Director: Dana Ledoux Miller
Release Date: November 27, 2024
MPAA Rating: PG
Rating: A+
Almost a decade after the original “Moana”, “Moana 2” has hit theaters with a wave of success from the get-go, captivating the hearts of watchers and breaking several records. This new adventure expands the scope, emotional depth and cultural impact of its predecessor. Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson have acted the characters of Moana and Maui, respectively, like in the previous films. “Moana 2” was released with a budget of about $439 million and since its release, the reviews coming in have been highly positive.
“In my opinion, I think ‘Moana 2’ was better than the original. I know people always love the originals and not the sequel. But the reason I liked it more is because it introduced new characters and I got to see a more mature Moana. Also, the storytelling and plot was better,” junior Eliem Salazar said.
The movie takes place three years after the original adventure and begins with Moana visiting the neighboring islands of her home, Motunui, in hopes of finding others with the same special connection to the ocean as her. While exploring, she stumbles upon an old pot with carvings of her ancestors. As the movie began, the song “We’re Back” played, which brought back the authentic feel from the first movie.
This is a soundtrack that fuses the modern with the ancient in fresh Polynesian sounds by Grammy-winning artists Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina. Each song captures the heart of the story, from moments of joy to epic adventure. The powerful melodies underscore Moana’s internal struggle, her love for the sea and her sense of duty to her people.
“The music in this movie really surprised me. I didn’t think it could live up to Moana but it gave me a sense of nostalgia to the original. All the actors sang well and all songs had great messages,” sophomore Jessica Kapxhiu said.
Soon after this fun beginning, Moana receives an unexpected call from her way-finding ancestors to set sail on a dangerous new voyage that could end up determining the future of her people. To answer the call, Moana assembles a bold and diverse crew. She recruits Loto, a brilliant engineer voiced by Rose Matafeo; Kele, a skilled farmer voiced by David Fane; and Moni, a wise storyteller voiced by Hualālai Chung. All these actors voiced their characters in a realistic and emotional way, a key element of animated movies that made “Moana 2” enjoyable for viewers of all ages. This scene showed a sentimental depiction of Moana and her little sister’s relationship as it could be the last time seeing her, adding to the suspense of the mission and making fans root for Moana and her team in the sequel.
This unlikely crew embarks on an extensive journey across the high seas, treacherous waters, dangerous sea creatures and ancient mystical forces that have lain dormant for generations. Their journey takes them to long-lost waters that are shrouded in mystery. Along the way, they encounter both natural and supernatural obstacles that test their resolve. These obstacles helped make the movie more fun and compelling so that watchers could feel entertained by the creative and constant plot changes.
The crew must work together, relying on each other’s unique strengths and skills to overcome every challenge. As a leader, Moana is constantly pulled between her duty to her people and her love for exploration. This tension shapes much of her personal growth throughout the story. Throughout the movie, Moana’s team proved their resilience with all these obstacles and demonstrated how the team worked together to be able to complete their near-impossible task. The character development throughout the movie kept adding to action, as there were some low points for almost every character and were having some close calls, keeping viewers entertained with the inventive plot . This helped to keep the movie’s story interesting and held a stable base for the overall plot of the movie.
The animation throughout the film drastically changed since the first, which allowed for the movie to be much more intricate and life-like. With the ocean playing such an important role in Moana 2, the realistic designs on the water helped portray a beautiful sensation in theaters. On top of that, the characters animations had also improved since Moana, and that helped develop the characters and make them even more loveable.
“The quality of the animations has improved and the facial expressions show more emotion than before. Also, in the film, they have paid more attention to smaller details than in the first movie,” sophomore Edurne Molina said.
In conclusion, Moana 2 masterfully builds upon the legacy of its predecessor, delivering a visually stunning, emotionally resonant and culturally rich narrative that appeals to audiences of all ages. The film’s breathtaking animation, powerful soundtrack and compelling story of courage, unity and self-discovery make it a worthy sequel that expands the world of Moana while staying true to its core.
“Overall Moana 2 was really entertaining. I loved the first movie and I am so glad that this lived up to the original Moana. I am hoping for a third movie soon because these first two were really enjoyable,” sophomore Nagely Carrasquillo said.
