Moana 2, the sequel to the hit animated movie Moana (2016), released in theaters November 27, ushering in mixed feelings as it magnificently features Pacific Islander culture, but takes a step back in just about all other aspects.
Directed by Jason Hand, David Derrick Jr., and Dana Ledoux Miller, Moana 2 follows the titular character Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho), this time whisked away on a mission to connect the oceans as a wayfinder, and reunited with Maui (Dwayne Johnson), to face challenges deemed worthy of a demigod.
Disney is not deaf on how to create witty and well-written characters, tugging at heartstrings and tickling funny bones
Moana is now joined by a handful of new characters in her voyage in the form of Moni (Hualalai Chung), Loto (Rose Matafeo), and Kele (David Fane) who cast away from their home island of Motonui in their quest to connect the oceans. It is unfortunate that the addition of new characters to join Moana did little to contribute to the overall story. The three characters served as either comedic relief, which admittedly was welcome, or simply taking on roles which were not independent of the skills Moana possesses, as seen from the previous film in 2016. While Moana 2 provided more characters to root for, the story failed to provide a deep enough of a compelling reason to stay attached to them, and this is especially felt in the scenes where they were absent.
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The opposite can be said about Maui, and Moana’s new little sister Simea, voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda in her voice acting debut. Both characters stole the scenes in their every appearance, and showed that Disney is not deaf on how to create witty and well-written characters, tugging at heartstrings and tickling funny bones in the numbered scenes that they appear in. In fact, Co-Director David Derrick Jr. explained in Entertainment Weekly that the dynamic between Moana and Simea is inspired by his own children. The effort to bring Simea to life was indeed crystal clear for the audience to appreciate and gush over.
A huge part of what makes the film interesting can be found in the excellent showcase of Pacific Island culture which Moana 2 builts on and improves in this sequel. There are elements apparent from different Pacific Island cultures, from the Hula dance of Hawaii, to the Haka of the Maori people, which is the embodiment of Maori pride and show of strength. The showcasing of Pacific Island culture is particularly personal for the main cast, with Cravalho being native Hawaiian, and Johnson being proud of his Samoan roots. From the first movie back in 2016, Johnson was open about how his grandfather was buried in Hawaii and how he valued Pacific Island representation in film.
Moana 2 is one of those Disney films which lives or dies with music, and this sequel missed the mark.
As a Disney animated film, one cannot understate the importance of memorable, iconic songs which can be sung across generations. Moana from 2016 gave us “How Far I’ll Go”, “You’re Welcome”, and “We Know the Way”. Thus, it was a great point of anxiety when it was announced that Lin-Manuel Miranda did not come back as music director for the sequel, and did not have any involvement per se. However, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’i are returning to score and write the songs. Knowing this, the question stands – Does Moana live or die based on the involvement of Lin-Manuel Miranda? For this film, I, and a great majority of the audience, unfortunately found ourselves walking out of the cinema not humming or remembering any of the songs it showcased. It is unfortunate that the most memorable song from this film was a rendition of “We Know the Way”, which only plays towards the latter end to close the story, and has Miranda’s genes written all over it.
Seemingly like a ray of hope, Moana 2 still managed to give us a strong third act, owing to the deeply emotional scenes of Maui and Moana entrenched in their mutual goal to protect their culture and their people. The final scenes showed us the determination of all the characters to achieve their goals, especially Maui and Moana who both were willing to lose their lives to break the curse separating Motonui from all other Pacific Island villages. It takes a bit of willpower, however, to stay through what was a lackluster series of songs and underdeveloped character interactions.
With a cast that is not entirely memorable, and a plot which finds itself struggling to grip audiences, Moana 2 is one of those Disney films which lives or dies with music, and this sequel missed the mark.
Although as a Filipino, it might be worth staying through the end credits for a little surprise of Filipino pride.
Score: 6/10
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