2016’s Moana was a massive hit for Disney, earning widespread acclaim — and a cool $687 million at the box office — thanks to its vivid take on Polynesian mythology, colorful characters, and soundtrack full of infectious songs courtesy of Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda. (“How Far I’ll Go” was nominated for a “Best Original Song” Oscar.)
Thus, a sequel was really only a matter of when, not if. Originally announced as a musical comedy series for Disney+ back in 2020, Moana 2 was ultimately reworked into a feature film with Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson reprising their roles as the titular heroine and demigod Maui. (Interestingly, Miranda did not return to work on the sequel’s soundtrack.)
So does Moana and Maui’s new aquatic adventure live up to their first oceangoing outing? Read on for a selection of critics’ reactions to the sequel.
The central weakness of Moana 2 is the music, a lackluster collection of songs missing the spark of “How Far I’ll Go,” “You’re Welcome,” “Shiny,” or any of the other fan favorites returning composers Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina wrote with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Even the brooding main tune, “Beyond,” rings anticlimactic. Miranda may have reached a point of overexposure in recent years, but his knack for an earworm — recall that he’s also responsible for Encanto’s chart-topping “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — is sorely absent here.
Moana 2 gives the audience an incredibly easy-to-follow blueprint that relies more on comedic moments and amusing songs that are undoubtedly entertaining but not nearly as impactful as what could’ve been. However, Moana’s character is so remarkably charming that she makes even the most mundane story entertaining. Moana’s newly appointed leadership role is centred on her kindness and understanding, which are leadership qualities not often represented in the media. Moana’s heart becomes the saving grace of the movie.
With its beautiful, textured animation and its propulsive adventure to the far ends of the ocean, Moana 2 is another win for Disney animation. The only major letdown? The film’s songs, which are totally OK, but certainly nothing special compared to Moana’s greatest hits.
Moana 2 saunters into multiplexes with a built-in fanbase and brand-name recognition already on its side. They have a winning formula, a solid young female hero in place, and a lead with some kick-ass pipes (Hawaiian actor Auli’i Cravalho, currently killing it on Broadway in Cabaret). Hence, no one wants to rock the camakau too much here, and the overall sentiment seems to be something like Sequel 101: You loved the first movie, so here’s a second movie that’s a lot like the first movie. This is the good news if that’s what you’re after. If not, well: It’s one hour and 40 minutes.
Moana 2 is an okay movie, an above-average kiddie roller-coaster, and a piece of pure product in a way that the first Moana, at its best, transcended. The new movie wears you down to win you over; it’s a just efficient enough delivery system for follow-your-dreams inspiration to be a major holiday hit.
While we’ll always wonder what Moana‘s future would’ve looked like as a streaming TV series, Moana 2 more than makes the case for its transformation into a big-screen feature. Its stellar animation, paired with a heartfelt story that builds on the original in terms of both character and worldbuilding, shares a timely message that speaks to the power and importance of collaboration. Even as Disney prepares to revisit the original in live-action, hopefully Moana 2 is an indicator of just how much worth there is in continuing to champion this series as one of its modern animated classics.
From the moment Moana and her team save Maui from Matangai’s prison, Moana 2 builds impressive action sequences on a relatively weak story. Bush and Ledoux Miller’s screenplay packs in funnier jokes but it lacks the narrative roundedness of its predecessor, with members of Moana’s skillful crew being especially shortchanged. One can’t help but feel like more time — the film is a nimble 1 hour 40 minutes — or a more episodic approach might have helped. (A post-credits sequence does hint at more in store for Moana.)
There’s almost an affecting message, where teamwork on a small scale results in greater togetherness on a large scale. There’s almost a charming reversal of the maturing relationship between Maui and Moana. There are recycled versions of the first film’s slapstick and songs. It all threatens to come together, if not for an unseen and all-powerful deity throwing a wrench in these plans for reasons beyond the understanding of us mere mortals. Alas, it’s lost at sea.
Moana 2 may grow on me as well — frankly, my feelings for it could only go up from where they started. It’s been less than a day since I saw the long-awaited sequel… but unlike with the overwhelming let-me-hear-that-again rush of experiencing Moana for the first time, I don’t have the lingering gut feeling that I’ve missed something. In the end, Moana 2 is a vehicle for one banger, a feel-good throwback, and a few songs we’ll never talk about again, which doesn’t feel like enough for a brand-new Moana.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2 is a brightly colored and heartwarming high-seas adventure with a terrific percussive score and a bounty of infectious original songs, beautiful messaging about honoring ancestral traditions and the benefits of community and teamwork, and some lovely voice performances from the talented cast.
Moana 2 arrives in theaters on November 27, 2024. Watch the trailer below.
