By Becca Johnson - November 26, 2024
Eight years after the original released and made waves with its fabulous soundtrack, instantly lovable characters and stunning setting, Moana 2 hits the big screen this weekend. It’s directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, with the much-loved Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprising their roles as Moana and Maui respectively.
The story follows Moana after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, as she must journey alongside Maui and a new crew to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. Looking even more gorgeous than its predecessor and boasting exciting adventures and laugh-out-loud comedy, Moana 2 is a fun follow-up to the original despite the story occasionally losing its way.
Ever since Moana released back in 2016, audiences have longed to be transported back to the idyllic shores of Ancient Polynesia - visually, it’s 100% worth the wait. Full of vibrant colour, stunning scenery, rolling tides and luscious green mountains, the location is immediately immersive and takes us back to fond memories of the original in an instant. Attention is not only paid to the setting but to each and every smaller detail - the characters, their clothing, their hair, the animals on both land and sea, and even the canoes our characters ride and the runes and drawings they come across on their travels. Every shot is meticulously crafted, and the animation on display is jaw-dropping from start to finish. What sets the Moana films apart from other Disney films is the focus on water, and the filmmaking team understand this. The ocean has enough power within the script to become its own character, and it is so beautifully brought to life visually. Setting the entire third act on the water only amplifies this - every moment shared alongside Moana on the ocean is time well spent.
Regardless of the franchise or genre, sequels all face the same challenge, especially in their second instalment - having enough flair to stand on their own and prove their worth, whilst feeling familiar and akin to their predecessor. Moana 2 mostly manages to find this sweet spot, even though some plot beats come a little close to the original. Moana is of course front and centre again, and her character development is great. Both looking and acting older, becoming more self-assured and wise but with different challenges to face, her arc carries on from the original perfectly. Moana was about our leading lady finding herself, and Moana 2 is about strengthening the knowledge she’s already gained whilst bringing together a community.
Plenty of new characters are introduced that add something worthwhile to the plot, whether that be heart or humour. The standout here is Moana’s younger sister Simea, beautifully voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda. Her bond with big sis Moana is the heart of the movie, and this widely increases the stakes for our titular character. Drawn to home more than ever and needing so desperately to come back unscathed, such a small addition to the cast increases the danger and familial feeling tenfold. There is also much more uncharted territory to discover, with that sense of adventure the original provided being replicated beautifully here. With dark caves and giant clams, tangible stakes and interesting new characters joining those we already know and love, Moana 2 more than proves it deserved to come to fruition.
The storyline on display is where the movie may lose some viewers, as not only does it mimic the original in places, but it makes some interesting choices with the characters that might not gel well with fans. As popular as Moana is as a character, a huge draw to this world is down to one man - Maui. Expertly voiced yet again by Dwayne Johnson, it’s hard not to have a blast every time he’s on screen. However, he appears a lot less than expected, not picking up a great deal of run-time until the latter half. Not only can his absence be felt and a waiting game is created as we anticipate his arrival, but we lose a lot of the fun banter between him and Moana that makes these movies so likable. Their bond isn’t strengthened as much as hoped due to his lack of screen-time. Furthermore, some characters are introduced that are widely under-utilised, especially Matangi who is voiced by Awhimai Fraser. The introduction of the character is stunning, the bat-like design is impeccable and much excitement is promised in terms of where her story could go, yet unfortunately, not much is done with her character, making it feel like a wasted opportunity. Admittedly, she gets perhaps the best song of the movie and her inclusion means some excellent visuals involving a swarm of bats, but as far as character is concerned, it could’ve been far better.
Outside of Moana and Maui, and the lovable pig Pua and chicken Hei Wei who have plenty of screen-time and once again provide all of the laughs and awwws you can expect, another huge draw the original had was the soundtrack. Featuring incredible tracks that have stood the test of time including ‘How Far I’ll Go’ and fan favourite ‘You’re Welcome’, Moana 2 has big boots to fill with its musical numbers. The song-writing doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor, and the music does occasionally lack flair. Maui’s song ‘Can I Get a Chee Ho?’ is undeniably a lot of fun, has a memorable hook and will certainly gain some fans, yet is too familiar to ‘You’re Welcome’, feeling like it’s trying to somewhat replicate its appeal. The same can be said for Moana’s power ballad ‘Beyond’; it’s great in its own right, and Cravalho’s vocals are impressive, but it may not live up to expectations. The songs aren’t bad, but they don’t particularly stand out either.
Moana 2 is a solid addition into Disney’s vast catalogue, and a worthy follow-up to the much-loved original. It’s great to have Moana and Maui back on our screens, alongside Pua, Hei Hei and a whole crew of newbies who are all particularly enjoyable. It may struggle to give characters both old and new the amount of screen-time they deserve, and the songs lack the power of those in the original but with gorgeous visuals, a fun adventure at the centre, plenty of laughs and an ocean full of fun, Moana 2 is bound to impress most.
Moana 2 releases in cinemas November 29
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