Beebom Score
When we talk about sequels to timeless classics, there is a lot at stake for creators to provide justice for the love people have towards these franchises. Moana is one such franchise whose sequel, Moana 2 is currently running in theaters. Even though the movie stays true to the central effect Moana offered people back in 2016, certain elements pull it down from the greatness it could have achieved and in this review of Moana 2, let’s take a look at what Disney nailed and where it fumbled.
Spoiler Warning: This review contains spoilers for Moana 2. Proceedd with caution.
Moana 2 Offers a Phenomenal Visual Experience
The most commendable aspect of Moana 2 was the visuals. I’m not even kidding when I say some visuals gave me literal goosebumps. It has been 8 years since the first movie came out and if you want to see the animation advancement we have achieved since then, you should check out Moana 2. The expressions we see on each character on screen are so detailed that you might forget this is entirely animation.
Other than character designs, the environmental aspect, especially the water is so well done that it’s impossible to describe it well enough in words. Each wave, each ripple in the ocean, every movement, trust me when I say it, you have to see it for yourself and if possible, in 3D. However, being visually stunning does not go far in a broader perspective of the movie. So folks, brace for impact.
The Musical Aspect of the Movie Is Rather Disappointing
One of the things that made Moana a hit among people was the musical aspect of it. The original movie consisted of catchy and memorable songs by Lin Manuel-Miranda and Samoan singer Opetaia Foa’I. However, this time, the musicals that made the franchise special, turned out to be the demise of Moana 2.
This time around, the music for Moana 2 has been created by Barlow & Bear and, in all honesty, is a complete disaster. The songs featured in the original film had a Polynesian touch that made them appropriate and fitting into the premise. Moreover, the songs were something you would be searching for on Spotify while walking out of the theater but Barlow & Bear stole that from Moana 2.
All the songs in the movie are just about what the lead characters are going to do next and at some point it will make you go “I know you gotta go beyond, you’ve made that clear only 20 times before”. In short, the songs get annoying and none are even close to what the original movie offered.
On top of that, there is no Polynesian influence on the music and all they have done is use the generalized “tribal music” with a notch here and there, which isn’t culturally appropriate.
Character Creation in Moana 2 Seems to Be Lazy
Another thing that was a letdown with Moana 2 was the character creation. Several new characters were introduced in the movie but none of them had the depth you would expect to see with people who stay on screen almost the entire time.
For instance, Tui was a geek for Maui and made paintings of him and that was it, there was no more depth or character development to be seen anywhere. The same was the case with the rest of the crew Moana assembled for her voyage. It almost feels like the creative team at Disney was too lazy to write about characters in greater depth and bring forth a well-rounded story inclusive of the entire cast. We would not have minded a longer screentime, but stealing a project amassing this great an anticipation of its depth is unacceptable.
Moana 2 Is a Treat for Kids but Not so Much for Adults
Overall, Moana 2, is not an all-bad movie, you can sit through it without getting bored but yes, as an adult, you might get a bit annoyed now and then with the repetitive nature of the songs and some rather dry humor which seemed to be forced into the movie. However, the thing to consider here is that at its core, Moana has always been a kid’s movie, and from the perspective of a youngling, the movie is indeed pretty solid.
Even after that, it does not cancel out the fact that the viewer base of this film was not just kids and includes people who watched it in 2016 and now are adults. It’s not impossible to create a movie every age group can enjoy, the living breathing proof of this is Kung Fu Panda, Puss in Boots, Shrek, and newly released movies like Transformers One and The Wild Robot which were loved and appreciated by people of all age groups.
On a concluding note, I would say that Moana 2 was not exactly what I personally expected to see, but did not ruin the franchise completely as well. If I were to define Moana 2 in one sentence it would exactly be what the title of this review is, “Task failed successfully”.
