'Moana 2' Review Thread

I will continue to update this post as reviews come in.

Rotten Tomatoes: Fresh

Critics Consensus: Riding high on a wave of stunning animation even when its story runs adrift, Moana 2 isn't as inspired as the original but still delights as a colorful adventure.

Metacritic: 57 (41 Reviews)

Sample Reviews:

Owen Gleiberman, Variety - “Moana 2” is an okay movie, an above-average kiddie roller-coaster, and a piece of pure product in a way that the first “Moana,” at its best, transcended.

Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter - Where Moana focused on the relationship between the titular adventurer and her reluctant demigod companion, Moana 2 divides its attention among more characters. These personalities become window dressing in a movie short on time.

William Bibbiani, TheWrap - There’s nothing particularly terrible about Moana 2, but the fact that it’s necessary to write 'there’s nothing particularly terrible about Moana 2’ means something still went wrong.

Jake Coyle, Associated Press - In a story that brings in a literal boatload of new characters, it’s hard to shake the feeling that “Moana 2” got caught in the crosswinds -- too blown between shifting studio imperatives to really find its own way. 2/4

Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service - A worthy sequel, with gorgeous animation, a thoughtful representation of Polynesian culture and another exciting adventure for our inspiring Moana. Does it go beyond the first film? No, but that would have been a tall order.

Brian Truitt, USA Today - Even if it’s not as mold-smashing, the sequel still makes good use of its best assets: The terrific Auli‘i Cravalho brings extra depth to lively wayfarer Moana while Johnson lends powerful sass to endlessly buff sidekick Maui. 3/4

Chris Klimek, Washington Post - The songs aren’t the problem. Rather, it’s the muddled story, which takes way too long to give Moana her mission. 2/4

Rafer Guzman, Newsday - As in the first film, Moana won’t use her might to vanquish a foe. Instead, she’ll use her wits to solve a problem. 3/4

Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times - “Moana 2” is a sparkling family adventure. 3/4

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune - “Moana 2” is more of an action movie with a few accidental musical numbers of varying quality. 2.5/4

Odie Henderson, Boston Globe - I’d be less aggravated if this film were more than mediocre. While the animation is often stunning, the overall result is a throwback to those inferior direct-to-video sequels Disney used to churn out for “The Lion King” and “Aladdin.” 2/4

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic - The animation is as stunning as ever, if not more so. What the animators do with the ocean and the storms is remarkable. 4/5

Soren Andersen, Seattle Times - You’ve got a movie that really tries hard to not just be liked by the audience, but loved. Tries too hard, truth be told. The effort is evident. 2.5/4

Peter Howell, Toronto Star - When the cast members gather to sing new the number “What Could Be Better Than This?” I couldn’t help but think, “A lot of things, especially the first ‘Moana.’” On the positive side, the new film looks great; it’s even more colourful than the original. 2.5/4

Radheyan Simonpillai, Globe and Mail - There’s a general flatness to Moana 2′s serialized adventures. ... It’s one obstacle after another, though none feel rooted in or consequential to any emotional beats.

Peter Bradshaw, Guardian - It is all inoffensive enough, but weirdly lacking in anything genuinely passionate or heartfelt, all managed with frictionless smoothness and algorithmic efficiency. 2/5

Simran Hans, Financial Times - The film’s world-building is glorious, the ocean bathed in romantic pink light and its deep-sea creatures decorated in bioluminescent patterns. 3/5

India Block, London Evening Standard - The animation is even more beautiful, allowing you to see every grain of sand and drop of ocean spray. With artistry this good, it begs the question for why a live-action remake is needed at all. 5/5

Kevin Maher, Times (UK) - The narrative stumbles forward in episodic fits and starts through self-contained story bites that have little impact on the wider, regrettably flabby, arc. 2/5

Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph (UK) - With a running time that brings us briskly ashore, the film is a grand voyage in miniature -- a taster epic. 4/5

Wendy Ide, Observer (UK) - The main selling point remains Moana herself: the sparkiest and most intrepid Disney heroine of them all. 4/5

Wenlei Ma, The Nightly (AU) - The storytelling stakes are higher, but it’s also much slicker, as if the edges have been rounded off. 3/5

David Fear, Rolling Stone - The overall sentiment seems to be something like Sequel 101: You loved the first movie, so here’s a second movie that’s a lot like the first movie. This is the good news if that’s what you’re after. If not, well: It’s one hour and 40 minutes.

