मोआना 2

Moana 2 argues that she has to stop playing it safe and go off the beaten track only to then do the exact opposite as it copies the plot of the original just with greater scale and weaker everything else. Its origins as a TV show are definitely felt in the very choppy first act where no scene is allowed to last but it thankfully finds a better rhythm afterwards as it actually begins to feel like a film and then comes together nicely in the third act.

Auli'i Cravalho gives it her all as Moana again, bringing as much emotion as possible to her new songs and every scene with Khaleesi Lambert-Tsud as her adorable younger sister is heartwarming to counterbalance the fact her journey is so much weaker here. Her new crew are mildly annoying even if they all find their purpose by the end and it needed way more of Awhimai Fraser. Dwayne Johnson is still charming as Maui but all the flaws and vulnerability have sadly gone.

After the shaky start, directors David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller make sure the film feels epic enough to warrant a cinematic release and the visuals during the musical numbers are suitably inventive. The animation is the one aspect that comes close to the original thanks to its stunning detail and vibrancy from beginning to end. The new songs don't come close to the quality of their predecessors and the score is only memorable when reusing previous work.

Saw this with my nephew today--we're each a fan of the first one for different reasons--and both of us were whelmed. It feels like they didn't push or take any creative risks with this one. Flows like a recycled, watered-down attempt to replicate what the first movie captured so effortlessly. The emotional core is painfully missing with this one. None of the musical numbers have you at the edge of your seat like How Far I'll Go, or choking up like the Song of the Ancestors. It's beautiful enough to look at, but without a good story to ground it, it makes sense that the characters, the music and the overall experience falter. It was still as good a time as many animated films I've seen, don't get me wrong, but it pales in comparison to its predecessor.

Moana 1 was so magical and with Lin Manuel Miranda's Soundtrack, it was one of the best kids movies. Not to mention, there is a lot of cultural context about collective societies. Unfortunately, part 2 didn't keep me interested at all. I kept waiting for it to get better. This movie proves that a financial success is meaningless. It's not an indicator of a great film. It's just what was playing that weekend when you want to take your children to see a movie. The new characters lacked any depth. There wasn't half of the emotion of the first part. Grandma was missed dearly. I cried in the first Moana, a couple of times. I couldn't wait to get out of this short film. I wanted my money back.

Let's face it. The first Moana was amazing. Great soundtrack, great characters, great character arcs, and it was fun for the whole family. It was one of those movies that didn't need a sequel, because it was just perfect.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same about its follow-up.

Moana 2 felt soulless. It felt as if there was no heart behind it, unlike its predecessor. Each song that was sung (except for 1 or 2) wasn't that great. They weren't catchy, and didn't make me excited for what was about to happen!

And the side characters...where do I begin?

I couldn't tell you their names, even if I tried. They felt unnecessary throughout the movie except in very few scenes. It was just all so forced. We're given basic information about them and that's it. They don't really have any character development, and if they do, I don't feel like I know them well enough to care.

There are also some plot holes. There is a scene (and to avoid spoilers I will be as vague as possible) where we're introduced to a character who has been trapped by the "villain" of the film. (Why I have quotes around villain, I'll get back to later on.) After her 5 minute introduction, she is left behind and we never find out what happens to her, even after the defeat of the villain.

To get to my point on the villain, he was barely introduced. All we get told as an audience is that he's a power hungry god and that's it. We get barely any exposition, and the final battle is so fast. It felt like so much build up for nothing.

Not a lot felt like it changed for Moana and her character by the end of the film. The stakes just barely felt like they were there.

Which also reminds me, the pacing for the movie was very off. Some scenes felt so fast while others took their time, and it gave me a weird feeling of not caring as much as the first film, although I wanted to care.

All in all, it's not the worst film ever. It's a family flick, that your kids will probably enjoy, but for me personally, it's definitely not one that I'd watch more than once.

Moana 2 is an enjoyable sequel that I saw with my 4 and 8 year old daughters. I would recommend it for anyone with children as they are likely to be held for the duration and enjoy it.

The plot contains a lot of the same formula from the original movie (and Disney Princess animated features in general). This is not an issue, but for me what slightly disappoints is feeling shortchanged on story for what feels like the setting up of a third movie. On reflection (at the end) it feels like the slower character focussed aspects of the pre-adventure scenes (although good) are making up for the lack of material during the adventure. Compared to the original where the main antagonist had a fully realised character arc with a great twist, this one makes no contribution other than to pitch the next instalment. (There is a mid-credits scene so don't leave the cinema too early)

That being said there are no weak sequences, spectacle or character moments. I like how all the characters are used, particularly Moana's sweet little sister and all the relationships portrayed between people. The underlying message of togetherness and connecting people is very worthwhile. The new slant on the Kakamora is great.

As for the songs, I think, as always, it is a matter of taste, but for me they are not as memorable as the original.

As always with Disney the animation is incredible and the voice performances are great.