Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) sails onto the big screen again with the theatrical release of “Moana 2”. With her newfound freedom to explore the vast ocean surrounding her island, Moana looks for the future of her people out on the water.
“Moana 2” begins by showing us just how much has changed. Moana is sailing across the ocean with her skills as a wayfinder being clearly second nature to her now and she is using it to search for other people in the world. After finding evidence of life on another island in the form of broken pottery left behind by the previous inhabitants, she returns home, showing us that Motunui has also changed as her island home is now bustling with watercraft of varying size and function. Even Moana’s father, Tui (Temuera Morrison), races out to her on his own canoe.
Moana presents her findings to her father and the tribe, and after getting struck by lightning during a later ceremony, Moana receives a vision from Tautai Vasa (Gerald Faitala Ramsey), her ancestor seen leading her people as wayfinder in previous visions. He reveals to her that the storm god, Nalo (Tofiga Fepulea’i), sank the island Motufetu as a way to separate all mortals and that he failed in his own attempt to reach the island, now in the center of a great storm put there by Nalo. With that, Moana ventures to complete this mission, with the help of a few new faces.
Moana enlists the help of three members of her tribe, Moni (Hualalai Chung), Loto (Rose Matafeo), and Kele (David Fane). Moni is a strongman with knowledge of history, but mostly a fascination with meeting Maui (Dwayne Johnson) in person. Loto is a hyperfixated shipwright, overzealous about constantly improving Moana’s watercraft. Keke is an old farmer, cranky about doing anything out of his wheelhouse. After the crew set off and montage their way to finding their rhythm, they happen upon another unlikely ally, a Kakamora, whose coconut veiled kin also wish to see the island of Motufetu raised.
They all stumble into the lair of Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), a mysterious seemingly god-like person, with the ability to fly and a connection to bats. Here, Moana is reunited with Maui, as he has been held captive here for sometime, also on a quest to find Motufetu. Matangi reveals she is a reluctant ally to Nalo, but sees to setting Moana, Maui, and the crew on the right path to Motufetu to defeat Nalo.
After being magically transported to the waters near Motufetu, the crew struggle to take on the creatures around them, sending them to lick their wounds on a small island. Maui gives a brief pep talk (or more accurately pep musical number), and the crew find their resolve to continue on. After an incredibly tense back and forth struggle with the living storm surrounding the island, The crew manages, just barely, to raise the island from the depths of the ocean, assuring the future for Moana’s people.
“Moana 2” is another visually stunning animated adventure. The new monsters and giant living storm are impressive to behold. However, the movie’s biggest strength lies with its titular character as Moana is, again, a very compelling character. Not only is it visually entertaining to watch her overcome the mythical obstacles in her path, but we also watch her struggle with emotional obstacles as well. She has a new sister, Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), to factor into her life, more responsibilities than before, and even the relationship she must foster with her new crew is interesting. It’s in that growth that “Moana 2” hooks your heart.
The musical score is one of the first problems I noticed. While each song individually is its own successful bop, some of them felt a little out of place. Mainly the impressive number sung by Matangi, “Get Lost”. Again, the song itself was great, it just felt like it deviated a bit too much from the more consistent island/tribal undertones of the other musical numbers.
The biggest issue with this movie is that it feels like filler. Now there is the main storyline that ultimately drives the movie and gets resolved at the end, but everything else just comes off as set up. The new characters that Moana has to string along with her have such quick little personal stories that barely do anything to drive the main story. They were clearly designed when the film was meant to be a Disney+ series and left unchanged.
There’s also Matangi, who really only hints at her backstory and motivations which, while intriguing, only really serves to set up her appearance in the post credits scene and possible sequels, which is also the only time we see the main antagonist of the film.
Very young viewers may find the suspenseful moments to be frightening or upsetting. The elementary-aged kids with us said that while there were “some jumpscares,” it wasn’t too scary.
Ultimately as a movie going experience, “Moana 2” was indeed another fun and enjoyable addition to what feels like is clearly intended to continue as a larger series. I’d give “Moana 2” 5 giant slimy green blob fish out of 7.
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.