly recall the tune, and it was saying the same things as the Oscar-nominated “How Far I’ll Go” from the original.
I enjoyed myself well enough, and it warmed my heart at least a little bit. Young children will enjoy this in the theater, but anyone older might like it on streaming when they aren’t sure what else to watch.
Zee’s Review
3.5/5 stars
As a proud Disney adult, I was looking forward to the release of “Moana 2.” But when I found out Lin-Manuel Miranda would not be returning as a composer, I was worried this movie would turn out just like “Wish” — a poor imitation of Miranda’s style that only he can truly pull off.
I may have been right to have my doubts about the soundtrack, but it was not as bad as expected. Think of your least favorite Barbie movie — the soundtrack was exactly like that. Not terrible, but they clearly don’t understand the register of their singers, and every song is utterly forgettable.
The soundtrack may have been disappointing, but the rest of the movie was anything but. The addition of new characters, such as Moana’s younger sister, and three crew members successfully raised the stakes of this movie from the last. Moana has clearly grown up and now considers her journeys with great weight.
Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) undergoes a lot of changes during this movie, learning new ways to approach her problems and how to trust those around her. This movie had the same success as “Frozen II” in properly challenging the characters in a new way that feels true to the original movie.
Moana and Maui’s friendship only grows in this movie, with Maui (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) supporting Moana through her most difficult times and helping her to believe in herself again. I’m a sucker for wholesome moments like these.
The animation was breathtaking, not just the scenery but the design of the characters as well. Everyone got a new outfit except Maui, and I could have watched just Moana’s hair for the entire movie and been happy. That may sound weird, but my fellow Disney animation nerds get it.
Even though this movie isn’t as strong as the first, I still think it’s worth a watch, but you won’t miss out too much if you wait for it to hit Disney+.
“Moana 2.” Photo courtesy of Vital Thrills.