‘Moana 2’ movie review: Brilliant visuals manage to keep this uninspiring sequel afloat

Moana 2 movie review: Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson’s latest outing, with its underwhelming story and lack of emotional punch, puts itself several nautical miles behind its much-celebrated predecessor

Moana is back for another adventure! Whether that’s even necessary is a different question considering the first film, which came out eight years ago, was one of Walt Disney Animation films’ best outings of all time and a well-rounded product on its own. Our titular hero became a wayfinder, turned buddies with the demigod Maui by retrieving his fishhook and in due course, took her fellow Motunui people back into the sea as voyagers like how their ancestors once were. Moana 2 puts our heroes back in the open ocean on a new adventure that makes us wonder what’s the sea creature equivalent of a cash cow.

In Moana 2, our young and determined Polynesian wayfinder gets a visit from her ancestors from what appears as the Disney story equivalent of Star Wars’ Netherworld of the Force. Narrating a story of how an evil storm god named Nalo sunk a mystical island called Motufetu, which connected all islands, they ask Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) to take up the mission which they failed — to break Nalo’s curse and connect with the other people of the ocean. Unlike last time when she transversed the open waters all by herself along with her dimwitted pet rooster Heihei, until she met Maui (Dwayne Johnson), Moana, keeping tradition with most animated film sequels, forms a motley crew of fellow islanders to accompany her on this new adventure.

Right off the bat — or should we say oar? — the only facet where Moana 2 manages to match or dare I say surpass its fantastic predecessor is on the visuals front. Loved watching the lush green island of Motunui and the different shades of turquoise that filled up the screen when Moana took to the seas? The sequel scales up on this, making Moana 2 a visual spectacle. But that’s the least we could expect from the House of the Mouse given their track record.

As a standalone film, Moana 2 might have made for an exciting adventure accentuated with a good dose of the rich culture of Polynesia brought to the screen. But the sequel is weighed down by the stature of its predecessor and the expectations that come from being a product that turns a hit flick into a franchise. The fact that the new film lacks the emotional connection or the sheer heartwarming and hilarious moments we enjoyed in the first part does not make things easier.

Of course, there are some glimmers of excellence peering through the story like the majestic sea creatures breaking the surface tension of the calm waters. The scenes featuring Kakamora, a tribe of savage coconut-like pirates, make for some of the best stretches of the film and they could very well have their own spin-off movie akin to Penguins of Madagascar which is sure to be more intriguing than this sequel.

Unlike the first film which focussed on the interpersonal relationship between a washed-up demigod trying to redeem himself and a young girl chosen by the ocean itself, Moana 2 tries to unpack a lot within its 100-minute runtime and introduces a barrage of new characters that are neither memorable nor fascinatingly unique. Despite being a musical, Moana 2 lacks the punch other Disney outings possess and is a far cry from the catchy tracks from the first film. You know a sequel is rocky when it banks upon the best moments of its predecessor — be it something as simple as Maui turning once again into a half-shark, half-human form and Moana reiterating she’s not a princess or a mid-credit sequence with a character from the first film reemerging to promise us more such adventures (Yay?).

In many ways, the character of Moana is a game-changer for Disney’s long list of princesses. Without being a damsel in distress waiting for her Prince Charming, Moana, apart from being a stepping stone for Disney’s share of representation in Hollywood, also exuded strength and perseverance. The cultural significance of the headstrong titular character is a topic of several extensive writeups that shed light on the momentousness of its existence. Despite Moana 2 being a middling animation extravaganza that kids might still enjoy watching, it feels nautical miles away from its predecessor’s strong story populated by stronger characters. With a teaser for another sequel and a live-action remake of the original film, with Johnson reprising his role, Moana is sure to make a return. We can only hope that future projects don’t land up in troubled waters like this uninspiring sequel that can even make Maui’s sentient tattoo roll its eyes.