‘Moana 2’ is an Unnecessary, But Fun Trip Back to Ocean Adventure

Moana 2

★ ★ ★

‘Moana 2’ begins with the title character, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), looking for ancestral artifacts on an island far from her home island of Montunui. Her goal is to find other tribes that might be connected through their ocean system. The only item she can find is a broken clay pot with a star map.

She returns to Montunui to fanfare and ceremony. The events of the last film solidified her as her tribe’s wayfinder, one who is an expert in navigating vast oceans using observation of water swells and celestial bodies.

Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson
© 2024 Walt Disney Pictures

In the previous film, Moana sought, and found, the help of demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who was instrumental in helping her defeat volcanic demon Te Kā and save her island. At the start of this film, Maui has been captured by Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), who works for a god named Nalo (Tofiga Fepulea’i). Nalo has a bone to pick with Maui and just about every human. Matangi’s job is to trick Maui into getting Moana to help him so Nalo can implement a plot of vengeance.

Moana gets a vision of one of her ancestors, Tautai Vasa (Gerald Faitala Ramsey), who was lost in a powerful storm on his journey to find Motufetu. The vision includes a look at the future of her village – dark and barren – if she does not reconnect the tribes of the ocean. When she wakes from the vision, she sees a comet moving from the island out to the sea, which she uses as a guide on her journey.

Jemaine Clement, Jasmine Johnson and Tiana Johnson
© 2024 Walt Disney Pictures

The rest of the film follows Moana and her small crew as they journey to find Montufetu.

For the most part, the film works even if it lacks the magic of its predecessor. This outing feels routine and a tad bland, not really showing us anything we haven’t seen before in Moana’s universe. We never really get a sense that she may not complete her journey, and the lack of significant peril and conflict leaves us with an underwhelming conclusion.

The musical numbers feel more like afterthoughts rather than well thought storyt enhancements. Mostly, they come off as dull, uninspiring and unoriginal. As they are, they often feel out of place.

Dwayne Johnson, Alan Tudyk and Jemaine Clement
© 2024 Walt Disney Pictures

A lot of the dialogue suffers from the typical Disney saccharine bag of tricks – an overenergetic goofiness that plagues characters on Disney channel sitcoms. It’s as if the writers don’t know how people actually talk and behave in conversation.

Still, there’s a lot to enjoy, the journey is fun and there are some funny moments. But instead of the adventurous perils of the ocean and fleshed out villains, we’re treated to a journey through much calmer waters.

Moana 2 is more of a smooth-sailing adventure than a harrowing, dramatic journey. The kids will love it. Parents will likely enjoy it at the time and quickly forget it.

Kids & Family, Musical, Comedy, Adventure, Animation