I used to be hesitant to see “Moana 2,” because the response I stored listening to is that the story and songs are subpar and that its one other sequel that doesn’t measure as much as what proceeded it.
After a month of discovering each screening was offered out, this wound up being my final theatergoing expertise of 2024, together with my little lady.
It seems the lowered expectations had been pointless. “Moana 2” is imperfect, however nonetheless a sturdy, charming sequel that honors and extends the legacy of the unique.
We see how Moana’s newfound fame has affected her. The newly christened grasp wayfinder is entrusted by her individuals to face a looming menace. The plot is by some means complicated, because it entails uniting an island chain and overcoming an unseen super-villain. It’s additionally easy, as everybody in the principle solid conscious of what’s anticipated of them.
Whereas Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) assembles a brand new staff, in addition to her veteran sidekicks (aka, Maui’s “boat snacks”), her greatest buddy and magic hook-sporting demigod is held captive by a weird sea creature.
Studies that “Moana 2” started as a made for Disney+ film (the fashionable day equal of “The Return of Jafar” or “Cinderella II” going “straight to video”) made me not sure if I wished to see this within the theater. It’s value noting that “Toy Story 2” (1999) additionally began off with small-screen origins earlier than it was additionally reshaped right into a theatrical movie.
Right here, the most important narrative inform that this was as soon as supposed for the smaller display is that nearly all the important scenes are a little bit too lengthy. It seems that the choice was to make this greater by extending the vast majority of the sequences.
One of the best scenes are enchanting and play as absolutely as one would hope, however the identical may be mentioned of the busy-work exposition moments. It takes Moana longer than anticipated to go on her massive journey and longer than wanted for her to have the anticipated pep speak to push her over adversity.
If there’s an issue with a narrative like this, it’s that any main hurdle Moana and Maui encounter may be fastened by magic, a plot gadget that undermines the suspense. I doubt the supposed viewers is aware of (or cares) what a deus ex machina is.
Sure, the brand new tunes lack the snap of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s authentic tune rating or, worse, they audibly attempt too laborious to match his strategy. Fortunately, “Moana 2” is extra of a comedy than a musical.
For all of the anticipated shifting items at play right here (the Disney Princess journey, the villain aiming for domination, cute animal sidekicks, zany episodic pit stops, and so on.) the very best scenes provide contemporary approaches. I really like the return of the Kakamora and the brand new, “T2”-like angle of the coconut warrior who turns into an asset.
A sequence the place the Kakamora use coconuts to clarify their final plans isn’t simply humorous but additionally brilliantly conceived. An prolonged first-act emphasis of the individuals Motunui permits for extra comedy (Kele the grumpy farmer steals lots of this film) and welcome character growth.
It’s value noting that the demigod Maui isn’t in a lot of the primary act, however the film remains to be cooking with gasoline with out him. As soon as Johnson’s vocal efficiency takes heart stage of the second and third act, he shines as he did within the first movie.
Johnson has been on bro-dude autopilot for years on most of his motion pictures, however the work he does right here is heartfelt, even soulful at instances. I’m wanting ahead to seeing Johnson do one thing vastly completely different and provides an actual dramatic stretch within the 2025 Benny Safdie drama, “The Smashing Machine.”
Alternatively, I by no means complained when Clint Eastwood principally performed his Soiled Harry persona time and again, so I don’t know why I would like Johnson to return to drama (oh wait, I bear in mind – as a result of I noticed “Pink One”!).
The huge field workplace consumption means that huge quantities of moviegoers noticed this in theaters and didn’t watch for the inevitable Disney+ launch. That’s encouraging, because the visuals are a should for the large display.
It’s simple to check “Moana 2” to a different current mega-hyped Disney vacation hit sequel, “Frozen 2” (2019) – I’m joyful to report that the second chapter of Moana and Maui is leaps and bounds higher than “Frozen 2” (which options “Into the Unknown,” some of the screeching, earsplitting showtunes in the whole Disney library).
The final scene in “Moana 2” is an formidable set-up for a 3rd chapter and it’s a refreshing change of tempo from a lot of the last-minute easter eggs I’ve seen. The concluding scene seems like a witty, promising, well-constructed pitch for the following film as an alternative of a drained industrial.
That’s a pleasant change of tempo!
Three Stars