The Paw Print

By Isabella Sun, Associate News & Features Editor

Eight years ago, on Nov. 23, 2016, Disney released Moana as a tribute to Polynesian myth and culture. Due to its fresh originality, colorful animation, and catchy songs, Moana soon became one of the most popular cartoons in Disney history. The film is magical and inspiring: Moana herself is a wonderful role model who embodies confidence, bravery, relatability and determination. So when the sequel, Moana 2, directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, was released in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024, viewers hoped that it would preserve the charm of its predecessor.

However, many critics and viewers agree that Moana 2 did not capture the magic and freshness of the original. In fact, Moana 2 was never supposed to exist. The follow-up to the Oscar-winning 2016 film was supposed to be a long-form miniseries exclusive to Disney+. Then, in February 2024, Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, announced that the miniseries had been reworked into a sequel. However, it seemed to be clumsily reworked so that the movie could be released early. 

Moana 2 struggles in developing an interesting plot line. Three years after the first film, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) is exploring nearby islands in search of other inhabitants. The other communities’ whereabouts are unknown after the island connecting them all, Motufetu, was sunk by the devious storm god, Nalo. Moana receives a warning that, unless Motufetu is raised, the community will go extinct. She assembles a somewhat disorderly way-finding crew, including an irritable agriculturalist, Kele, (David Fane), a clever craftswomen, Loto (Rose Matafeo), and a historian and Maui Fanboy, Moni (Hualālai Chung) and embarks on another journey.

There were also abundant plot holes and the pacing was off. Many characters that showed up disappeared just as quickly, most likely originally envisioned as villains of the week. Most notably is Matangi, the villain who completely disappears in the background after her part is over. In the grand scheme of things, her showtime seems completely unnecessary. There were also some awkward cuts between scenes, as if it was a transition between episodes without the credits. The main villain of the series was barely introduced in the beginning and the final battle, although exciting, happened all too quickly. The build up, unfortunately, fell flat.

Another disappointment was the development of the new adventurers who joined Moana. Most of them felt out of place and didn’t have any exceptional character development. There were also no inner conflicts or turmoil in the group, just a few minor conflicts and nothing else, almost as if they were episodes. They also took away from Moana’s arc because of the underlying message of working together, although Moana’s development wasn’t much different from the first movie. It was a repeat of doubting her own abilities, and then overcoming her fears. Maui himself (Dwayne Johnson) also had less flair and charm without the wholesome relationship with Moana because they were apart for the first half of the movie.

A notable difference between the two movies is what brought the original Moana to fame so rapidly: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s unforgettable soundtrack. Moana 2 simply doesn’t have that. Unlike Maui’s iconic “You’re Welcome,” or Moana’s “How Far I’ll Go,” all the songs in Moana 2, while competent, were all lackluster in comparison. Unlike the songs in the first movie, none of them particularly contributed to the plotline or character development. 

However, the animations did not disappoint. The textiles, the ocean, the fighting scenes and the characters are all fluid and stunning. The voice acting is also stellar, but it doesn’t compensate for the magic that Moana 2 is missing. Overall, it’s a standard sequel that is undeniably less captivating than its predecessor. It is an average-quality Disney film whose potential was frankly ruined by corporate greed. Nonetheless, Moana 2 has already grossed above $800 million worldwide. Disney will feel happy about their decision to hastily create a sequel that will keep little children entertained. However, despite the box-office success, Moana didn’t get the sequel it deserved. Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter to Disney, but it does leave viewers disappointed.