From 8 years ago, I’ve covered my review of Moana, sure my review back then aren’t as good, but when looking back at this movie I still think I like this movie for its creativity and the beauty of the animation, a nice jokes, memorable characters and its actually enjoyable. Sure its nowhere perfect with some small jokes aren’t as good, having a derpy chicken is questionable or “Shiny” song is okay at best. Back then, it was a big deal for its creativity and fun journey with Moana and Maui. And even Moana is inducted as part of Disney Princess, making her the second princess in 2010s (Sadly, Anna and Elsa won’t be counted, but long story), the latest princess we have today is Raya. With success of their work, either being originals or sequels, its no stranger they made cash at the box office, well, not so much for “Wish” that despite its meant to be the celebration of Disney’s 100th Anniversary, it didn’t go so well for both audience and the box-office that they lost $131M (though estimated), despite I find Wish isn’t the worst movie I’ve ever seen. Though it wouldn’t be until they decided to giving us a second journey with everyone’s favorite princess of Motunui.
“Moana 2” is a 2024 animated musical adventure film that was directed by David Derrick Jr. and Jason Hand, produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, written by Jared Bush (the current Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation Studio) and Bek Smith, and co-direct/co-written by Dana Ledoux Miller.
The idea of Moana’s sequel came during Disney Investor Day meeting in the late 2020, the Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation Studio (at the time) named Jennifer Lee was announced that they’re gonna make a series based on Moana on Disney+. They were hoped in for the project with Osnat Shurer coming back as a producer, and David Derrick Jr jumped in as both writer and director. Although at the same time, they weirdly also announced a live action remake plan based on Moana (of freakin’ course…!). But that project was ultimately changed on February 2024, Disney’s current boss, Bob Iger, was announced the series plan has completely changed into a movie sequel that we have today after when he looked at the early project. Though I was doubtful about the idea that maybe it could’ve been fine as a Disney+ content than a movie, but that’s just me.
So, with all that said, will Moana discovers a new world building what’s missing, or is it not worth of Chee Hoo?
Well, lets find out.
The Story
Since is the new journey, you think the story is gonna be something new, magical and creative for Moana’s next adventure? Well… Yes and no, as always.
Picking up three years after breaking the corruption to bringing back Te Fiti and honored as a both chiefess and wayfinder, Moana set herself her own journey to discovering various islands, until she found an old broken artifact that shows a mysterious symbol that happens to be a long lost island, believing this could be the opportunity to seeking more people to connect the ocean. However, after getting nearly struck by lightning, she woke up in vision to see the spirit of ancestor named Tautai Vasa, who explains that finding the symbol of mysterious island called “Motufetu” is main island to connect the ocean see more people, but the main island is flooded all way down to the bottom of the ocean by the evil god of storm name “Nola”, warned that if no one can bringing back Motufetu, her home island will be wiped out. So its up to Moana for not only recruiting her own crew members (Moni, Loto and Kele) and reuniting Maui to find Motufetu bring it back out of the ocean before its too late.
I find the story itself of this movie is a double edged sword. Its mainly due to the story feels like its the same thing, she goes off the island to finding a missing island to bring it back while dealing with obstacles, which we may or may not notice this. But, il give a credit that despite its the same story, this one is all about bringing back a main island to seeking more people’s islands that connect to the ocean with the main island Motufetu, its nice to explaining us to the world building, but the world building part is unfortunately minimal that we like to see more outside of Motunnui and Motufetu. Ther’s also the subplot about dealing with obstacles where we have either discovering a living coconut pirates called “Kakamora” when one of their crew named “Kotu” (though never called in the movie) joining for the sake of their lost home island because of the aforementioned Motufetu situation, which is a nice inclusion, but the downside is about Kakamora’s home island is pretty much came to nothing, and lets not forget when Moan is dealing with obstacle of a giant clam that happens to be Matangi’s lair, which im assuming is she’s giving us a plot device for the whereabouts, but alas, it ended up pretty brief that we she’s just there to helping our heroes to break free and rescuing Maui. As for the writing for the humors and some heart? They’re fine, while the heart is there to believe in you as a wayfinder, which is okay, while the jokes… I think they’re average, I did had some chuckles, but most of the jokes are mediocre at best with some joke of them are “trying”, a little too hard, which I guess it explained why some Maui jokes are rather fun, minus some cheap fart and meme reference jokes.
