Moana 2 review | Moana 2 cast & review | Moana 2 movie review 2024

Moana 2: A Classic Case of Sequelitis

moana 2 review 2024
Moana 2 Review

The Return of Moana and Maui

Moana 2 is the sequel to the highly successful and beloved animated film Moana. After seven—no, wait—eight years, Auli'i Cravalho reprises her role as Moana, alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Maui. The duo embarks on a new quest, not because the story demanded it, but because, well, sequels need to happen. This time, Moana has a new crew of characters, but do they add to the story or just overcrowd it?

Moana 2 Trailer


The Visual Spectacle: A Shoutout to the Animators

Let's start with the real stars of this film—the animators. The animation in Moana 2 is stunning. From the vibrant color contrasts to the mesmerizing water effects, everything looks absolutely gorgeous. Given that water effects are notoriously tricky to animate, the fact that the ocean in Moana 2 looks breathtaking is a major achievement. The animators, the hardworking below-the-line folks who rarely get the recognition they deserve, truly outdid themselves.

A Weak Setup and a Meandering Journey

Despite the film's visual splendor, the execution falls flat. The first half of the movie suffers from a shaky setup that makes it difficult to stay engaged. After checking my watch for the fourth time, I found myself wondering, Why are we even here? Of course, if we break the fourth wall, we know the answer—sequels need to exist for financial reasons.

Instead of a well-structured adventure, Moana 2 unfolds as a flashy series of events that ultimately lead to a fight against a storm. But even that climax feels underwhelming. If the story is going to be this straightforward, the least the filmmakers could have done was introduce compelling characters with great chemistry. While Moana and Maui still share enjoyable moments, the new crew just feels unnecessary. Their presence is crowded, chaotic, and, frankly, confusing.

A Crew of Useless Characters

The new characters in Moana 2 struggle to justify their existence. While some eventually get a moment to prove their worth—typically in a cliché "Oh, I can fix this because it's my thing!" kind of way—it all feels painfully obvious. The film should have done a better job of establishing their contributions earlier instead of making them seem completely useless until the pivotal moment.

On top of that, they aren’t even the lovable kind of "idiots" that Disney has successfully introduced in the past. Instead, their presence feels like pure chaos. The interactions aboard the ship are loud, frantic, and, at times, annoying. The reason for this is clear—juvenile slapstick humor for kids. But great Disney films are made for families, not just children. A well-made animated movie should entertain both kids and adults. Unfortunately, Moana 2 fails in this regard.

A Dull Audience Reaction

One telling sign of the film’s shortcomings is the audience reaction. I did my usual movie theater test—leaning over to look down the row and observe the faces of other viewers. Everyone looked bored, some even close to nodding off. This is a stark contrast to the excitement and engagement that Moana (2016) managed to generate.

The Music: Not as Memorable as the Original

Music is a crucial part of any Moana film, but Moana 2 fails to match the magic of its predecessor. While a couple of songs are decent, none of them come close to the impact of the original's soundtrack. The musical sequences feel more like a checklist requirement than something that organically enhances the story.

The Last Half Hour: A Glimmer of Engagement

The final act of Moana 2 is where things finally pick up. The story becomes focused, the action gets more engaging, and it feels like something is actually happening. But it comes too late. The first hour of the film is unnecessarily drawn out, seemingly just to reach the 90-minute runtime. While it's nice that the film isn’t overly long, it’s not a good sign when a 90-minute movie makes you feel sleepy. And yes, I did get a full night's sleep before watching it, so I’m blaming Moana 2 for that drowsiness.

Conclusion: A Forgettable Sequel

In the end, Moana 2 is a textbook example of sequelitis. It has a few cute moments, some exciting action, and even a touch of heart by the end. But there’s nothing tying these elements together into a cohesive adventure worth going on—or paying for. It doesn’t help that 2024 has already seen some stellar animated films like Transformers One, The Wild Robot, and Inside Out 2—all of which are available for streaming.

If you’re looking for a great animated movie this Thanksgiving, do yourself a favor and look elsewhere. Moana 2 is as forgettable as they come. In fact, I’ll probably forget about it in… T-minus one day. Yep, already gone.

Summery

Moana 2 suffers from classic sequelitis—visually stunning but narratively weak. While the animation is breathtaking, the story lacks depth, feeling like a series of events rather than a meaningful adventure. Moana and Maui remain enjoyable, but the new crew feels pointless, offering little beyond chaotic, juvenile humor. The film drags in its first hour, only becoming engaging in the final act. The music fails to match the original’s impact, and audiences seemed bored. With superior animated films available in 2024, Moana 2 is forgettable and unnecessary. If you're looking for a great family film, look elsewhere.

Tags: MOANA 2 REVIEW,  MOANA 2 CAST & REVIEW,  MOANA 2  REVIEW CAST ,  MOANA 2  REVIEW ONLINE,  MOANA 2  REVIEW 2024,  MOANA 2  REVIEW FILMIJEE,  MOANA 2  MOVIE REVIEW, MOANA 2 REVIEW, MOANA 2 REVIEW 2024

 

 

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post