Moana 2 – A Fun, If Uneven, Sequel (Early Review)

2016 was a dynamite year for Disney Animation, with two movies from their in-house production ranking among their best efforts in the past decade: “Zootopia” and “Moana“. Both films were critically acclaimed and performed well at the box office, with the latter also being a success musically. Songs like “How Far I’ll Go”, “You’re Welcome”, “We Know The Way” and “Shiny” were hits with audiences, often playing on loop and becoming earworms for thousands of families with young kids. Moana would even go on to become the most streamed films on Disney+, with rewatches reaching into the millions. To that point, it seems inevitable then, that a sequel would be given consideration, and so it was decided that Moana’s journey would continue on Disney+ as a new series for the service. However, after some rejigging in management for the studio and deciding to merge the episodes into a single movie, Moana 2, releasing a little more than eight years after the original, is a far cry from the first but it remains an entertaining enough watch on its own terms.

The story is rather straightforward: set three years after the events of the original, Motunui is thriving and the community is growing. However, Moana (Cravalho) is called out to the ocean once again by her ancestors, this time to find Motufetu, an island believed to have been lost long ago, hidden by the actions of the god Nalo, separating her and her people from the outside world. That being said, each previous endeavor to find Motufetu has failed, making the journey a dangerous one. In spite of this, to unite her people across the seas once again, Moana set out with a trusted set of companions, as well as the demigod Maui (Johnson), to restore balance.

Much like the original, Moana 2 excels in the animation department. The sequel is dazzling, with shots of the ocean almost photorealistic in appearance, with some shots even giving the impression of being animated over stock footage of a real ocean. This work is truly a testament to how far technology has come that the work being done by the incredible artists is able to reflect this quality. The result is some incredibly colorful and vibrant sequences, particularly an almost kaleidoscopic tumble through a tunnel in one sequence.

As Moana and Maui, Cravalho and Johnson are excellent, each working off the other effortlessly as if it hasn’t even been a day since 2016. Their back and forth is one of the film’s highlights. Meanwhile, the film also makes way for some new supporting characters, featuring a few scene stealing turns from Loto (Rose Matafeo), a fast talking boat mechanic who keeps trying to fix things, Kele (David Fane), a farmer who wants nothing to do with this journey, and Moni (Hualālai Chung), a massive fan of Maui who is in absolute awe of him. The humor coming from these characters mostly land, as well as the moments with Hei Hei (Tudyk) and Pua, Moana’s two animal companions and a lone Kakamora soldier who joins in to help out. In the end, the real heart of the movie is Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), Moana’s little sister and the most adorable character one has ever laid their eyes on. All in all, a wonderful presence that helps lift the film up considerably at times.

Where Moana 2 also succeeds is through its representation of Indigenous peoples and expanding on Polynesian culture and customs. The first film was effective in bringing those elements to the forefront in incredibly impactful and emotionally powerful ways, and the second continues this by putting much more emphasis on where Moana is from and her journey to find Motufetu. In many ways, the two “Moana” films act as beacons for showcasing the beauty of Oceania and celebrating it through the characters and the music, largely helped by composer and singer Opetaia Foaʻi returning for the soundtrack after his work on the first original with Lin-Manuel Miranda.

However, where this sequel isn’t as successful is its storytelling, which is rather scattered at times. It attempts to juggle way too many plot points at once, with some characters being underdeveloped as a result. The biggest culprit is Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), a goddess who seems to act against Moana and Maui, but besides a few moments and even a song, she isn’t given much else to do. Similarly, as a threat, Nalo doesn’t always feel as intimidating as he is built up to be, which is a bit surprising against the life or death stakes for which the film reiterates more often than not. The lack of intensity to the proceedings makes the film feel less urgent.

Arguably the biggest drawback is its music. While the assortment of songs offered in this installment include some effective numbers, such as the powerfully sung “Beyond”, they do not have the same memorable nature as the original film’s soundtrack, one that is still played everywhere and revered by many. This is disappointing seeing that as much of the two films are built on song and telling stories through the lyrics in those moments, there is a lack of this throughout. Time will tell whether or not the soundtrack will persevere and find its own fans who make “What Could Be Better Than This?” and “Can I Get a Chee-Hoo?” their parents new earworms.

Ultimately, Moana 2 is far from the finest Disney sequels, but it is certainly far from the worst. Given a solid anchor thanks to entertaining sequences, dazzling animation and great characterization, and more fun banter between Moana and Maui, if this story is to continue and build on its characters’ journey, one would hope that what comes next is given slightly stronger support to back itself up.

still courtesy of Disney

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Shaurya Chawla