While the new story is actually nice, but the writing is nowhere perfect due to the story felt like its a bit similar, some subplot is kinda wasted and some jokes are bellow.
The Animation
In comparison, the first Moana costs estimated $150M - $175M, here in this sequel, the budget is probably the same as $150M, I guess you can possibly said that they cut the budget, I said possibly due to the not the final figure of the first film’s budget. Aside the debate, at least this movie’s presentation is still looks good, even though the songs, are mixed.
Like the first movie, the Moana’s home world is no stranger to be a fantasy themed Polynesian with island surrounded from the ocean its bright, partially colorful and it looks beautiful from the environment of the island with small forest and cave and nicely building in Polunesia, especially for the style of their arts and their boats.
Of course, the water effect is both impressive, realistic quality and playful to making it alive, sure it maybe show a low quality, but at least its fun from waving and foaming water to even be fun and creative with the ocean communicates at people like Moana, I love the water effect in this and the first movie. Even Maui’s living tattoo is also fun to watch for a partial return of 2D animation, especially with the return of Eric Goldberg who did the Maui’s tattoo animation.
Speaking of animation, unlike the first film that was done in the main studio at Burbank, California, in this sequel, it was done in Disney’s new animation studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Sure, they first started in Burbank for pre-production and storyboarding before the project was moved into the newly opened Vancouver, making Moana 2, Disney’s first animated film done in Vancouver. Sure there was a time when Pixar had their own studio in Vancouver before it was shutdown and replaced by Sony’s own animation studio. So how did they process their animation? Well surprisingly, it looks and feels pretty good, with bringing back the character design based on Glen Keane’s character design, but in Polynesian, but with some updated designs, a nice wardrobe design and some nice, smooth and somewhat realistic animation movements on the people, but of course, some effects are also nicely done too with creature designs and animation, sure, the Kakamora are pretty much living coconuts with limbs which they look way too generic design to just give random items with arms and legs, but at least their animation movements are good compare to some cheaply movements (*cough “The Emoji Movie cough*). Though, while some animation can be good for the movements and such, but it can or can be a bit exaggerated, even if its due to some forced jokes
As for the songs in this movie? Well, I forgot to mentioning the first movie’s song that they’re actually pretty good, especially when up have the appreciation that they were done by our old friend Lin-Manual Miranda (who also did Encanto that I’ve covered). Sadly for this sequel, Miranda is nowhere involved, instead the songs are done by both Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, and those songs are… Not as good what I think, il pick a couple of songs to describe.
The first song is “We’re back”, which is… Basically the return of our old friend Moana for her journey as wayfinder, while its pretty nice to see her, but the lyric is a different story how um… She’s back in business. Jeez, it feels rather lazy to describing it.
Next is “Finding the way”, which is basically Moana’s first journey with her very own crew members, its more like a mix of build up and humor, which I find it to be the weakest part, while its nice build up for new adventure, but sadly, the inclusion of humor lyrics just ruined it.
After that its “Get Lost”, its when Moana meets Matangi in the aforementioned subplot, while the music is good, but the lyric… I feel like this song is out of place in the second act of the movie, it feels no reason and probably waste of time before we just want to see Moana, Maui and her crews to get the heck out of giant clam.
Speaking of Maui, the last one is “Can I get a Chee Hoo?”, its actually not bad, while its not perfect, but at least its actually a fun song for regain the motivation from Maui, especially The Rock is always did a great job of his singing performance since his days in WWF. Again, lyrically, its not perfect, but its actually nice, but not as greater than “Your Welcome”.
While the Animation looks beautifully well done as always, for the most part, since this is Disney’s first animated film in Vancouver, but the songs are sadly the weakest part that I was all like “I miss Lin-Manuel Miranda already...”.
The Characters
While we have a return to two of our familiar characters, you think that they, along with new ones will make a promising development when we used to? Well… Sadly no.
