Eight years ago, Moana introduced the world to a spirited Polynesian wayfinder whose defiance of Disney’s ‘princess’ archetype set her apart. Voiced with youthful exuberance by Auli’i Cravalho, Moana’s journey alongside Dwayne Johnson’s charismatic Maui struck a chord with audiences.
This week, its sequel, Moana 2 sailed into cinemas albeit burdened with the high tide of expectation. Directed by Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller, and David G. Derrick Jr., the film is visually spellbinding, but its narrative struggles to reach the same heights as its predecessor.
Picking up three years after Moana restored Te Fiti’s heart, the sequel sees the titular navigator returning to Motunui after charting neighbouring islands. She’s a more seasoned wayfinder now, but her adventurous spirit remains undimmed. As her ancestors reveal a new, perilous mission — one involving a vengeful god named Nalo (voiced with thunderous menace by Tofiga Fepulea’i) and a lost island crucial to Oceania’s unity — Moana is thrust into a journey that tests not just her courage but her bonds with family and crew.
It’s in these bonds that Moana 2 finds its emotional anchor. The most poignant moments belong to Moana and her younger sister, Simea (voiced by an impressive Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda). Their sisterly exchanges — playful, intimate, and brimming with unspoken affection — offer a glimpse into Moana’s growth. Her relationship with Simea echoes the intergenerational wisdom imparted by Gramma Tala in the original film.
Unfortunately, this emotional resonance is often drowned out by the film’s chaotic structure. Unlike its predecessor’s focused narrative, Moana 2 sprawls across multiple subplots and characters, diluting its core story. Moana’s new crew — a quirky mix of islanders including a bard, a shipwright, and a grumpy farmer — are amusing but underdeveloped. Even Maui, reintroduced through a thrilling underwater rescue mission, feels less integral this time around despite Johnson’s reliable charm.
The screenplay, penned by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, aims for humour and spectacle but misses the narrative intimacy of the first film. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s absence in the musical department is keenly felt; while the songs are serviceable, they lack the infectious magic of How Far I’ll Go or You’re Welcome. Only Matangai, a shadowy, bat-loving villainess voiced by Awhimai Fraser, delivers a standout musical moment with Get Lost.
Still, for all its shortcomings, Moana 2 retains a spark of the original’s magic. It reminds us that the ocean — vast, unpredictable, and teeming with life — is both a mirror to Moana’s journey and a metaphor for the human experience.
Visually, too, Moana 2 is a feast. The animation, led by Byron Howard, pushes the boundaries of oceanic storytelling. The sea, a living character in its own right, is rendered with breathtaking realism and imagination. From towering waterspouts to glowing leviathans, the ocean’s uncharted depths become an arena of both beauty and terror. The climactic confrontation with Nalo is also a spectacle.
