‘Moana 2’ review: A worthy sequel for our favorite Wayfinder
4/5 coconuts
Following the story of Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) will always serve to emotionally impact its audience. And Moana 2 packs that same emotional punch, just with songs that are a bit less memorable than the original.
The second film takes us back to Moana’s island as she is anointed as an official wayfinder. She is still trying to find other people out in the world but with Maui (The Rock) being her demigod bestie, most of her village is praising their hero Moana. Still, she isn’t happy and wants answers about the rest of the ocean and it results in Moana embarking on yet another sea adventure. This time, with new friends.
While Moana 2 serves up some of the same beats that we saw in the first film, but it is a situation where if it isn’t broken then why fix it? Yes, Moana is back in the ocean trying to find a god and stop them so she can save people. Yes, Maui comes in with a power ballad and we do still here “I am Moana” from Cravalho.
Maybe it was going to the theater with my niece (who is 4) for her first time at the movies to see it or maybe it is just the power of Moana’s story but there is something magic in Moana 2. Call it the power of the first just carrying this movie on if you must but I do think that the second film is a warranted sequel.
We lost the art of the Disney sequel. Outside of Frozen 2, we haven’t really had the kind of sequel akin to The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride. Not that Moana 2 is that but it does have the emotional beats to make it worth it.
Maui and Moana are a perfect pair
This is the kind of sequel that heavily benefits from the first film. It doesn’t necessarily stand on its own and nor should it half to. Dana Ledoux Miller and Jared Bush’s script allows for growth with Moana as she steps into her new role as wayfinder as well as big sister. But she doesn’t have to fight her destiny as she did in the first film. Instead, she is fighting against her own inability to believe in herself.
Maui’s big song isn’t about himself but is, instead, about encouraging Moana to do what she needs to. It is all about her own empowerment and it works to make Moana 2 stand out in comparison to its predecessor. Sure, it is one of those moments where we have to ask ourselves if this was worthwhile and I say that it was.
Yes, we are seeing the same emotional beats play out but I don’t think that it is necessarily a bad thing. It is part of what makes Moana a character we like going back to. My only real complaint about the sequel is that the music from Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are songs we’ll have to revisit more than one time to get, unlike the original.
Overall, Moana 2 is just a beautiful continuation of her story and a reminder to believe in yourself. Oh and that Maui has really cool tattoos.
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