The release of Moana 2 brought back countless childhood memories and a wave of nostalgia for many. The original film, released on November 23, 2016, left audiences speechless with its stunning visuals and exhilarating adventures. Naturally, I approached the sequel with high expectations. However, although Moana 2 was charming and captured the essence of the ocean as in the first movie, it could not compare to the original.
In the film, Moana follows a new journey: to find a long-lost island called Motefu to break a curse threatening her people. Moana is as courageous as ever, and the continuation of the ocean’s depiction as a living, breathing character was very unique. Still, there wasn’t the same emotional depth and strong storyline as its predecessor.
The first movie was simply more relatable. Moana’s first journey of self-discovery is a thrilling and inspiring adventure for children of all ages. In the original, Moana finds her true self by following her heart, which is a simple and powerful lesson that all children can learn from.
Moana 2 lacks this relatable originality in comparison, following a generic, typical Disney structure that makes it boring and unoriginal. Not only does the movie fail to relate to the audience, but it’s clear that its production was mainly a money-maker in response to the success of the previous film. Sadly, Disney’s remakes and sequels usually prioritize profit over creativity— this trend has been seen in many films, including The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, and Aladdin: The Return of Jafar to name a few.
It was clear the directors made a “safer” film that would generate revenue rather than taking the risk of presenting a fresh and bold concept. On a similar note, the music was not as catchy as the first movie. There were no “bangers,” though Auli’i Cravalho’s vocals still had a light and pleasant feel.
Still, the movie on its own is an enjoyable watch. A cozy and safe Disney movie, Moana 2 ensures a positive experience. The stunning animation brings a great pang of nostalgia to those who watched the original Moana— it’s safe to say that the producers did not step down on the animation game. The current generation of young children will undoubtedly feel a thrill from the mesmerizing and engaging action sequences. The cultural representation in the movie was also very rich, successfully displaying various Pacific cultures. Without a comparison to the first movie, Moana 2 is a solid film.
