There are some movies which should have never been made if the bar had been set too high by the predecessor. You get that feeling when you watch Disney’s latest Princess movie ‘Moana 2’. Cashing on the success of the first ‘Moana’ movie which was released in 2016, the sequel also comprises stunning animations and catchy beats but finds it hard to defeat the mega success of the first movie.
Several years have passed since the happenings of the first film, and Moana is now a capable and self-assured leader to her people. Outside her island of Motunui, the story delves deeper into themes of change, family, and self-discovery. Her younger sister, Simea, and a group of sidekicks accompany her on her seafaring adventures, among other new characters introduced in the movie. The story lacks the emotional resonance of the original, but these new characters add charm and humour, making it watchable.
The film also gets plenty of help by reverting to well-loved characters from the previous film like Pua, the furry pig, the goggle-eyed chicken, HeiHei, the coconut-resembling Kakamora, and Gramma Tala making comebacks or playing bigger roles.
Due to Moana’s ongoing development as a leader, ‘Moana 2’ continues to convey a lot of positive messages about respect for culture and cooperation, making it an uplifting film for audiences of all ages.
Even though ‘Moana 2’ might not be as good as its iconic predecessor, it’s still a valuable tale full of laughter, Polynesian culture, and breathtaking sights. Fans of the original ‘Moana’ will probably enjoy going back to her world, even though there is room for improvement in terms of enhancing her bravery and creating more memorable songs.
If released as a stand-alone movie, ‘Moana 2’ may have been a thrilling journey enhanced by a healthy dose of Polynesia’s rich culture. However, the prestige of its predecessor and the pressure that comes with being a product that turns a successful movie into a franchise weigh down this sequel. It’s not made any easier by the fact that the current movie doesn’t have the same emotional resonance or the same endearing and humorous moments as the first one.
One of its greatest drawbacks is that ‘Moana 2’ tries to cover a lot of ground in its 100 minutes. Though slightly interesting in their own way, the new characters are neither particularly memorable nor intriguingly different from those in the first movie. While the first movie had a clear picture of concentrating on the interpersonal relationship between a washed-up demigod attempting to redeem himself and a young girl selected by the ocean itself to accomplish a mission, you get a set of confusing scenes in ‘Moana 2’ where some scenes seem to overlap each other. Headed by three directors, David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, one expected more for the production.
Despite being a musical, ‘Moana 2’ is very different from the memorable songs from the original movie and lacks the impact that other Disney productions have. For example, Dwayne Johnson’s Maui makes a little less of an impression with his song “Can I Get A Chee Hoo” which isn’t quite as cocky and ear-pleasing as “You’re Welcome.”AuliʻiCravalho, Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, and David Fane also contribute to the voice cast but fail to ignite the old spark.
Moana is a game-changer in many ways considering Disney’s extensive casts of princesses. In addition to serving as a springboard for Disney’s fair share of interpretation in Hollywood, Moana demonstrated strength and tenacity without acting like a damsel in distress while she awaited her Prince Charming. Though she might not be as spunky as the first time you met her Moana is still a very captivating heroine, especially for young girls. However one should note that it is mostly the nostalgia and the brilliant visuals which keep this production afloat. This goes to show that not every sequel can follow in the footsteps of ‘Frozen II’.
