Moana 2 Review – A Familiar Voyage With No Destination

Not too long ago, a film like Moana 2 would drop straight into video stores without a theatrical release. That’s barely a value judgment, but the gap in quality between the first and second Moana speaks for itself. At the risk of stating the obvious, this is a movie for children. Anyone watching with a developed prefrontal cortex will find themselves wondering why they don’t feel quite as much as they did the first time, but at least it all still looks pretty.

Moana 2 has three directors, none of whom were the two pros who crafted the first film. David Derrick Jr. was a story artist on several Dreamworks and Disney projects, including the original Moana. Jason Hand was a story and layout artist on films like Big Hero 6 and Curious George. Dana Ledoux Miller is the odd one out, working as the showrunner on Thai Cave Rescue and a producer on several comparable serious shows. Together, they do their best to replace longtime talents John Musker and Ron Clements.

A Brand New Island

If you felt like Moana completed her character arc in the first movie, you are correct. Moana 2 finds her traveling the seas as a master wayfinder, hunting for human life beyond the shores she was born on. Her debut saw her take up the impossible task of rediscovering her people’s journeying ways to provide for her starving neighbors. Moana 2 lacks that urgency, pushing her to sail to a new faraway island as a favor to the ghost of the island’s last master wayfinder. She finds that location under the thumb of a vengeful storm god who seeks to keep the human race separate to dilute their power. Without Maui, Moana must assemble a ragtag crew, sail the high seas, and convince another god to calm down. The basic plot represents a valiant attempt to rearrange pieces into a new story, but it all feels awfully familiar.

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It’s a bit grim to see a franchise about someone leaving her comfort zone to chart new courses immediately revert to familiar territory. When it does innovate, Moana 2 slips into more general storytelling issues. The most obvious problem is that the villain really isn’t a character. Disney films were once known for iconic antagonists, but their latest entry replaces charismatic cruelty with colorful special effects. There’s a big storm, but without someone at the heart of it, clouds are rarely compelling. Similarly, the new crew members suffer from a bit of the old one-track mind. Each gets a single character trait, quickly testing the patience of older viewers. Beyond that, most of the story’s problems disappear without a satisfying conclusion. I know Moana 2 is for kids, but I find myself wondering whether even they deserve better. They received much better when Moana came out in 2016.

The Ocean Is Her Friend

It seems pointless to critique a film like Moana 2. Disney’s straight-to-video sequels rarely warranted responses from the critics of the time. The two things saving Moana 2 from that fate, aside from the fact they don’t really do those anymore, are the cast and the visuals. The film looks absolutely spectacular. It never stops dropping jaws, even as the imagery it depicts feels oddly empty. The simple joy of watching well-designed characters sail through flawless ocean waves will carry you through this experience. I can’t praise the massive crew of animators highly enough. It’s not as groundbreaking as something like Across the Spider-Verse, but the visuals are the main selling point of Moana 2. You can feel the visual artists working to give the film a new color palette, seemingly offering more distinguishing characteristics than the plot. 

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The cast remains roughly as impressive as it was the first time. Auliʻi Cravalho remains more-or-less perfect as Moana, delivering her best work in the film’s musical numbers. Dwayne Johnson still nails Maui, even in the musical moments when his imperfect singing/rapping voice adds character. The newcomers also fit in well. Rose Matafeo of Taskmaster fame is a charming presence as a half-mad artisan who obsessively improves the crew’s vessel. David Fane of Our Flag Means Death portrays the elderly farmer who exists to provide at least one point of displeasure to the otherwise-perfect team. Relative newcomer Hualālai Chung rounds out the crew with an enjoyable fanfiction-obsessed himbo character. It’s a solid cast, elevating the material with a lot of genuine charisma.

All in all, Moana 2 is a downgrade from its predecessor, but a lot of kids won’t care. It’s a little bigger, a touch less emotional, and a lot less enjoyable for the parents in the audience. I might have been most annoyed by the film’s obvious signals toward another sequel. Disney seems to see a long-running franchise in Moana, potentially looking for a new reliable name as Marvel and Star Wars struggle. I can’t say anything that will unravel that scheme, but I can bemoan the downfall of an enjoyable voyage that feels a lot less compelling the second time around.