Lets start of with our titular heroine, Moana (reprised by Auliʻi Cravalho), she’s the princess in Motunui where she likes to going on the journey in her risky and bravery discovery after learning about the past. In this movie, she’s now the chiefess and her home island’s wayfinder that after briefly learning about Motufetu, she plays almost like a captain once she brought her unlikely recruitment. Its a slight improvement, even she’s gotta learn how to taking her journey to the next level when she has her own crew members with mixed result. While she’s not my number one favorite Disney Princess (my fav are Ariel, Jasmine and maybe even Mulan), but I find her fascinating, even with her slight improvement, along with welcoming return to Cravalho both for her voice acting and singing.
Next up is Maui (reprised by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), he’s the trickster and troublemaking demigod in Polynesia’s myth who carries large hook for his ability to turning into various animal forms and has a living tattoo. I find Maui is a fun sidekick with Moana, being strong-willing, funny and likable. In this sequel, while its nice to see him, but it felt like his appearance are rather minimal, especially that his own song didn’t play until before we reach to the 3rd act, which is almost like a similar appearance from the first movie, but much later, since we have to dealing with Moana’s crew members. Its a shame, since I enjoy Maui and The Rock, once again, did a fun work of his performance.
As for Moana’s crew members, they’re meant to be the new comedic roles, but alas, they’re nowhere good and funny than Maui.
You got Moni (voiced by Hualālai Chung) who’s flamboyant and a fanboy of Maui, Loto (voiced by Rose Matafeo) who’s craftswoman that she’s… Overly crafty in her quirky and “know-it-all”, and Kele (voiced by David Fane) who’s an old grumpy farmer who prefers to be in the island than going on a journey. I find these guys to be either irritating or weak comedic characters that they’re trying too hard to be funny. Sure, I did chuckle at some of their jokes, but problem is that Maui did it better. While il give a credit for their fun voice performances, but they’re nowhere good for their poor script.
And lastly is Matangi (voiced by Awhimai Fraser), at first we though she’s the main villain in this movie since she has the ability to bring out the swarm of bats and taking anybody into prison in her gigantic clam as her own lair if they’re crossing her way? But alas, she’s nowhere being the villain in this movie, so what we think. I find her to be the waste of space in the movie, she all like “Whoops! Didn’t mean to taking your crew into prison, go out there and fight Nalo.”, while il give a credit to Fraser’s performance, but she’s just as forgettable when she’s in the movie for just being wasting our time about kidnapping part and her own song.
As for the rest in this movie, they’re just there for either the purpose of the plot, or just being wasted. There’s Nalo who’s the menacing god of storm for being the culprit of burying Motufetu under the sea, Simea (voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda) is Moana’s favorite little sister, Tui and Sina (reprised by Temuera Morrison, aka Jango/Boba Fett, and Nicole Sherzinger) who’re Moana’s parents and Tala (reprised by Rachel House, aka Hampton from Godzilla X Kong) who’s Moana’s late grandmother in manta ray spirit, which is nice to see her again, for the most part.
While the two main ones are fun to coming back, but most of new characters we have are pretty weak and sadly, barely funny that we can support or cooperating with Moana.
And now for my final opinion of this film.
Overall, Moana 2 is probably the weakest Disney sequel I’ve ever watched that it makes DisneyToon Studio’s sequel movies look good, for the most part.
While the voice acting, the new story, the message (for some) and the animation are pretty good and fun, as the first film done from Disney’s animation studio on Vancouver, which il give a credit what they’re trying. But alas, its nowhere good for how to make a promising sequel with nearly similar story from the first film, despite the bringing back Motufetu is good, the writing is poor, some jokes are not as good, the songs are weak without Miranda and the new characters aren’t helping to be promising.
If they’ve never canceling the Disney+ exclusive series, maybe it will be a fairly descent show that I can enjoy to watching, but instead, they changed their project at the wrong time, and I hate to say, it wasn’t the first time, there’s Belle's Magical World in 1998 which was planned to be the TV show, but changed into anthology that they embarrassed itself to making Princess Belle look so Derpy. And there’s the Atlantis: Milo's Return in 2003, the sequel of Atlantis that was also planned to make a show, but changed into a movie in the middle of the process that ended in a same, bad result. I feel like Disney has never learn their lesson, but at least Moana 2 isn’t AS bad as two previous films.
Even though its not the worst Disney film they’ve ever made, but its certainly the most disappointed after they changed their development. I think the fans of Moana can liking this movie, but for some like me, it will be fine to watch ONCE.
For my rating, im gonna give this one a 6/10.
So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.
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