2016’s Moana wasn’t just a film — it was a phenomenon. Like Frozen which came before it, and Encanto which came after it, Moana was lightning in a bottle. It felt like we were witnessing an animated renaissance for Disney.
Despite already being an adult at the time of its release even I was caught up in the wave of excitement that preceded this film and I wasn’t disappointed upon leaving the theater either. The first movie lived up to the hype and then some. So the hype train has left the station. Based on the reception to the first film alone, you’d expect something truly magical, truly worthy of being called a sequel to that original, but can the sequel really live up to that?
What are reviewers saying about ‘Moana 2’?
First impressions seem to be a resounding “meh,” with one X calling the film “lovely but underwhelming,” and “still a serviceable film.”
#Moana2 fails to reach the emotional heights of its predecessor under the weight of a rushed script & lackluster musical numbers. However, it’s still a serviceable film thanks to some stunning visuals & a winning performance by Auli’i Cravalho. Lovely but underwhelming. pic.twitter.com/cU8CBh2cox
— adam 🫧🧹 (@apat10) November 26, 2024
OK, well that’s a tad disappointing considering we’ve waited eight years for this. Somehow the phrase “still a serviceable film” sounds worse than calling it straight-up bad. Like damn, this film won’t even be ed in a month — at least Disney’s last animated flop, Wish, got people talking, even if for all the wrong reasons.
But that’s just one person’s opinion, right? Maybe they just weren’t feeling it.
Moana 2 was… a movie. You could tell it used to be a TV show, because it gives off “plot of the week” every 20 minutes. It has an interesting concept which I don’t thing they utilised that well, and the main villain is possibly the worst I’ve seen in a Disney movie. Post credit… pic.twitter.com/xU2XYrGFPx
— Joe (@hzjoe03) November 26, 2024
Although I wish that were the case it seems most reviewers are giving equally tepid reactions, calling the film “inconsequential,” “safe” and “hollow.” Ouch.
saw MOANA 2 — it’s beautifully animated so you can see why they felt this was a spectacle worthy of the big screen, but unfortunately the film feels inconsequential and emotionally cold compared to its predecessor. charming and entertaining, but ultimately safe and hollow.
— tyler “llewyn” taing (@tylerllewtaing) November 26, 2024
Why is Moana 2 receiving poor reviews?
I’m tempted to chalk this up to the Dwayne Johnson curse (seriously, that guy picks the worst movies) but the reviews all seem to agree on one major factor that held Moana 2 back: It wasn’t supposed to be a movie.
The original story was planned to be a Disney Plus exclusive series but for “story reasons” it was decided to make it a movie. Dialogue was changed, songs were cut or added, but ultimately it did nothing to save the film.
And let’s talk about those songs because the first film had some great musical numbers. In fact, every song in Moana was a real earworm. Can we at least get excited for some new music in the sequel?
the music is… fine. some numbers are fun in the moment, but it lacks the urgency and depth that Lin Manuel Miranda’s music had. instead, these are imitations of classic Disney song tropes. so many songs reference motifs from the first movie. don’t remind me of better songs!
— tyler “llewyn” taing (@tylerllewtaing) November 26, 2024
No. No we can’t. In fact, just don’t get excited about anything ever again because like the rest of the movie, the songs are reportedly “lacklustre” or “fine” at best. Despite having Dwayne Johnson’s permission, I doubt fans will be singing along this time.
This whole thing reminds me of those old straight-to-DVD Disney sequels that were so much worse than the original films. Who could forget Cinderella II: Dreams Come True or The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (Okay that film was all right). Moana 2 isn’t quite at that level but it’s definitely giving early 2000’s Disney vibes.
Anyway, reviewers aren’t always right. In fact, there are plenty of reactions online from those who enjoyed the film. It’s not bad, it’s just not going to live up to the high expectations set by the first film, (but did we realistically expect it to?) If you’re excited for Moana 2 then check it out and make up your own mind. But if you want to play it safe and experience a magical film with guaranteed great musical numbers currently in theaters right now, I’d recommend this little film called Wicked — maybe you’ve heard of it?
Published: Nov 26, 2024 02:30 pm