When I heard “Moana” was coming back to theaters with a new sequel, the 9-year-old in me lit up and was immediately excited. I waited eight years since the first movie was released, and therefore, I had high expectations for the sequel “Moana 2”.
The plot of the entire movie is set up fairly early when Moana receives a calling from her ancestors to connect the people of the ocean and recover the sunken island of Motufetū, which had been harbored by the god Nalo.
This time, Moana recruits a group of her people— as Maui appears to be missing in action— with different areas of expertise to go on this very high-stakes mission. Knowing we would hear other voices besides Moana and Maui was pleasant. Unfortunately, while I was looking forward to these new characters, they did not add any depth to the storyline. Their presence in the movie is simply there to add comedic relief and if they were removed, the movie would lose nothing in terms of plot or character development.
Despite this, the relationships in this film were displayed excellently. I loved seeing Moana take on a big sister relationship with her younger sister, Simea, which was illustrated through Moana’s selflessness and the sacrifices she made to protect her. I also appreciated the writers choosing not to explore a romantic connection between Moana and Maui.
The film’s pacing was a huge struggle that undoubtedly did not go unnoticed. The beginning was painfully slow. Moana is visited by an ancestor, a crew is assembled, music is sung, “Mission: Find Maui” is underway and the island is flourishing. Yes, we get it.
Finally, our favorite chaotic duo Moana and Maui reconnect and we are introduced to a demigod, Matangi, who works under Nalo’s rule and is ordered to keep Maui captive. However, Matangi hardly got any screen time and lost all relevance to the plot after the few scenes she got. Additionally, viewers are introduced early on in the movie to the powerful god Nalo in a chilling way. Although the final fight was executed beautifully, we barely got to see Nalo’s power revealed in the final battle.
This brings us to another crucial point: the music. The musical genius Lin-Manuel Miranda was a key figure in the songwriting of the first film adding depth, vibrancy and emotion. However, Miranda was replaced for the sequel by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, and it’s evident how much Miranda elevated the music of the original film. Without the climactic heights of “How Far I’ll Go” or the catchy brilliance of “You’re Welcome,” all of the songs were skippable and struggled to add dimension to an already thin narrative.
The climax of the movie is absolutely where the heart of the story is. Moana is presumed to be dead while Maui is holding her with tears in his eyes and singing out as the ancestors crowd them. My whole theater was silent as we watched this moment unfold into something beautiful— Moana becomes a demigoddess. Or did she? It’s hard to tell because the writers rushed the ending and did not explain this new profound significance.
There were references to a possible third film, but I don’t believe it is necessary. In the end, Moana is able to connect all of the people of the ocean and it is so elating. I fell in love with the connections back to family and unifying indigenous people and I believe the ending executed this perfectly. While there were some plot holes, “Moana 2” was a fun watch for anyone who loved the first film. But be careful— you might be in for some seasickness.
