Movie review: ‘Moana 2,’ a worthy sequel
Following up on one of the most popular Disney films of all time, “Moana” (2016), is a tall task, but “Moana 2” was up for it. While the music doesn’t come close to being as good as the first, “Moana 2” boasts an incredible story with breathtaking visuals.
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After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
Disney
Going into “Moana 2,” I have to say I had no expectations. Don’t get me wrong; I think the first film is a perfect Disney movie, between a good emotional story and an AMAZING soundtrack. You would think due to the hype of the first film that I would have some sort of excitement, but I didn’t. I do feel like it has to do with the lack of marketing push, but regardless, once the opening credits began to roll, I was locked in.
“Moana 2” takes two steps forward and one step back. The film not only has incredible animation, but for an animated movie, the shot composition blew me away. There are so many moments where you could pause the frame, print it as a photo, and hang it on your wall. The visuals are truly breathtaking.
Another major step forward is the story. While the first film’s story has some great emotional depth, “Moana 2” doesn’t hesitate to raise the stakes, making every decision and moment have that much more weight. I found myself getting emotional multiple times. A huge player in these stakes is that Moana now has the cutest “lil’ sis” of all time, Simea, and the last thing Moana wants is to lose her.
Where the film has a drop-off is the music. As much as the Internet likes to poke fun at Lin-Manuel Miranda, his music in the first “Moana” is timeless. Though I think the music in “Moana 2” is enjoyable, the only songs that come close to being as good as the original’s are the songs that are reused for the sequel. Lin’s missing presence is felt. My other major issue with the music is that too many songs feel like the filmmakers were trying to mimic the music from the first film, specifically the spoken-word moments, as if they were grasping at Lin’s lyrical mastery, but fell incredibly short.
Despite not having any iconic musical moments, “Moana 2” entertains start-to-finish thanks to the help of a great story and incredible visuals. I fully expect to watch it again.
SCORE: 4/5
“Moana 2” is rated PG and is in theaters Nov. 27, 2024! “Moana 2” has one post-credit scene.
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