Moana is one of the rare films that actually changed the industry. When Moana premiered in 2016, it opened Hollywood’s eyes to the fact that authentic stories about underrepresented cultures can have universal appeal. Moana gave everyone $686 million reasons to pay more attention to telling unique stories with better representation.
The film also had a significant impact on the Pacific Islander community, giving them a rare opportunity to enjoy the spotlight with a Disney blockbuster film. The fact that the studio made the effort to cast an unknown Hawaiian actress to voice the lead character, and put her alongside one of the biggest names in Hollywood who is also of Pacific Islander descent, was a massive step in the right direction.
Auli’i Cravalho, then 16-years-old, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, formed a dynamic duo that helped make Moana a massive cultural and financial success.
Moana was such a success that Disney greenlit a follow-up series and a live-action film adaptation. That series was eventually re-worked into a sequel film, with Cravalho and Johnson returning, and even greater Pacific Islander representation both in front of, and behind, the camera. Notably however, Moana 2 did not bring back Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote original music for the original.
The result is a family-friendly sequel that the entire family can enjoy. Moana 2 looks spectacular and is full of humor, silliness, and fantastical elements. However, the absence of Miranda‘s golden touch is felt, leaving the film without the emotional richness that his music provided the first film. Still, Cravalho is once again a joy, this time as an older, wiser, and stronger Moana who carries the responsibility of her tribe and future generations with grace and pride.
Moana 2 is in theaters November 27, 2024 and tickets are on sale now.
Official Synopsis
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical “Moana 2” reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
The voice cast also includes Hualālai Chung as Moni, Rose Matafeo as Loto, David Fane as Kele, Awhimai Fraser as Matangi, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda as Simea, Temuera Morrison as Chief Tui, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Rachel House as Gramma Tala, Gerald Faitala Ramsey as Tautai Vasa, and Alan Tudyk as Heihei. Directed by Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller and David G. Derrick Jr., from a script by Jared Bush and Ledoux Miller, the film is produced by Yvett Merino and Christina Chen and executive produced by Jennifer Lee, Bush and Johnson. “Moana 2,” which features music by Grammy® winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa‘i and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina, “Moana 2” opens in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.
Review – More Humor and Fantasy but the Magic is Missing
The first Moana was a watershed moment in representation for Pacific Islander cultures. As Co-Director Dana Ledoux Miller said in our interview, Moana changed the way Hollywood looked at Pacific Islander stories. So for Disney to follow up with a sequel eight years later, it needed to ensure that the authenticity of the story was paramount. In order to do so, the studio once again turned to the Oceanic Cultural Trust that it created for the first film as well as additional cultural consultants. Moana 2 is a story about unity, adaptability, and exploration, and those themes are represented in the Pacific Islander tradition of wayfinding, which is being revived by the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
As one of her ancestors reveals, Moana’s journey in the first film was just the initial step in healing and saving her people. Now that the Heart of Te Fiti is back where it belongs, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) must reunite her people, who have been separated across the ocean, to ensure future generations. It’s a story that all of us need to hear, with an important message about how communities are weakened when split apart and how future health requires unity.
Moana, now the leader of her tribe, hero of the next generation, and an older sister to an adoring and adorable sibling (Simea, voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), is faced with the dilemma of jeopardizing the well-being of her people in the present for the potential of securing their future. Of course, there is no story if she decides to stay home, so she embarks on another adventure, this time with the help of a new crew: a seasoned farmer, Kele (voice of David Fane), a fanboy artist and storyteller Moni (voice of Hualālai Chung), and a experimental engineer, Loto (voice of Rose Matafeo)
This sets the stage for the long awaited reunion of Moana and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who has been on his own side quest against a mysterious new that demigod, Matangi (voiced by Awhimai Fraser) and another powerful stormy villain, Nalo.
Visually, Moana‘s latest journey is gorgeous, with the bright and lush landscapes and ocean of the Pacific beautifully represented. There are numerous weird and bizarre creatures that they come across which add wonder and humor to the adventure that kids will surely love.
The standouts are easily the returning Kakamora, the coconut creatures, who are given an expanded story and some background details. One of the Kakamora join Moana‘s team and quickly becomes the fan favorite. The Kakamora are a great example of what every sequel should do – take an underdeveloped part of the first film that fans loved and give it more depth.
Moana’s other team members are humorous and amusing, but overly silly. They feel like the well-worn Disney formula of surrounding the hero with seemingly incompetent friends who eventually prove their worth. The formula works, but is dated. Still, it’s fun to see Moana surrounded by more of her people, which also affords more opportunities for Pacific Islander actors.
The story culminates in a fierce battle with a particularly violent storm, which naturally puts Moana and her friends in jeopardy. However, much of the peril and eventual (spoilers!) success feels predictable and unearned. Primarily because the story’s villain is a faceless and formless storm that doesn’t feel threatening in any memorable way. It does, however, provide some visually stunning scenes on screen between the darkness, the lightning, and the ocean. Those moments are certainly worth seeing on IMAX.
There are clearly future plans for both Matangi and the storm villain Nalo, but neither characters are served well in this film, leaving the overall story feeling incomplete.
This version of Moana is a welcome progression from the first film. Now she is embraced as the leader of her tribe. More competent and confident than ever, but with the wisdom that helps her understand the weight of her responsibility. Moana is a great leader who genuinely cares for her people but has not lost the joy and enthusiasm that defines her character.
Throughout the film, there are various musical numbers, including three versions of “Beyond.” It’s clear that Disney intended for Beyond to be the signature song of this movie, and while it sounds great, it doesn’t meet the lofty standards of the iconic Disney music of the past, including the music from the first Moana. Moana 2 is a film that sets up future stories; and if another film is in the works, Disney needs to seriously consider bringing back Lin-Manuel Miranda and potentially surround him with more Pacific Islander musicians.
Rating – 3/5 Pocky
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
