As I step into the theater to see Disney’s latest animated film “Moana 2,” I expect nothing more than another lifeless, cash-grab sequel. Thankfully, I am wrong. “Moana 2” came to theaters on Nov. 27 and set the all-time box office record for Thanksgiving weekend. Its humor and whimsy convey a lighthearted theme while maintaining the ability to get serious when the plot calls for it.
Many Disney sequels either stay too close to their predecessor, essentially creating the same movie, or stray so far away from the original plot and characters that they become unrecognizable.“Moana 2” finds a perfect balance. The movie utilizes themes and ideas from the original, while also incorporating dynamic characters to liven up the scene, such as Dwyane Johnson who makes his return as Maui, a fan-favorite
The sequel continues the story of Moana, a young but experienced navigator, as she sails the ocean in search of other civilizations. Moana and her crew must embark on a dangerous journey to a lost island in hopes of reversing a curse and uniting all people.
“Moana 2” also serves as an example of how advanced Disney Pixar’s digital animation studio has become. The stunning visuals of mountains, beaches, trees and, most of all, the ocean create a breathtaking atmosphere that transports the viewer into the Polynesian South Pacific.
The film’s soundtrack does not disappoint either. Despite fans’ worries regarding the absence of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the composer of the first film’s iconic music, “Moana 2’s” soundtrack perfectly accompanies the story. The music provides another element of world-building with its uniquely Polynesian sound, and I especially liked how the soundtrack incorporates subtle musical cues and themes from the original.
While I enjoyed many parts of the film, it also fell short in certain places. Most notably, the poor pacing. Much of the film feels rushed due to its attempt to squeeze the most out of a 100-minute runtime. This leads to a jarring effect where the viewer ends up lost in a jumble of scenes.
In addition to the pacing, there is also an overabundance of exposition scenes that cloud the initial half of the film and confuse the audience from the start, such as the scene in which the main antagonist, Nalo the storm god, is introduced. While the movie does a good job creating new and innovative plot points and characters, it does a bad job introducing them. This is a common problem amongst sequels in general and, unfortunately, “Moana 2” fails to be any different in this aspect.
Despite its dynamic supporting cast, the movie surprisingly doesn’t spend much time on Moana herself, and her character arc is fairly flat. While I believe that this is a result of the film’s short runtime, it is not as glaring of a mistake as the previously mentioned flaws.
Overall, “Moana 2” is an enjoyable sequel full of new and exciting content that skillfully expands on the original movie while staying true to the characters and themes that fans love. Although the film has its flaws, anyone looking for a feel-good and entertaining expansion on their favorite Disney movie should take the time to see it. If you’re on the fence about seeing it in theaters, I recommend waiting for the film’s home release and watching it then. Either way, “Moana 2” is definitely worth the watch.
