The fact that Moana 2 was originally envisioned as a long-form television series for Disney+ (Moana: The Series, for those playing at home) perhaps explains why this sequel – which was only announced as a reworked theatrical effort at the beginning of the year – never quite reaches the emotional heights of its predecessor, and as to why there’s a very obvious narrative structure across its brisk 90 minutes that results in a cyclical mentality of exposition-musicality-action sequence-repeat.
The current it follows, however basic it may be, still results in an enjoyable effort that families will happily lap up across the upcoming festive season, with the film’s whimsical visuals and enthusiastic voice acting doing most of the heavy lifting that the new musical output fails to match; as grand as it is to hear Auli’i Cravalho‘s lush vocals, Moana 2 doesn’t give us a memorable “How Far I’ll Go” moment.
She does get to belt out the rousing-in-the-moment “Beyond” though, which speaks to Moana’s cementation as a great wayfarer amongst her people, and the film opens as she arrives back to the island of Motonui to tell of her high sea adventures. There’s evidently no rest for the explorer as she’s quick to return to the ocean following a vision of her next quest – brought on by her ancestor, Tautai Vasa (Gerald Ramsey) – which guides her towards the lost island of Motufetu, which has sunk to the bottom of the ocean at the hands of a storm God some thousand years prior.
The island sits at a point in the ocean where all the currents meet, and it’s seen as something of a gateway for the surrounding peoples of the ocean. In short, Moana’s gonna need a bigger boat. Should Moana fail to find Motufetu, her people are doomed (you know, no pressure), so she’s going to need all the help she can get, but her wayward crew – grumpy farmer Kele (David Fane), quirky “handy” woman Loto (Rose Matafeo), and passionate himbo storyteller Moni (Hualālai Chung) – don’t exactly scream competence, and Moana might have better luck executing her quest with the assistance of her pet pig, Pua, and chicken, Heihei (Alan Tudyk).
Then, of course, there’s shapeshifting demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who displays more reluctance to help Moana on her quest here, which is more to do with protecting her than denying her. He’s all-too-aware that their lives are at stake, and the mysterious presence orbiting the two of them, Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), a fellow demigod, presents herself as a force that asks more questions than can provide answers. Her motivations are unclear, and it’s actually one of the stronger points of Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller‘s script (the two also serving as co-directors alongside David Derrick, Jr) that her villainy isn’t as black-and-white as these stories tend to present.
Whilst there are remnants of the episodic structure here, Moana 2 still has a sense of a classic sequel. It doesn’t evolve from the standpoint of character progression, and the stakes never feel particularly perilous, but its evident respect for indigenous cultures and its overall sense of safe fun allow this to be readily, easily accessible. Had this been tailored as a proper theatrical sequel from its inception, it’s likely that the story would feel more detailed, the villains would earn a stronger sense of self, and the world building would adhere to something grander, but, given the tools provided, Moana 2 swims as a serviceable continuation.
Given how wide the ocean proves, the possibilities for further Moana adventures are limitless, and a certain mid-credit tease suggests Bush and Miller have such in mind. Hopefully whatever quests await Moana will be treated with a more cinematic flair though, as this series and the culture it celebrates deserve more than a late-in-the-game theatrical pivot.
THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Moana 2 is screening in Australian theatres from November 28th, 2024.
