‘Moana 2’ Review: Disney Sequel Navigates Higher-Stakes Plot And Oceans Of Expectations To Make A Satisfying Splash
Just like with such animated sequels as Inside Out 2 coming out nearly 10 years after their predecessors, Moana 2 has big shoes to fill, arriving eight years and some change almost to the day that the original animated adventure hit theaters. Still, leaning into humor and its arguably higher stakes, it delivers a firm follow-up to 2016’s Moana, a smash that grossed $643.3 million at the global box office and was nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar.
In Moana 2, the titular heroine (voiced again by Auli‘i Cravalho) is tasked with a mission bigger than anything she has faced before: locating the lost island of Motufetū in order to reunite the different communities of island peoples and navigators through the central meeting point location, which was shrouded by the storm god Nalo with a curse. Conceited yet charismatic demigod Maui (a returning Dwayne Johnson) starts out in a separate situation of his own, in the clutches of Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), a mysterious woman surrounded by bats.
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For Moana’s new journey, which is set three years after the events of the original movie, Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller and David Derrick Jr. brought aboard several new characters.
Three new crewmembers — an elderly farmer Kele (David Fane), a zany engineer Loto (Rose Matafeo) and, a scholarly scribe Moni (Hualālai Chung) — provide more room for humorous interactions, musical or otherwise. Some add a new layer to the music with spoken verse instead of vibrato. Hei Hei the chicken (voiced again by Alan Tuduk) didn’t come all the way through the last film for nothing, either, as the rainbow rooster gets plenty of moments to shine. Maui and Moana’s banter stays strong between moments of more serious themes such as a pep talk Maui gives Moana in a reversed situation from their first adventure. The relationship between them remains strictly platonic, which was one of the first film’s strengths. Maui’s quips to new faces also spotlight his wit.
As for those higher stakes mentioned earlier, Moana’s “Lil’ Sis” Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda) adds a new dimension to Moana’s familiar headstrong wayfinder, or Tautai, who only had the encouragement of her grandmother Tala (Rachel House) and her father’s disapproval the last time she went beyond the reef. Simea already treats Moana’s regular voyages like they take forever, and her tearful realization of the task her sister has ahead of her, as well as the time it could take, pulls the heart strings. That, and the unwavering support of both her parents and her entire island despite the fact that Tautai Vasa (Gerald Faitala Ramsey) did not return from this same mission before Moana’s time.
New and familiar creatures lurk in the ocean on the crew’s journey to the mysterious island, and the fan-favorite Kakamora coconut monsters have a great subplot this round. The sequel also pokes fun at its context of past Disney princess films with Moana fervently asserting that she herself is not a princess, though the title gets lumped in with Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and more. While the story overall feels more serious, it still relies on gag humor for the kids with a few great jokes sprinkled in for adults.
Bush, who wrote the screenplay for the 2016 film, wrote the sequel’s screenplay with Miller. Derrick Jr. also served as a story artist on the first film alongside Jason Hand, which added some detailed continuity between installments.
Musically, the sequel had the familiar touch of Opetaia Foa’I and Mark Mancina joined by newcomers Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, the songwriting duo whose opening number “We’re Back” returns viewers to the island of Motunui. Standouts include Cravalho’s vocals in “Beyond,” which evokes some of the imagery and somber tone of Frozen II’s “Into the Unknown.” Maui has another rousing solo number in “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?”, and Mantangi singes some sound advice to Moana (“Get Lost”) before sending her off to complete her mission. Only time will tell if these numbers are as catchy as the first film’s Oscar-nominated “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome.” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s steady “We Know the Way” returns and brings a sense of closure, though without Miranda’s vocals this time.
What was originally supposed to be a Disney+ TV series fits nicely into an under-two-hour narrative, though some context about Maui’s backstory with two new faces would have answered some remaining questions. Between the universal theme of connection at its heart and humor for the whole family, Moana 2 makes a satisfying splash as a sequel.
Title: Moana 2
Distributor: Disney
Release date: November 27, 2024
Directors: David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller
Screenwriters: Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller
Cast: Auli‘i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Awhimai Fraser, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, Gerald Faitala Ramsey, Alan Tudyk
Rating: PG
Running time: 1 hr 40 mins
RELATED: ‘Moana 2’ Cast Guide: Who Voices Whom?
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