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

Moana (2016) Review

I am going to see Moana 2 tomorrow, so I thought it would be a good idea to finally find the time to watch the original film and review it here. Well, now I have done that and here is my review for Moana. The premise of the film sees a young girl attempt to find a demigod to try and stop a curse on her people that he caused. 

Main Character

Auli'i Cravalho plays Moana and she is great in this film. This character was strong, smart but also funny. She was a great protagonist for this film and I think it was the perfect time to have a great character for young girls to root for and see succeed without any love interest to be seen here. 

Supporting Characters

Dwayne Johnson Plays Maui and he brings all his charisma and enjoyment to the role and he was a blast to watch. The film mostly focuses on the dynamic between Maui & Moana and Johnson added a lot to this and the dynamic between the two of them is a great highlight. 

The rest of the cast aren't in this film much but a big part of the film is Rachel House who plays Gramma Tala. Their is a really sweet relationship between her and Moana and it really catapults the films plot well. 

Temuera Morrison plays Chief Tui and he is good in his role. We see how he is an overprotective father but also the head of his tribe and how the two things kind of conflict and leads Moana onto her journey. 

Story

The film does an effective job with showing Moana on this journey and having Maui along for the ride with them continuously interacting. However, the film is a bit generic with its storytelling and I don't think it does quite enough with its characters to make me care enough unfortunately. 

Script

The script is alright, I chuckled throughout the film and some of the drama is really well handled. But as I mentioned above, the film doesn't quite do enough with the writing of the film or the characters to make them really stand out. 

Style

The film looks beautiful, it really nails the colour pallet and makes it come across as this beautiful and exotic place. The animation is really well done and the film flows very nicely and didn't overstay its welcome. The film doesn't have loads of songs but the ones it has are great and memorable. 

Overall

Overall, Moana is a great film that delivers as a fun family friendly film. It isn't exactly ground-breaking but does enough to keep you interested and entertained throughout. 

Rating - 8/10