“Moana 2” Review

It’s hard to get back into the groove with Moana 2. This is not for lack of energy, songs, and all the mythological fantasy wielded once more. It has all the makings of another robust adventure for Disney’s Samoan heroes. And, yet, it never reaches that same level of clever wit and earworm melodies, coming off like those direct-to-video Disney sequels that always felt lesser despite continuing with the same characters and presenting a new threat.

Part of the problem is that the central character of Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) is still riding high on her previous success without much uncertainty. Three years have passed and she’s still hopeful that her exploration of the seas will lead her to more tribes. As she is declared a leader of her tribe, she receives a message from her ancestors about restoring an island that could open up travel routes for voyagers. Doing so will require facing the toughest of seas where a curse of the gods has prevented passage. Thankfully, Moana’s demigod traveler, Maui (Dwayne Johnson), is still around to aid in this quest, bringing his usual vigor and charm as he transforms into various animals with his magical hook. Much like Moana, Maui still has some of that high energy, where his concerns about Moana pissing off gods feel so reduced that little pushback is required for him to grace his friend with a new inspirational song.

There are some new characters added into the mix, but we don’t have much time to know them. Loto (Rose Matafeo) is a brainy builder, Kele (David Fane) is a curmudgeonly old farmer, and Moni (Hualālai Chung) is a Maui fanboy, complete with his fanart of his favorite demigod. All of these characters are chosen as the crew for Moana’s travels and they get along far too well. They all have their faults that could endanger the voyage, and there’s enough potential to make them grow as characters while giving Moana a chance to struggle with leadership skills. But given Moana’s god-like confidence, all it takes is one song for the entire crew to be whipped into shape with her musical enthusiasm to save her people. Thus, her crew is reduced more to what they can do for the voyage than anything compelling or funny with their personalities. This feels less like a crew you grow to love and more like the most astute party choices for an RPG video game. The roster later includes one of the returning Kakamora coconut creatures but with a barebones backstory of wanting the same thing as Moana.

So much of Moana 2 compartmentalizes the adventure that there’s rarely a moment where the emotions build. A clawing vitality seems to downplay the few moments of doubt and danger. The breakneck pacing leaves little room to fully appreciate the terror of Moni almost drowning or the unbelievable sight of an island that swallows ships whole. The adventure’s laser focus on resurrecting an island and restoring legacy sidelines the more interesting angles of this story. Consider the film’s brief god encounter with Matangi (Awhimai Fraser). This Hindi goddess is a solid choice for this picture, given that she is noted for being musical, knowledgeable, and an outcast. However, the film reduces her to being a bat-themed diva who isn’t so much an obstacle as an instigator, willing to help Moana and Maui for her benefit of sordid god affairs. She seems to have an unexplored subplot, making her feel less like this film’s answer to Tamatoa and more like a tease for the sequel.

The songs for Moana 2 are…fine. They’re certainly not on the same level of catchiness that the previous film was known for with its Lin-Manuel Miranda lyrics, despite the return of Mark Mancina on the score and Opetaia Foaʻi for songs. However, the songs have energy and spirit and push the narrative forward in mildly fun ways. A highlight is Maui’s inspirational song for Moana, which has colorful visuals and the tone of a wrestling intro, considering it’s called “Can I Get A Chee Hoo?” It’s not on the same level of “You’re Welcome,” but it gets the job done, if only to distract from how the film tries to reiterate lyrics and jokes from Moana 1.

Moana 2 treads through familiar waters, pacing far too quickly to appreciate its wonders. There’s coasting on its inspirational energy of legacy and leadership that zips from mystical legends to naval adventure with few moments of growth. On a surface level, the film still looks good, boasts plenty of high-seas action, and has small moments of humor (your mileage depends on how much you laugh at slime and animal noises). But the sweet charisma and tender heart present in the last film is not as vocal here, forcing the viewer to peer through all the rippling Disney bravado to find the same magic again.