Movie Review ‘Moana 2’ disappoints with low stakes, forgettable musical numbers

CEBU, Philippines — In another timeline, we would have watched “Moana 2” on our laptop screens, as the sequel was originally conceived as a television series for Disney+. With the first-look footage impressing the company’s executives, what could’ve been a series was turned into a film instead.

It might explain why the sequel feels much more scaled down in its grandeur, even though its premise is supposed to feel more expansive.

In the follow-up to its 2016 blockbuster, we see our titular character (voiced by Auli?i Cravalho) exploring further into the seas of Oceania when she receives a call from her ancestors that might help reconnect her people to other tribes.

Exploring this unfamiliar territory is dangerous for Moana to tackle alone. She enlists the help of the quirky Loto, the grumpy Kele, the passionate Moni, and her pet pig Pua to join her crew, while her weird chicken Heihei and Maui (Dwayne Johnson) return.

What Moana and her crew try to discover is the sunken island of Motufetu, which was invaded by the malicious storm god Nalo, who makes the journey impossible by surrounding it with dangerous storms and waves.

The message the film tries to tell is that getting lost might actually help us find what we are looking for. This would’ve been a good lesson, only if it were backed by stronger character development.

What made the first film so enjoyable to watch was how much the story made us care for Moana and Maui. Their charm and stubbornness were so well-balanced that it made us invested in their journey to restoring Te Fiti and how it made them heroes.

Looking back, their journey to Te Fiti feels like it had higher stakes, thanks to the well-thought character development. Here, it feels like we are only seeing Moana and Maui as moving pieces to expand the franchise’s lore, which is evident in its mid-credits scene that seems to tease an inevitable follow-up.

There is nothing new to learn or root for in our two protagonists. They are too strong and over-qualified to go through this journey, leaving us without much insight into their characters and how much they changed since the first film.

The supporting characters do not add anything to the dynamic between the two, which is a wasted opportunity. One example is Moni who is known to be a big fan of Maui. Yet, much of the dynamic between a fanboy and a demigod isn’t explored until the film’s ending when everything has been resolved.

Not helping the sequel justify its existence are its lackluster musical numbers. The absence of the first film’s composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, is strongly felt. None of the songs feel memorable, especially the supposed signature song “Beyond,” which lacks the same oomph that “How Far I’ll Go” had.

2000s kids might recall that certain Disney movies were given sequels that could only be seen on rented VHS tapes or DVDs, rather than being shown in cinemas. This approach, aimed at cutting production costs, often resulted in stories that lacked the epicness of their theatrical predecessors.

“Moana 2” reminds us why Disney once took this approach in the pre-streaming age. They seem to struggle with giving their princess films the sequels that feel worth watching in cinemas.

The only exception to this is “Frozen 2”, released in 2019. While not as perfect as the original, it showed genuine thought and care in its plot, characters, world-building, and themes about environmentalism that justify it as a theatrical release.

None of these factors are present in “Moana 2”, which feels like it could’ve stuck to its original plan as a television series for Disney’s streaming platform instead.

But of course, “Moana 2” is printing money as it’s already making almost $400 million at the box office as of writing. So it’s easy to see why Disney opted for a theatrical release. We can only hope that “Moana 3” will return to what made the first film a classic, rather than serving as a money grab for the company.

Viewers are better off watching a musical in cinemas about two witches in the land of Oz, which has higher stakes, meticulously crafted world-building, and catchy musical numbers. As for “Moana 2,” it might be worth waiting a few months for its Disney+ release, where it arguably belongs than on the big screen. Two stars out of five.  — (FREEMAN)