Disney doesn’t usually let us down with a family-friendly Thanksgiving movie and MOANA 2 is ready to be that movie! If you’re a fan of the original MOANA, you might have a few trepidations going into this film but I’m here to promise you that Disney did not ruin Moana’s good name with this sequel.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room first. MOANA 2 is a sequel. Back in 2016, I headed to see a preview of the original MOANA by myself because my then nine-year-old decided he was too cool for animated films. In years to come, with the advent of the Disney+ streaming service, he lived to regret that decision. MOANA became a family favorite in this house. Even my husband liked it.
With it being a bit of a revered movie for what it is, everyone in the family agreed to attend the screening of MOANA 2 with me, including my now seventeen-year-old son. I’ll cut to the chase and tell you that we all really enjoyed it. My son gave it a solid 8/10. I gave it a B+. And my husband just said, “it was really good.” Maybe one day we’ll be on a consistent scale.
Here’s what to look forward to.
Set several years from the original movie, Moana is now a wayfinder who sets off in search of new lands and new people with her lovable crew of Hei Hei and Pua. She’s continually disappointed with the isolation of her people when she discovers a remnant indicating that other people did exist on neighboring islands.
In a vision, she’s told that if she doesn’t find these other people, her own people are doomed. This is probably my major point of contention. Why her people would be doomed isn’t made entirely clear. What is clear is that this is her new mission. The new thing that gives her direction and one of the biggest challenges of her life.
Now I know that the average kid and probably even the average parent isn’t going to watch MOANA 2 like I do and think, “hmmm, I just don’t think the stakes were high enough to move this story forward.” But if we’re comparing it to the plague that was killing her island’s food source in the first movie, the stakes definitely aren’t as high. We knew Moana had to complete her mission or her people would eventually starve. This time, her mission just seems like a good idea.
The story is a little weak but it gets the movie off and running the way it needs to. And this is where Disney delicately walked the fine line between creating a new movie while still keeping elements of the original that attracted moviegoers in the first place.
What that means is that you’ll see recycled storylines. You’ll see characters you’ve seen before. You’ll even see scenes that are very similar to the original. But it doesn’t feel lazy. It feels nostalgic and I think most MOANA fans will appreciate that.
The animation is top notch with all of the returning voice actors (Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Scherzinger, Temuera Morrison, Rachel House, and Alan Tudyk). Maui is as lovable as ever and his reunion with Moana feels natural. The mission of the story is a little disjointed (especially with the introduction of her new crew) but (SPOILER) good triumphs over evil and Moana is a humble hero among her people.
It is still a musical and while the songs aren’t quite as original as MOANA, they are blended with the songs we know and love.
In the past, Disney sequels have felt like a thrown together cash grab that usually ends up in a straight to video release (do we still call it straight to video?). MOANA 2 stands on its own. It’s a fun watch that I guarantee will just leave you feeling good. You’ll even love the kakamore (coconut warriors) this time around.
There is a stinger that might be worth staying for if you feel there were some loose threads (l did). And it definitely leaves room for MOANA 3.
