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In 2016, Disney released Moana to much acclaim. The film seemed to follow the footsteps of some of their previous work, like Tangled, Zootopia, and Frozen, by presenting a young heroine battling against the odds and circumstances. It was a formula, but one that was executed to near perfection bringing great results.
Moana 2 comes 8 years after and has already earned more than the original. Initially developed as a TV series, the Disney bigwigs decided to rework it into a full theatrical release. But box office earnings aside, does it really knows where to go or is it struggling to find its way?
This time, our heroine (Auli'i Cravalho) spends her days exploring nearby islands, looking for signals of other people. In the process, she stumbles upon the mystery of an ancient sunken island that might be the key to connect with others so she sets out to find it, along with demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and a young crew of her fellow islanders.
I'm a big fan of the original Moana; I even list it among my Top 5 Disney animated films. Moana 2 doesn't reach those heights, but still delivered enough fun to entertain me and my kids. We saw it dubbed, so I can't fairly judge the original voice work, but their Spanish counterparts do a pretty good job with the new characters being distinct, fun, and colorful (Old man Kele was a highlight with my kids). The film also features several thrilling setpieces and some gorgeous animation.
My biggest issue with the film probably has to do with the way it was developed. Even though it was repurposed as a feature film, it can't help but feel a bit scattered at times, as if parts of it were intended to be episodes instead of a full feature. I also felt the bits that lead to the inevitable third part, most notably the character of Matangi, weren't that properly integrated into the film.
My other main issue is with the songs and music. Again, judging it by their dubbed versions, but not a single song in it reaches the heights of "You're Welcome", "Shiny", or "How Far I'll Go". I should probably listen to the English versions, though. However, the scattered story and underwhelming songs makes me wonder if the filmmakers can find their way before the third part. Let's hope so.
Grade:
MOANA 2
(2024, Derrick, Hand & Miller)
(2024, Derrick, Hand & Miller)
"Remember there is always another way. Even if you have to get lost to find it."
In 2016, Disney released Moana to much acclaim. The film seemed to follow the footsteps of some of their previous work, like Tangled, Zootopia, and Frozen, by presenting a young heroine battling against the odds and circumstances. It was a formula, but one that was executed to near perfection bringing great results.
Moana 2 comes 8 years after and has already earned more than the original. Initially developed as a TV series, the Disney bigwigs decided to rework it into a full theatrical release. But box office earnings aside, does it really knows where to go or is it struggling to find its way?
This time, our heroine (Auli'i Cravalho) spends her days exploring nearby islands, looking for signals of other people. In the process, she stumbles upon the mystery of an ancient sunken island that might be the key to connect with others so she sets out to find it, along with demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and a young crew of her fellow islanders.
I'm a big fan of the original Moana; I even list it among my Top 5 Disney animated films. Moana 2 doesn't reach those heights, but still delivered enough fun to entertain me and my kids. We saw it dubbed, so I can't fairly judge the original voice work, but their Spanish counterparts do a pretty good job with the new characters being distinct, fun, and colorful (Old man Kele was a highlight with my kids). The film also features several thrilling setpieces and some gorgeous animation.
My biggest issue with the film probably has to do with the way it was developed. Even though it was repurposed as a feature film, it can't help but feel a bit scattered at times, as if parts of it were intended to be episodes instead of a full feature. I also felt the bits that lead to the inevitable third part, most notably the character of Matangi, weren't that properly integrated into the film.
My other main issue is with the songs and music. Again, judging it by their dubbed versions, but not a single song in it reaches the heights of "You're Welcome", "Shiny", or "How Far I'll Go". I should probably listen to the English versions, though. However, the scattered story and underwhelming songs makes me wonder if the filmmakers can find their way before the third part. Let's hope so.
Grade: