Moana 2 (2024) Review

After a big release in 2016, we now have the sequel for the hit Disney animated film Moana. I watched the film today and here is my review for Moana 2. The premise of the film sees Moana forced to go on a journey to unite the people of the ocean. 

Main Character

Auli'i Cravalho plays Moana and she is great again as she was in the first film. She has a bit more of an arc in this film and Cravalho does deliver in this role. Moana is a great lead character and one that is pretty easy to root for and care about. 

Supporting Characters

Dwayne Johnson is back as Maui and though his role is slightly reduced he is still really fun to watch and he is also given a bit more depth towards him. He just oozes charisma on film and Maui is a great character. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast really does suffer. This film sees Moana take on a crew of characters called Moni, Loto & Kele but they are all pretty boring and offer very little in this film except being a reason for Moana's development which is a shame. 

There is a villain, but they are really underdeveloped and it just doesn't have enough to really make you care or understand them. 

Story

The story is okay, there is some better development for Moana & Maui in this film which I can give credit to. But overall, similar to the original this film is incredibly paint by numbers and doesn't offer much new. In fact if you examine it, the plot of the first film and this one are pretty much identical and it did make me sigh and notice the predictable nature of the film. 

Script

The film probably does have a bit more drama to it but in the end it does come across as a bit forced and lacks the stakes to deserve it. Also the humour just doesn't have the same feel to it here and definitely feels like it has been dumbed down to younger children. 

Style

The film continues to look beautiful, the colours are really well realised and it is lovely to see such fantastic animation on the big screen. However, the pacing is a little bit off and there were some large lulls in the film. Also the songs are just not as good here, the departure of the great Lin Manuel Miranda is sorely missed. 

Overall

Overall, Moana 2 is an Above Average Sequel. It is a decent film and will fill its job of being great for young children and families. But it doesn't do enough to make it stand out and lacks the joy and feel of the first film which means this a less enjoyable time. 

Rating - 6/10