The sequel, Moana 2 opens to resounding success as it rides the popularity of Polynesian culture and focuses on the talented music and animation that made the predecessor so appealing. The initial part is almost reminiscent of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which is mercifully improved by a significantly better plot. Moana 2 keeps the story interesting by blending in a generous amount of funny moments while incorporating the occasional touch of sadness. Our attractive heroine displays plenty of dominance over the winning supporting cast and takes on the role of a key leader. Dwayne Johnson remains the show stealer in his role of Maui but does have some stiff competition from a very impressive Kakamora.
The story begins with Moana early in the morning, having a dream n which she is somewhere in a forest, on a faraway island. She does a big jump over a big crack in the earth ignoring her pet pig called Pua and a rooster named Hei-Hei. Moana is at the summit of the highest mountain where she looks to the sea and blows a conch shell. The sound of the shell is carried away by the sea breeze but no one responds and perhaps there are no people on other end at all. Is it possible that her race has always been on its own? A huge search offers the various adorable species considerable hope. Moana went back to Motunui, her home, sister Simea is welcomed by Moana when she gives an awesome object to her father, Temuera Morrison and mother Nicole Scherzinger. So-called wayfinder was now known to show the whereabouts of an island Motufetu that was being hidden away from the world by the God of the underworld Nalo. But then again, are there people there?
On the other hand, there are many comical moments to be had while watching Maui, who tries to esacape Nalo’s spell and in the process gets into sticky situations. Matangi, who had captured him, wonders if her bat novia is calling his human friend for help. Maui doesn’t agree, stating that there is no way a human facing Nalo will live. Moving forward in the story Moana focuses on the darker side of the story after seeing the aiming picture of the sky showing where her clan could possibly be at some time in the future.
She will have to go into the wilderness looking for Motufetu but she will not be alone since a motley crew joins the expedition.
At first, I had difficulty grasping the rather simple plot that involves Moana training in the jungle and then finding a wayfinder. The thought of Moana 2 being done with a skimpy ryse pale sighting girl who’s a Palpatine Skywalker was a bit alarming. Ten minutes into the movie, all worries were erased as the movie went deeper into the actual story. The writer Jared Bush, who penned the script of the first part of the story as well as Zootopia that garnered an Academy Award, follows the facts of history of the Polynesians. Resources in such islands are pretty scarce. Increased succession was not a possibility for such populations. The mere phenomenon of remaining in one spot without venturing out was a prescription for disaster. The displacement of Moana from her home island of Motunui is a pity as it foreshadowed the migration of her ancestors. Before the plot healthily elends more towards the myth, Bush educates the audience.
The action sequences stand out amongst other films. The characters are well fleshed out portrayed by the superb voice acting. I can only imagine how hard it was to animate all of those Kakamora and what great fun it was. The plot of the film is so fascinating and full of adventure with Moana and her friends, that for its various twists and turns, it fully justifies the duration. Most importantly, the visuals of Moana are absolutely breathtaking. The art design is filled with a careful selection of nuanced details, be them shading or texture patterns. Moana 2 is a visually impressive film deserving of its place at the head of the emerging usage of imaginative impressions for animated films and evokes incredibly positive emotions.
The sequel sees the return of composer’s Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi whilst Lin-Manuel Miranda’s place is taken by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear as song writers. Barlow and Bear do an admirable job, although it is never easy to match a Pulitzer Prize winner. There are a few songs that contribute to the development of the story premises. Cravalho performs “Beyond” where the sea is calling her voice while she performs impressive vocals. Rather the man in Johnson who is not dubbed as gentle with his voice attracts laughter with his limited tunefulness in “Can I get a Chee Hoo?” – which is acted very happily. The fans of Moana 2 are going to love this soundtrack but will probably not connect much with the average audience who saw the movie. That is not, however, a very bad thing. Not every Disney animated musical can be an Aladin or an Beauty and the Beast by Alan Menken.
Polynesian culture is well presented and shared with the audience in Moana 2, which is undoubtedly one of the movie’s main highlights. Children in villages on Motunui witness the tribal dancing and religious practices which present them enlightening windows into another world. Bush together with the three main directors of the film which included David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller made sure that they did not feed on, belittle or commercialise the Polynesian culture. They pay tribute to Moana’s heritage by paying tribute to her ancestors. Moana is not a Disney princess in need of salvation. She is a brave young lady who has inherited the best of her people, and uses this and courage in her actions.
Moana 2 on the other hand runs for one hour and 40 minutes and moves as fast as a jet ski in a kiddie pool. It is even less than the running time of the original. Just as the audience takes a pause to blink, the end credits start rolling. In this case, it is all killer, no filler that retains young audiences’ attention. Admittedly, older viewers would have preferred further narration but they are not the key audience. Disney did well to avoid the pitfall of having an animated television series and went for feature films instead. A lot is expected from the live action Moana, which is set to be released next year.
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