Moana 2 (2024): A Success for Disney, or yet another flop?

Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Directors: Dana Ledoux Miller, Jason Hand, David Derrick Jr.

Review by Robbie Fleming

I believe I'm in the minority here, but I honestly found this film to be better than the first one. While the first film did a good job of setting up the world, characters, and bringing us some great songs, I thought the second one had a solid storyline that expanded on worldbuilding and continued its storytelling very well.

Apparently, this was originally meant to be a series on Disney Plus, but I think it works better as a film. A series could have ended up being a typical dragged-out Disney Plus show. Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho reprise their roles from the first film and still manage to deliver fantastic voice performances. I also appreciate how this film sets up more to come at the end, paving the way for a possible third installment.

The only aspect I think the first film did better was the songs, and I believe it’s because Lin-Manuel Miranda wasn’t involved in the songwriting. You can tell his unique charm is missing, and the songs don’t have the same elevated quality he brings to movies. Honestly, the songs in this film are somewhat forgettable and occasionally feel like they get in the way of the storytelling.

One thing I thought was a significant improvement, however, was the animation style. It looked bolder, more colorful, and still stayed true to the tone of the original film.

Overall, Moana 2 is a strong sequel. Its storytelling, voice performances, and animation style make it superior to its predecessor. However, the lack of memorable songs holds it back compared to the original. While I thoroughly enjoyed it, there were elements that kept it from joining my other favorite animated films of the year.

I give Moana 2 a rating of 8/10 and 4 out of 5 stars.