'Moana 2' review: Almost as great as the original, except for one big thing

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When Disney first announced Moana 2 in February 2024, I was apprehensive. Here was a surprise announcement, mere months out from a November release, that a Moana TV show had been reworked into a feature film. Did that mean Moana 2 was a rush job for Disney to recover from some of its 2023 box office disappointments, like The Marvels and Wish? And if so, would that mean sacrificing quality for a swift turnaround?

SEE ALSO: Disney's 'Moana 2' trailer expands on the lore of the original

Thankfully, Moana 2 soothed my worries and then some, thanks to its blend of epic adventure and its deeply felt story about family ties. Yes, there are elements that don't hit as hard, including a cookie cutter villain and some songs that just don't pass muster when compared to Moana's. But most of Moana 2 measures up to (and occasionally even surpasses) what came before — and that's due in no small part to the growth of its incredible heroine.

Moana 2 reminds you that Moana is a certified star

Credit: Disney

Even if you haven't rewatched Moana since 2016, Moana 2 wastes no time in reminding you that Moana (voiced by Auli?i Cravalho, Mean Girls) is a total badass. In the film's opening sequence, she runs through a dense rainforest, leaps across a ravine, and climbs a steep rock face with her trusty pig Pua on her back. Seconds later, we get a classic hero shot: Moana, hair streaming in the wind, atop an island mountain, surveying the vast ocean around her. She takes a deep breath, blows a welcoming call into her conch... and no one answers. Turns out, despite Moana's expert wayfinding skills, she hasn't been able to find any other humans who live in the ocean.

Moana's island home of Motunui is thriving, though — and Moana is nothing less than a "living legend" there. Young girls dress and do their hair like her, going as far as to find their own version of Pua. (The film dubs them "Moanabes.") Everyone calls her "the future of Motunui." Her father Tui (Temuera Morrison, The Book of Boba Fett), Motunui's chief, even wishes to bestow the title of Tautai upon her, an honor for a skilled navigator and leader that hasn't been held for many, many years.

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But when Moana gets a desolate vision of Motunui's future should they not reconnect with other humans, she faces a difficult choice. She could strike out for the legendary island of Motufetu, which used to connect all the ocean's pathways and peoples. Yet it's farther than Moana or any of her ancestors have ever gotten (not to mention cursed by the human-hating god Nalo). If she goes, she risks not coming back to her family or her beloved island.

Here's where Moana 2 really shows us how far Moana has grown. With age and greater status in Motunui, she's become far more aware of the stakes of her potential failure. Plus, she's terrified to lose her family — especially her scene-stealing little sister Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda). With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Moana sets a course for Motufetu, along with an upgraded canoe and a new crew.

Moana 2's new characters make an exciting adventure even better.

Credit: Disney

Moana may be used to wayfinding by herself, but in Moana 2, she's got to share a canoe with three newbies. Keen-eyed inventor Loto (Starstruck's Rose Matafeo) brings an endearing enthusiasm to the squad, even if her tendency to take apart the canoe in her efforts to improve it is concerning. As the oldest member of the crew, you might expect farmer Kele (David Fane, Our Flag Means Death) to bring elder wisdom to the journey, but he's more the crotchety complainer type. Rounding things out is Motunui legend expert Moni (Hualālai Chung), who doubles as the canoe's resident Maui (Dwayne Johnson) fanboy. (Yes, he paints "fanfic" of him and Maui being best friends.)

So imagine Moni's sadness when he realizes Maui isn't along for the ride. While Moana could desperately use his help, Maui's actually in a pickle of his own. He's trapped by Nalo's accomplice, the goddess Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), whom I can only describe as a "bat diva." Constantly surrounded by a cloud of the winged creatures, and even sporting bat fangs herself, Matangi exudes vampiric aura. She almost gives Moana's shiny crab Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement) a run for his money.

SEE ALSO: 'Spellbound' review: Netflix's animated adventure finds its magic right at the end

But Matangi isn't the only foe Moana and co. will have to conquer. The coconut pirates known as the Kakamora are back to wreak havoc, while a giant, island-sized clam risks swallowing our heroes whole. With so many colorful creatures to face, it's a shame that Moana 2's Big Bad Nalo is basically a nonentity, reducing the (otherwise very cool) final set piece to a faceless confrontation with inclement weather. Contrast Moana 2's magical waterspouts with Moana's expressive lava monster Te Kā to get a sense of how detached the sequel is from its villain. (Except for a mid-credit scene that somehow implies he's Moana Thanos.)

Luckily, Moana 2 finds plenty of connection elsewhere, from Moana's friendships with Maui and her crewmates to her continued relationship with her ancestors. Gramma Tala (Thor: Ragnarok's Rachel House) is back to pass along some wisdom — and give us a good hard cry along the way. Elsewhere, Moana's steadfast belief in bringing the people of the ocean back together makes for a necessary counterpoint to Nalo's hopes to sow discord and isolation. (At least, what little we learn of it through exposition.) Moana's optimism and determination proves there's power in connection, which we get to see firsthand as her crew begins to gel at sea.

Moana 2's songs are fine, but they're no match for Moana's.

Credit: Disney

With its beautiful, textured animation and its propulsive adventure to the far ends of the ocean, Moana 2 is another win for Disney animation. The only major letdown? The film's songs, which are totally OK, but certainly nothing special compared to Moana's greatest hits.

Moana composers and songwriters Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa'i have returned for Moana 2, but one key member of the first film's team is missing: songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda. Taking his place are Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the Grammy-winning team behind The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. Even so, Miranda's presence is greatly missed, with songs often feeling like lackluster rehashes of the first film's songs.

Take "Beyond," essentially a toned-down evolution of "How Far I'll Go," where Moana readies herself to go back out into the ocean. Cravalho's delivery is gorgeous, and I could listen to her sing for hours, but do I remember a single line of that song beyond "I'll go beyond"? Then there's Maui's "Can I Get A Chee Hoo?," a patter song that will make you miss the fast-paced wordplay of "You're Welcome." (A flaming conch solo does lend it some extra flair.) The patter extends to travel song "What Could Be Better Than This?" While I adore Matafeo's lightning-fast delivery of Loto's science-themed rap, it all feels like imitation Miranda. Awkward rhythmic moments and some obvious rhymes further highlight how much of an asset he was on Moana.

Even the funky "Get Lost," my beloved bat diva Matangi's big number, is a letdown. Based on her character introduction, you might expect something in the vein of a dark Bond theme. Instead, you get a pop tune that, despite Fraser's serious pipes, feels fairly generic. (The slowed-down piano beginning also can't help but remind me of The Princess and the Frog's "Almost There," although I'm sure other similarities abound.) All I'm saying is, if the previous film's villain song featured a giant coconut crab doing a David Bowie tribute, you've got to aim higher.

At least Moana 2's less-than inspired songs get a boost from their accompanying animated sequences. "Can I Get A Chee Hoo?" drops us into a god-tier obstacle course, while "Get Lost" features some pretty rad bat choreography. "What Could Be Better Than This?" also scores laughs from Kele's annoyance at Moana, Moni, and Loto's increasingly excited dances, which low-key read like they're trying to get him to join their ocean-loving cult. That's the magic of Moana 2: Even when the songs aren't hitting, something else will elevate them, turning a decent number into a great experience.

Moana 2 is now available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Prime Video, and more.

UPDATE: Jan. 28, 2025, 8:58 a.m. UTC "Moana 2" was reviewed with its cinematic release. This review was originally published on Nov. 26, 2024. It has since been updated to include the most recent viewing options.