The most enjoyable Disney Animation movie since The Lion King (1994) – sorry, Frozen heads – 2016’s Moana dazzled with its kaleidoscopic Oceania seascapes, catchy tunes, and a coming-of-age adventure that tacked smartly around empowerment clichés. Now, eight years later and retooled from a planned Disney+ spinoff series, the sea-quel is here with… well, exactly the same.
There’s nothing too much wrong with Moana 2, which ticks all those same boxes for adventure and empowerment. It’s another loving celebration of Polynesian culture, replete with mad-looking sea creatures, hummable songs, and a charming goofy streak. But the lightning that jags from its spectacular climactic tempest doesn’t end up in the bottle this time.
Hawaiian actress Auli'i Cravalho returns as the voice of Moana, now a seasoned wayfarer held in the highest esteem on her Pacific island. She even has her own fanclub – the Moana-be’s – and a direct line to her demigod frenemy from the first movie, Maui (voiced again by Dwayne Johnson). Her dream, pursued on solo journeys across the waves, is to make contact with other Pacific Islanders. It’s Star Trek with starfish.
It’s Star Trek with starfish
But that’s not the adventure that Moana 2 takes us on. Instead, returning screenwriter Jared Bush and co-writer Dana Ledoux Miller serve up another deus ex machina – this time a malevolent deity called Nalo – to unleash seismic disorder on the ocean. Moana must embark on another perilous journey to restore the balance to her world – this time with a crew of forgettable characters, including Rose Matafeo’s high-energy seafarer, to help.
Perhaps as a legacy of its genesis as a TV project, perhaps because it’s been fed through some kind of Disney algorithm, Moana 2 boasts a few too many obvious sequel tropes: fan-service-y cameos, an overdose of comedy sidekicks, and, a personal bugbear, old antagonists becoming allies. There’s a sequel-baiting ending too, for those allergic to that kind of thing.
The songwriting verve of Lin-Manuel Miranda is missed, too. Composers Barlow and Bear chip in with some catchy ditties, but there’s nothing to match How Far I’ll Go and You’re Welcome.
But Moana remains a great character, resourceful and self-reliant but still prone to trip, and her dynamic with Maui is again a joy, even if it’s softened from the snarky interplay of the first film. And the widescreen world of Moana – all dazzling blue and turquoise vistas – is a treat to plunge back into on the big screen. It’s just not quite the fresh breeze its predecessor was. But then, what is?
In US cinemas Nov 27. Out worldwide Nov 29