REVIEW: ‘Moana 2,’ a flat sequel that fails to set sail
The absence of Lin-Manuel Miranda is evident, with Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear taking over songwriting duties. But the resulting tracks are weak and lack emotional resonance.
My 9-year-old niece was captivated when we caught Moana 2 at a special advance IMAX laser screening. It rekindled her toddler-years love for Moana (2016), a core memory she’s carried with her ever since.
Eight years later, she likely felt as though she was reuniting with her anti-princess bestie: that brave, beautiful island girl alongside her demigod pal, a clueless chicken, a pig and those sentient coconuts.
I wish I could share her enjoyment, but here’s the sad thing: Moana 2 is all spectacle and no substance. It’s a feast for the eyes that might distract kids for a couple of hours, giving parents time to grab some popcorn and relax. Beneath the surface, though, it barely wades ankle-deep into any real emotion.
Disney once again flexes its animation muscles — dazzling viewers with lush, hyper-realistic craftsmanship. The glint of sunlight on Moana’s curls. The waters of the fictional island of Motunui glow in striking shades of turquoise. Even Maui’s (Dwayne Johnson) tattoos remain a striking element.
Set three years after the events of the first film, Moana Auli’i Cravalho is now older, wiser, and a full-fledged celebrity in her island community.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF DISNEY
Dwanyne Johnson voices the demigod Maui.
But beneath these impressive visuals, the sequel feels like a blatant attempt to capitalize on the Moana fandom. With a plot as stagnant as a windless sea, watching it is like staring at a Moana merch display at the mall — pretty on the surface but ultimately shallow.
Set three years after the events of the first film, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) is now older, wiser, and a full-fledged celebrity in her island community. The script, penned by Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Miller and Bek Smith, sends her on a contrived new “quest” to find other tribes connected to the ocean.
Triggered by a vision from an ancestor, her mission is to locate the mystical sunken island of Motufetu — a premise crafted solely to justify another adventure. The setup mimics a video game, peppered with unremarkable obstacles such as a giant vibrant clam and the pirate-coconuts, culminating in an uninspired final challenge.
Accompanying her on this voyage is a ragtag trio: the engineer Loto (Rose Matafeo), the grumpy old farmer Kele (David Fane) and the Maui superfan Moni (Hualalai Chung).
These characters feel like cardboard cutouts, devoid of personality and fail to leave any meaningful impression. Their roles add no emotional depth to the journey. They act as mere accessories, and Maui has been reduced to a has-been mascot. Then, there’s the bat-lady demigod Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), who appears briefly and delivers a forgettable song that does little to inject life into the uninspired narrative.
