The unique Moana (2016) blended Polynesian mythology with vibrant animation, thrilling journey, and a powerful feminine lead who wasn’t a Disney princess, however a wayfinder. The story was a dynamic journey of self-discovery, and the songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda have been catchy, significant, and unforgettable. This sequel, nevertheless, struggles to match the identical spark, with a plot that usually feels extra like a sequence of disconnected adventures moderately than a cohesive narrative. Moana’s new quest, to undo a curse and battle the mysterious god Nalo, lacks the emotional resonance and stakes that made the primary movie so compelling.
The voice appearing stays top-notch, with Cravalho bringing heat and depth to Moana as soon as once more, and Johnson’s Maui nonetheless manages to allure, even when his character feels much less very important this time round. New additions, just like the sharp-tongued goddess Matangi (voiced by Awhimai Fraser), are entertaining, however underutilised, leaving some characters feeling one-dimensional. The brand new human sidekicks—Loto, Kele, and Moni—are amusing however fail to depart an enduring influence.
The animation is gorgeous, as anticipated from a Disney movie, with jaw-dropping visuals like large sea monsters and the climactic battle with storm god Nalo. However whereas these moments are spectacular of their scale, they’ll really feel extra like spectacle for spectacle’s sake. The center of the movie appears to have been misplaced within the shuffle of gods, ghosts, and fantastical creatures. The introduction of a doable sequel setup, with a post-credit tease of a villainous return, additional undermines the sensation that this movie is an entire and satisfying narrative in its personal proper. It’s mentioned that the sequel was truly supposed as a sequence and therefore the narration feels episodic in nature.
Maybe the largest disappointment comes from the music. Whereas Barlow & Bear’s contributions are stable, Past is an uplifting ballad, and Get misplaced is a jazzy, enjoyable quantity, they don’t have the identical addictive high quality as Miranda’s songs.
In the long run, Moana 2 continues to be a enjoyable, high-energy experience that youthful audiences will seemingly take pleasure in. However in comparison with the brilliance of its predecessor, it feels extra like a fast-food model of the unique. It would not fairly reside as much as the excessive bar set by Moana, and stays a bit underwhelming for these hoping for one thing actually spectacular.
