After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
Chuck says:
In looking at the release schedule for the final quarter of 2024, the suits at Disney must have realized there was a slight gap in their march towards box office domination of yet another year. With “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool Vs. Wolverine” both bringing in over $1 billion and their December release “Mufasa” sure to gross a staggering amount as well, the Mouse House couldn’t dare let any other studio enjoy a week or two of success. Obviously, they needed a windfall to tide themselves over in November.
Like a kid with all the toys in the sandbox, Disney’s dominance over the past five years has left their rivals often just picking up scraps. They are a relentless juggernaut, having acquired other studios to bolster their already considerable library of intellectual properties. If there’s a buck to be made, they’ll make it. As such they’ve taken “Moana 2,” which was Initially destined for the Disney+ streaming service, spruced it up a bit and are releasing it in theaters just in time for Thanksgiving. It’s a savvy move, what with moms and dads looking for something to do with their suddenly school-free children. Its success is as assured as Santa eating all the cookies left for him.
Giving credit where it’s due, “Moana 2” has the look of an animated feature, unlike the straight-to-video sequels the studios used to quickly knock out with alarming regularity. There’s a glossy sheen to the production that points to no expense being spared in bringing it to life and lends it a degree of credibility. However, after seeing it, I couldn’t help but wonder if any money was spent to ensure the script was up to par with the visuals.
Much like the first film, Moana (voice by Auli’I Cravalho) is sent on a quest, though this journey is of greater consequence. As her tribe’s designated wayfinder, the responsibility falls to her to rectify an ancient curse. Centuries ago, an angry, jealous god, Kakamora, separated the main islands of the Pacific, cutting the various cultures they contained off from one another. In preventing them from consolidating, this gave him more power. So, when Moana tells her father of a vision she has showing their village decimated and empty in the near future, he tells her the only way to avoid this fate is to reunite the various tribes.
Unfortunately, this is going to prove quite difficult as the island that served as a hub for the ocean channels that connected all the other islands has been sunk. The only way the curse can be lifted is if Moana sets foot on it. To solve this rather large problem, she sets out to find her demigod buddy Maui (Dwayne Johnson), knowing full well he has the strength to haul this lost island from the depths of the ocean.
As quests go, it’s not bad. The backstory is intriguing, and the scope of the adventure is worthy of our attention. However, the script by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller contains far too many distractions, its narrative tangents far from interesting. Moana’s small crew for the voyage, Loto (Rose Matafeo), Moni (Hualalai Chung) and Kele (David Fane) are a rather bland bunch, their disparate personalities not generating enough tension or humor, while the slapstick routines they’re put through are tired and unimaginative. Even worse, what is supposed to be a gripping, dramatic event – a gigantic clam that swallows them and their catamaran whole – instead brings the film to a screeching halt.
Surprisingly, there’s life in the third act once Moana, Maui and the others do battle with Kakamora’s might and their efforts to raise the island prove futile. The dark turn the story takes is a welcome respite from the relentless cheeriness and bland songs – not a keeper in the bunch – that populate the movie’s first hour. And while there’s no doubt how it will all turn out, at the very least our heroine earns her victory.
Again, no surprises here. It’s a Disney animated movie and contains all that label has come to be associated with. All the boxes are checked as there’s a plucky heroine, plenty of comic relief, an animal sidekick (that chicken Hei Hei is pretty darn funny) and a worthwhile message. Putting aside our differences and finding the ability to work in unity is a timely theme, one “Moana 2” adequately delivers to its young audience.
2 1/2 Stars
Pam says:
Moana’s tale continues with Disney’s “Moana 2” starring Auli’i Cravalho as our heroine and Dwayne Johnson as the demi-god Maui. Moana finds herself as a newly acknowledged way finder, like her ancestors before her, and upon the traditional ceremony, she has a vision; one that will lead her away from her family to break the curse of Nalo. This curse was set in place to divide the many peoples of the world and weaken them, but Moana, with the help of Moni (Hualālai Chung, voice), Loto (Rose Matafeo, voice), and dear old Kele (David Fane, voice), will follow the “fire in the sky” and bring her people together.
Of course, along the way, Moana and crew bump into Maui whose animated tattoos help with a few gags and chuckles, as well as some misunderstood characters showing us not to judge a book by its cover nor to believe the rumors. Teaming up for a common goals, Moana finds herself amidst the dreaded Bat Lady Mating (Awhimai Fraser, voice), but taking a moment to get to know her, Moana learns they actually have a lot in common. With so much support, the god Nalo has quite a fight on his hands.
“Moana 2” is vibrant, just as you would expect from Disney, with animation that is so realistic that you forget it’s a cartoon. Bright colors, high action with clips no more than 3 seconds, is visually impactful. When you pair this with music and songs all of which correlate to indigenous roots, you have a movie that will certainly entertain the younger ones. For adults, this becomes a little repetitive, but thanks to Johnson’s comedic voice and timing, there are a few laugh out loud funny moments.
Voicing animated characters is a true talent and the entire cast finds the right beats and tone to deliver their personalities and situations. Carvalho’s speaking and singing voice is smooth and soothing yet filled with power which exemplifies her character to a “t.” Moni is non-stop happiness with a bright and cheerful quality that is almost contagious. And Loto’s fast-paced brilliance pouring from her brain with Keke’s grumpy demeanor, we get clear pictures of these life-like characters. Of course, the directing team of David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller have a large impact on these actors creating the larger than life personalities.
This isn’t “Inside Out” or “Toy Story,” but it does have its moments. With a running time of 1 hour 40 minutes, it’s worth your time and money to see on the big screen as the animation is truly brilliant.
“Moana 2” is filled with life lessons of helping one another, creating a community, believing in yourself, and lots of other positive things that our world is in need of. Taking the time to watch and talk about the movie with your kids helps instill values of kindness, compassion and understanding. And that’s a good thing.
3 Stars
