She is Moana! And, frankly, she deserves a little more respect than this.
Moana 2, the sequel to the 2016 Disney movie about spunky teenager who saves her people with the help of a fast-talking, narcissistic demigod arrives at the same time as another long-awaited musical involving misunderstood mythical creatures. Moana 2 called first dibs on a Thanksgiving release back in February, while Wicked just announced they were moving up their release date from Christmas day in September. And so, alas, the biggest Disney sequel since Frozen 2 now seems to be in Wicked’s shadow.
And that’s too bad. I hope Elphaba and Glinda are happy now. Although not as good as the original film (sequels rarely are), this second outing brings together all that fans loved about the original in a brand new story. And, frankly, the more we see of Disney heroines who can fend for themselves and not only don’t need a man to save them but also don’t need a romance as a central story point, the better.
Set three years later, an older (but still wearing the same outfit!) Moana (once again powerfully and perfectly voiced by Auli‘i Cravalho) now has an adorable baby sister Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda). That’s right, not only are Moana’s parents (Temuera Morrison and Nicole Scherzinger) still alive in defiance of animated film precedent, they are procreating! A hero among her community, a bevy of younger girls known as the Moanabes (two of whom are voiced by Dwyane Johnson’s daughters) follow Moana around hanging on her every word, mimicking her every movement. After the song aptly titled “We’re Back,” Moana sets out on another adventure to save her people.
Moana is convinced there are other people and communities out there and that one day “someone is going to answer” her clarion call. Her ancestor Tautai Vasa (Gerald Faitala Ramsey) shows her a deserted island and tells her “this is your future if you cannot find others … returning Te Fiti’s heart was just the beginning.” He reveals to Moana that there was once an island that connected all people of the Pacific. The central theme that isolationism is not the way to go is, shall we say, very timely.
So our heroine sets out on a voyage once again (and finally gets a new outfit!) this time with not only her rooster Heihei (Alan Tudyk) but with her beloved pig Pua and a new crew including big time Maui fan Moni (Hualālai Chung), the cranky Kele (David Fane), who brings farming to the voyage and engineer Loto (Rose Matafeo), who is constantly tinkering. These new characters are a lot of fun, and the idea that our title character doesn’t have to solve the world’s problems on her own is a good one for Moana 2.
Maui (Dwayne Johnson), meanwhile, is being held captive by a goddess called Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), but fret not, it’s not long before he and his interactive tattoo join the gang. Johnson’s energy level is at about a 15 on a scale of one to 10. Maui’s jokes, with Johnson’s quippy delivery, come, pardon the pun, fast and furious. “Still not a princess,” Moana tells him. “Well, a lot of people think that you are,” he replies. There’s also a giant clam, a super angry storm and the return of the adorably angry Kakamoras.
But enough about the plot, let’s talk about the music. It’s … fine. Infused with not only the authentic indigenous island sound but also with auditory callbacks to the original soundtrack, it lacks the catchy oomph that made little kids everywhere want to belt out “How Far I’ll Go.” The one that comes closest is Matangi’s “Get Lost,” which borders on being a power ballad. But overall, you won’t walk out of the movie theater singing.
Johnson’s breakout song in Moana was “You’re Welcome,” which deftly combined quick turns of phrase lyrics with Johnson’s extravagant showman style. (Not going to lie, I’ve started many parental conversations with “Kid, honestly, I could go on and on”). So expectations for Johnson’s big number in Moana 2 were perhaps unfairly high. But, despite Johnson’s enthusiastic efforts, “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?,” written by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, can’t be viewed as anything but a disappointment. (Of note, TikTok star Barlow was in high school when the first movie came out). The missing ingredient here is no doubt Lin-Manuel Miranda, who lent his now iconic style to the first film (fret not, you can hear his work in the upcoming Disney film Mufasa: The Lion King).
The movie clips along at a brisk pace and themes like how your loved ones are always with you even after they are gone are powerful, if familiar ones. “We are together still. Just a little different,” Moana’s Gramma Tala (Rachel House) tells her. And the ending, although joyous of course, nicely sets the stage for the inevitable Moana 3. Hopefully, that one will be conceived from the ground up as a film, rather than an adapted TV series. And ideally, that movie won’t be competing with Wicked 2, either.
Directors: David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller
Writers: Dana Ledoux Miller and Jared Bush
Starring: Auli‘i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Hualālai Chung, David Fane, Rose Matafeo, Awhimai Fraser, Gerald Ramsey, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda
Release Date: November 27, 2024
Amy Amatangelo, the TV Gal®, is a Boston-based freelance writer and a member of the Television Critics Association. She wasn’t allowed to watch much TV as a child and now her parents have to live with this as her career. You can follow her on Twitter (@AmyTVGal).