‘Moana 2’ Gets Lost At Sea, But Finds Its Way Home
I remember distinctly when the first Moana film came out in theaters. My nephew was eight years old at the time of its release, and he quickly became obsessed with the adventures of the fledgling wayfinder and her Demigod friend. The Disney animated film was in repeat for years, as all the children ran around singing the songs at the top of their lungs. So when it was announced that Moana 2 was arriving in theaters, even though he’s almost 16 years old, my nephew lit up with excitement and couldn’t wait to see it on the big screen. We were ready to set sail for the ocean once again!
Not to say there wasn’t some apprehension about the movie. Originally developed as a streaming series for Disney+, Moana 2 was announced earlier this year that it was making the jump from television screens to ones of silver. Jointly directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, Moana 2 reunites Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson once again as their animated counterparts set off to save the world once again.
Currently, Moana 2 is dominating the box office, breaking records left and right, but is it truly worth your time to see it in theater? Or should you wait until it arrives on Disney+ in the coming months? Read on for more insight into Moana 2!
[Warning: Spoilers from Moana 2 are belofilmw!]
Setting off on a new adventure in this Walt Disney animated film
Three years after the events of the first time, Moana (Cravalho) and her village have settled into a new life of wayfinding. While home is still the Island of Motunui, she and her people frequently travel the oceans, looking for others with whom they can connect. When we meet up with Moana at the beginning of the second film, they’ve had no such luck, other than fragments of civilization long gone from the islands they travel to. It’s been a long journey seeking other humans from across the world, but Moana doesn’t seem discouraged or afraid. That is… until she gets a vision from her ancestors.
Speaking directly with Tautai Vasa (Gerald Ramsey), her ancestor from the last film who guided her in wayfinding, she learned of a curse placed on the wayfinding people of the world by the evil god Nalo, who uses his powers of storms to control mortals. Wanting complete domain over them, he sunk the island Motufetu, which served as a home base and guiding star for those who traverse the oceans. Tautai Vasa also warns Moana: bring Motufetu up from the depths of the waters and reunite the villages from around the world, or prepare for the extinction of the people of Montunui.
There’s no other option in Moana’s mind; she must leave her village and family once again, however, this time with a team, to save her people from impending doom. Can she reunite with Maui (Johnson), who is off on his own adventure to save the world and save Motufetu from Nalo? It will take everything she’s got, as this is the greatest threat she’s ever faced, and the stakes have never been higher.
Moana 2 loses itself in its structure
It’s never easy to follow up a spectacular first film, which we see often in sequel slumps. Most of the time, if the first film is a huge hit, studios attempt to capture lightning in a bottle a second time, but it rarely works out in its favor. While the ending of Moana 2 saves this film from being a complete wash, two distinct aspects of this sequel are working against it.
The first is that none of the songs are anywhere near as memorable as the original. Sadly, there wasn’t a single song from Moana 2 that stuck in my head, and frankly, I couldn’t tell what the music even sounded like. I think the biggest travesty of this film was that they didn’t have Lin Manuel Miranda working on the musical, who is a lyrical genius and helped to make the first film what it was.
However, regardless of the lack of music, the most significant issue that was hard to overlook was the film’s structure. As stated above, Moana 2 was initially developed as a streaming series, and you could still feel that throughout the film. Every fifteen to twenty minutes felt like a new episode, distinctly different from the one before. Moana 2 moves in chunk segments in a very episodic way, which makes it feel disjointed. That is, until the final battle, which shifted the film in an entirely new direction.
Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, as plenty of movies have a segmented feel, but for a highly anticipated Disney animated film such as this one, it didn’t flow like the ocean in the way that the original one did. Truly, with its series-turned-movie structure, Moana 2 felt more like those straight-to-VHS Disney films from my childhood, although a high-quality one.
With them announcing the transition from series to film back in February, I wonder if more time was required to smooth out the feel of the film instead of pushing for that November release date. Again, it wasn’t unenjoyable, as I did have a good time with Moana 2, but there was also some definite room for improvement that would have helped the film feel like a perfect counterpart to the original.
A solid ending and some incredible voice acting elevate Moana 2 to Demigod status
While I didn’t love the structure of the film, what saved Moana 2 for me was the ending. As soon as Moana, Maui, and the rest of the wayfinding crew set off to rise Motufetu from the ocean and face off against Nalo, Moana 2 captured the energy of the original film. From that moment on, I was on the edge of my seat, enthralled by what was happening on screen. Some of their narrative choices shocked me, questioning if this film was actually for younger audiences, leaving me quite emotional.
Those last twenty minutes of Moana 2 might be one of the greatest parts in Disney history, as it sat with me for days and left me wanting to see more. The voice acting of both Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho in the ending is enough to make this movie a must-see, as it’s enough to make a grown man cry.
Johnson proves once again that he is truly a demi-god, balancing humor with heartbreak in one of the best performances of his career. In Moana and Moana 2, he showcases that he’s not just an action star but someone with a wide range of talent, bringing life and energy to an animated character. Did this film make me more excited to see him as Maui in the live-action film? A thousand percent, yes.
Auli’i Cravalho will always be the life and soul of this franchise, and no one else could voice Moana. Cravalho’s performance as this Disney princess (but don’t let Moana hear you calling her that) is one for the ages, having made me weep not once but twice. She brings an electric energy to the character that is important to a leader like her.
However, in Moana 2, Cravalho also brings a softer side to the character, as seen through her relationship with her younger sister. She’s still as sure of herself and her position in the world as she’s ever been, but there’s more for her to lose at this point in her life, which makes her just a tad more cautious and perhaps that much more risky. Cravalho is a powerhouse in everything they do, with Moana 2 just the latest example of such talent.
Moana 2 is definitely worth a trip to the theater
Some aspects of Moana 2 didn’t work for me, such as the structure and forgettable songs, but overall, this latest Disney animated film is a win for the studio. Getting to see Moana again on the silver screen with her best friend Maui is worth every penny, and the way the film ended left me craving the franchise’s next installment. So, if you’re looking for a family-friendly film that everyone will enjoy, then Moana 2 is the no-brainer for the holiday season.
Moana 2 is currently in theaters. Have you seen the film? What did you think? Let us know your thoughts on social media @mycosmiccircus or @boxseatbabes or on Bluesky @CosmicCircusBroadway.com!
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