Moana 2 ★★★

Released: 29 November 2024

Director: David Derrick JR. Jason Hand, and Diana Ledoux Miller

Starring: Auliʻi Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, David Fane, Rose Matafeo, Hualālai Chung

As he introduced the film, the director described this as a “passion project for everyone involved.” Naturally, Disney films always seem to be a dream come true for anyone lucky to work on them. In some way, that is even more the case for a film like Moana 2 that has done so much for representation of Pacific Islanders and their culture. Much like its predecessor, Moana 2 once again shines a light on a people many of us may not be entirely be familiar with, with many others finally seeing themselves represented on the big screen.

Set three years after the original, Moana 2 once again follows the titular character Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) in her latest adventure, exploring new islands hoping to find other people across the ocean. An unexpected vision from her ancestors takes Moana on a new wayfinding journey that proves to be more dangerous and important to the destiny of her people, than anything else she has ever experienced. For this adventure, Moana is joined by her pet rooster Heihei (Alan Tudyk), demigod friend Maui (Dwayne Johnson) as well as some new companions from her village: the Maui (Hualālai Chung), the quirky and incredibly smart Loto (Rose Matafeo) and Kele (David Fane), a grumpy farmer who doesn’t know how to swim.

Moana 2 cleverly uses the opportunity of a sequel to explore the people in Moana’s village more. As her crew grows, the audience gets to explore new characters that showcase the various attitudes the other islanders have towards Moana and adventure. I also especially enjoyed seeing the dynamic between Moana and her little sister Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda) as their bond is able to cross the distance that may separate them. In their relationship – and Moana’s attitude towards her family and her island in general – we can also see and appreciate how much Moana has grown in these three years. This time, she is old enough to understand the scarier side that comes with her latest adventure, making her decision to follow her call after all even more impactful, despite her initial doubts over leaving her family behind.

The sequel also does a good job at heightening the stakes. Everything feels grander in this film as people’s entire lives – including, crucially Moana’s – and the whole island’s future are at stake. The antagonist figures in Moana 2 are fascinating, adding an element of novelty both to the plot of the film and the overall worldbuilding of the series. In fact, they are so captivating that I wish the film focused more on the mythology around them.

The film evidently plays on nostalgia, arguably too much at times. A lot of the narrative of Moana 2 mirrors the structure of the first film, thus making it entirely too predictable but still a fun watch, especially for those in the audience who will pick up on all the references and easter eggs to the original film. In this sense, the inclusion of the coconut pirates is particularly successful in the way it manages to add depth to their story and characterization as well as useful for the plot, rather than just including them for nostalgia’s sake.

Lin Manuel Miranda’s absence can certainly be felt – or rather heard – in the songs. None of which manage to be quite as memorable or impactful, as say “You’re Welcome” or “How Far I’ll Go”. While there is nothing wrong with the soundtrack for Moana 2, there is also nothing exactly right about it either. The musical numbers work within the context of the film and are actually quite enjoyable, but they are not catchy or momentous at all upon first watch, which often feels like the secret ingredient for Disney films to be not only successful but also culturally relevant and long lasting.

As far as sequels go, Moana 2 is a decent addition to the series that will undoubtedly still delight fans of the first film and children who are approaching the Moana story for the very first time. However, it sadly can’t stand the comparison with its predecessor, a film that felt like a breath a fresh air when it came out thanks to its on-screen representation. While asking if this sequel was needed at all almost feels pointless by now – after all, we have all learned that Disney animation films are bound to get sequels if they are successful – Moana 2 does seem to have a point narratively as it widens the scope of the world of the film whilst heightening the stakes to an entirely new and dangerous level for the protagonist and those she cares about.