Long awaited by many Disney fans, Moana 2 was released in theaters on November 27th, 2024. I had high expectations for this movie because the first Moana was amazing and I couldn’t wait to see how the sequel would compare.
The original Moana, which came out eight years ago in 2016, was a very popular film among both young children and adults. In the first movie, Moana sails across the ocean on an action-packed voyage with the help of the demigod Maui. Together, they defeat a dangerous lava monster, bring back the heart of Te Fiti and heal the ocean.
Much of the cast from the original movie returned to film Moana 2. Auli’i Cravalho stars as Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui. Additionally, some new actors were needed to fill new roles: Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda as Moana’s little sister (Simea), and Rose Matafeo, David Fane and Hualālai Chung as members of Moana’s wayfinding crew.
In Moana 2, Moana’s ancestors call her to find the lost island of Montufetu and break its curse. If she’s able to do this, people from different islands will be reunited and will become stronger together.
One disappointing element of this production was the music. It was mediocre, which surprised me since the music in the first Moana was truly phenomenal. After research, I learned that Lin-Manuel Miranda (best known for his work in the Broadway musical Hamilton) helped write the music in Moana 1 but wasn’t a part of this process in Moana 2. His absence in this film may be why the music lacks pazazz.
This film had an engaging plot that was easy to follow and included some very funny moments. It also conveyed themes and lessons that apply to diverse audiences. Some of these are “Don’t give up” and “You can’t always do everything by yourself.”
I enjoyed watching Moana 2 but still prefer the original Moana. I would rate the new movie 3.75 out of 5 stars. This movie is rated PG, so I’d recommend it to anyone but I’d say that young children should watch it with a parent, as there are a few scary and somewhat violent scenes.
All things considered, I’d say Moana 2 is a good movie but not a great movie. I hoped it would be better, but watching it was definitely not a waste of time. It still entertained and amused me, so if you’re interested in watching it, you should; see what you think of it and make your own comparisons to the first movie.
