“Moana, Show Our People Just How Far We’ll Go.” – Chief Tui

The sequel to the best film of the year, which received the “Best Animated Feature” award, was released on November 27th, 2024. This story opens with Moana receiving an unexpected call from an ancestor who was a Wayfinder on a mission to locate surrounding islands. Unfortunately, her ancestor’s life ended on the trek. However, he appeared in spirit to inform her that she must leave the seas of Oceania and enter God’s perilous waters on an expedition to save her people. There have been several conflicting reviews about this film on Rotten Tomatoes, IMB.com, and DeseretNews. Some individuals think it was unneeded, while others believe it was a decent follow-up to the original.  For example, DeseretNews quotes, “But the movie as a vehicle for a story makes no sense.”

My Thoughts:

I saw this movie the day it was released and have a lot of mixed emotions about it. There will be spoilers for this movie, so if you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend waiting till you do. Otherwise, I’ve seen a significant increase in animation from the previous film. This sequel differs from previous sequels in that it links to the original movie, although having the same narrative. Moana ventures farther into the water to break a curse on a God/Goddess and save her people and the island alongside Maui. Sounds familiar, right? Even though the premise was the same, I enjoyed the film and had a positive experience. My only complaint about the movie was the repetition and the songs; it seemed different from when I saw the original.  The film brought back Moana going on an adventure to the ocean to save her people from a curse, while in the first film, she did the same thing. Second, why is the music different, you ask? Well, the first music director in Moana was Lin Manuel Miranda while in Moana 2 it’s Mark Mancina. 

Others’ thoughts:

First, some individuals believe it wasn’t excellent enough. According to imbd.com, there is less magic than in the previous film. Quoted by KJ Proulx, “enjoyable, but lacking the magic of the first.” The soundtrack was the most noticeable difference in the picture since it lacked emotional depth and catchiness. Another issue was the comparable narrative, which is quite recognizable to everyone. But ultimately, the conclusion had a pleasant resolution to the situation, bringing everything back together. Many people feel that this film will never match up to the greatness of Moana.

According to rottentomatoes.com, critic Jaden Darrius Png writes, “Unfortunately, it falls into the category of run-of-the-mill animated Disney movies, so don’t anticipate the same experience as the previous picture… The film has excellent art and animation. The film has excellent art and animation, so if you’re searching for a family movie, Moana 2 could meet the bill.” This might be a nice movie to watch with your children, but it may not appeal to you if you are older.

Overall: The film’s subject, Moana, is finally stepping into her leadership role. She finally goes out of her way and risks connecting all the islands again so her people and theirs don’t fall into darkness. Behind every battle and the balance she must strike between her responsibilities to her community and the ocean lies a fresh warning to test herself, such as her heart. Aside from that, this film does a good job of representing other cultures. Following that, the filmmaker highlighted the significance of the Pacific, including their house, community, and family. It may not be the best film ever made, but it’s a fun watch to follow Moana’s voyage.