Moana 2: A Classic Case of Sequelitis
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.
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