The Missing Magic of "Moana 2"

2016's Moana is among one of Disney's most successful films in recent memory. Not only was it successful at the box office, but also became a hit with critics and audiences across the globe. After eight years of waiting, the film's sequel, Moana 2 was finally released in theaters. But Moana has not been welcomed back to the screen with the rapturous applause people were expecting. Let's take a look at why Moana 2 seems to have fallen flat compared to its predecessor.

The original Moana is a beloved tale that's not only an action-packed adventure but also a touching coming-of-age story. With a lovable main character, beautiful animation, and an acclaimed soundtrack, it's no wonder why the film was such a success to begin with. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone with a bad word to say about Moana, but despite only being released a few weeks, you cannot say the same for its sequel.

However, there are a few things that Moana 2 does right. First off, the visuals are gorgeous, what we've come to expect from Disney. The animation is smooth, fluid, and the lighting choices truly make the film a feast for the eyes. Auli'i Cravalho does a great job reprising her breakout role, and it's clear just how much love she has for the character. Unfortunately, there's not much else that works in this film.

Moana 2's flaws are actually very easy to point out and put into words. The one that everyone seems to agree on is the steep drop in the soundtrack's quality from the original. Moana's last soundtrack was composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who at the time was fresh off the success of his musical, Hamilton. Miranda's knack for songwriting combined with his love of classic musical theater culminated in a fun, critically acclaimed soundtrack, rivaling even Frozen. "How Far I'll Go," "You're Welcome," and "Shiny" remain some of Disney's most beloved original songs to this day. But to the surprise of many, Miranda did not return for Moana 2, as he was reportedly too busy composing the score for Disney's upcoming, Mufasa: The Lion King.

On the original soundtrack, Miranda worked with composers, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa'i, but this time around, Mancina and Foa'i were left on their own without Miranda's lyrics...and it shows. There is not a single song in Moana 2 that is memorable. The lyrics are clunky and the songs come off as too literal and almost elementary. A large amount of the film's criticism you'll see online is entirely based on the soundtrack. Perhaps it wouldn't have been received so poorly if the original wasn't so amazing but when you're making a sequel, there's bound to be comparisons.

But the absence of Lin-Manuel Miranda isn't the only change that makes Moana 2 different. Rather than being directed by Disney veterans, Ron Clements and John Musker, Moana 2 was under the direction of David Derrick Jr, Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller. The film serves as the directorial debut for all three filmmakers. Miller also joined original writer, Jared Bush in crafting the screenplay. Like the music, the story of Moana 2 is noticeably worse than the original.

2016's Moana centered around the tale of a young girl, crossing the sea to save her island from a curse all with the help of shape-shifting demigod, Maui. Most of the film's comedy and entertainment came from Moana and Maui's dynamic. They had a love-hate relationship where Maui served as Moana's mentor, skeptical of her skills, but always supportive. Maui isn't present for most of Moana 2, he shows up about halfway through and he doesn't have the same charisma as before. Instead of having Maui as a companion for her voyage, Moana enlists the help of three fellow islanders who I can't even remember the names of. They're not likable or memorable and it baffles me why Disney thought it was a good idea to replace Maui with them for so much of this film. Forgettable side-characters seems to be a continuous issue with Disney lately, considering how much flack they got for the minor characters in 2023's Wish.

Moana 2's plot is something that the film struggles with tremendously. Every obstacle that the titular character faced in 2016's Moana felt intentional. Every scene helped progress the story forward and made her journey more interesting. In Moana 2, these big challenges that the ocean offers don't feel purposeful. While there are a lot of bright, beautiful visuals, I couldn't help but feel nonchalant and even bored at quite a few scenes. Not to mention the central plot isn't nearly as compelling as it was in the first film. The stakes don't feel as high and it even borders on confusing at some points.

Despite how beloved the first film was, Moana 2 currently only holds a score of 62% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to the original's 95%. And this is due to one very simple reason, the movie feels rushed. Moana 2 doesn't come close to its predecessor, but so far it has done well in the box office, which feels like the only thing Disney seems to care about anymore. Here's hoping that Incredibles 3 is better...