MOANA 2 -- Content, But Content

Review by Adam Donato

Disney Animation Studios may not be dealing with a world war or near bankruptcy, but this era is quite a low point for the studio. Wish and Strange World were total flops. Even when Encanto succeeded critically, it underachieved at the box office by the studio’s standards. Another hindrance in their box office is the insistence of Disney+. Audiences have been conditioned to know that they can skip the theaters since the movie will drop on the streaming service for free in a couple months. It’s safe to say Disney’s Revivial Era is long over. Besides Encanto, Disney has been crapping out impactless originals and lazy sequels. Will Moana 2 perpetuate this downward spiral?

Not unlike Frozen 2, Moana 2 has been plagued with bad press centered around the making of it. Moana 2 was supposed to be a Disney+ series. Last year, Nielsen crowned Moana as the most streamed movie of the year with over 11 billion viewing minutes. From a business perspective, it was a no brainer to stretch this sequel out into a full blown movie. After seeing the film, there are pacing signs that show this was repurposed content. The animation feels up to par and the main voice cast is back, but Lin Manuel Miranda is noticeably missing. Do these disadvantages ruin the film?

Moana 2 is fine. Every single aspect about this sequel is inferior to the original. There is not a single song here that is better than any song from the first movie. The jokes are lazy retreads of the exact same jokes from the first movie. The narrative is reminiscent of the story of the first movie. It’s really depressing for a movie about venturing outside of the norm to discover the new to have a sequel lacking in ambition. The only thing really new about this story is the sequel bait, which is hard to get excited about when the story of this movie feels like it’s lacking purpose. Families won’t go into this sequel with as much cynicism as cinephiles, but even then it will be surprising to see any fans of the first movie preferring the sequel.

Criticisms aside, Moana 2 is a very digestible movie. The animation is still pretty and the world of this movie is such a vibrant place to revisit. It would’ve been nice for Moana 2 to take notes from another Disney sequel, The Rescuers Down Under, which sports a similar plot to the first, but feels unique as the location of the film couldn’t be more different from the first. Luckily for Moana 2, the location reflects a beautiful vacation type spot. Watching Moana swing around her boat is almost like watching Spiderman swing around New York City. She’s such a proactive character that’s full of personality so hanging out with her again is a delight. Seeing her grow as a leader and build more relationships with her people is rewarding. The songs aren’t anything to write home about, but there are songs and they are generally fun. There’s kind of a villain song that feels like a villain song, but isn’t really a villain song. Nothing bad with the music, just entirely unspectacular. The new characters are not very memorable, but cool enough and not annoying. Moana has a little sister with big front teeth who is very adorable. Moana 2 is one of the cutest movies of the year and families will eat it up. 

Rewatching the first Moana after seeing the sequel is a depressing act as the level of passion and artistry has taken a huge hit. It’s not an instant classic, but it’s a fun and light movie that will entertain the masses. It will contend for the highest grossing animated movie of all time, but if Frozen 2 didn’t warrant a Best Animated Feature nomination, then this shouldn’t get one either. Listen to what the studio was saying in the first place: this “movie” belongs on a streaming service for kids to play on repeat. Watch it in theaters for a mildly fun, if not forgettable time. Even in a dismal year for animation, Moana 2 is more of the same for Disney Animation Studios: passionless and cynical content. 

Moana 2 is in theaters on November 27. 

Rating: 3/5