Alison Willmore, New York Magazine/Vulture - A real movie would give its protagonist something to continue to wrestle with as she learns and grows, but Moana 2 isn’t a real movie.

Tim Grierson, Screen International - What once seemed so effortlessly charming about this young wayfinder forging her own path has, in Part Two, become more convoluted and stilted — it’s a journey that, frustratingly, leads nowhere.

Philip De Semlyen, Time Out - Moana remains a great character, resourceful and self-reliant but still prone to trip, and her dynamic with Maui is again a joy, even if it’s softened from the snarky interplay of the first film. 3/5

Carlos Aguilar, IGN Movies - While some of the elements still manage to get a laugh here, the world we were introduced to eight years ago doesn’t feel richer or more exciting. 6/10

Kate Erbland, indieWire - It’s always a tough ask to improve upon an original, but “Moana 2” is a sprightly addition to this sea-faring legacy. It does something nearly impossible in our sequel-glutted world: made me want further adventures. B

Jacob Oller, AV Club - A ramshackle Franken-ship ... with more in common with straight-to-video sequels than the clever original. C+

Dana Stevens, Slate - Moana 2 seems more like a consumer product, in some subtle but unmistakable way, than the first film did.

Justin Clark, Slant Magazine - For a story that so prizes how far its heroine will go, Moana spends so much of this sequel stuck in a rut. 2/4

Amy Amatangelo, Paste Magazine - She is Moana! And, frankly, she deserves a little more respect than this. 6.5/10

Alonso Duralde, The Film Verdict - Moana 2 is always a joy to look at, but this remains firmly the kind of sequel aimed solely at people who want to watch the same movie again, only with a number in the title.

Matt Singer, ScreenCrush - Moana’s musical numbers were its greatest strength; Moana 2’s musical numbers are its biggest weakness. 5/10

Linda Marric, HeyUGuys - Moana 2 is a worthy sequel that expands the world and mythology of the original while retaining its heart and sense of wonder. A visually dazzling adventure with compelling characters, epic stakes, and plenty of charm, leaving audiences eager for more. 4/5

Nell Minow, Movie Mom - I kept wishing for a better balance between story and action. Also, it takes much too long to reunite Maui and Moana. So, this is not top-level Disney, but if Moana gets a bit lost in this chapter, we will wait for her to find her way. B

Sara Michelle Fetters, MovieFreak.com - Moana 2 is hardly smooth sailing, but it does have its charms. 2.5/4

Kristen Lopez, Kristomania (Substack) - The TV roots are hard to ignore and you can just see the commercial breaks when they pop up. But it’s hard not to be swept away by the songs and beauty. C+

SYNOPSIS:

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical “Moana 2” reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

CAST:

• Auli'i Cravalho as Moana
• Dwayne Johnson as Maui
• Temuera Morrison as Tui
• Nicole Scherzinger as Sina
• Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda as Simea
• Rose Matafeo as Loto
• David Fane as Kele
• Hualālai Chung as Moni
• Rachel House as Tala
• Awhimai Fraser as Matangi
• Gerald Ramsey as Tautai Vasa
• Alan Tudyk as Heihei

DIRECTED BY: David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller

SCREENPLAY BY: Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Miller

BASED ON CHARACTERS CREATED BY: Ron Clements, John Musker, Chris Williams, Pamela Ribon, Jared Bush, Don Hall, Aaron Kandell, Jordan Kandell

PRODUCED BY: Christina Chen, Yvett Merino

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jared Bush, Dwayne Johnson, Jennifer Lee

MUSIC BY: Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foaʻi, Mark Mancina

CASTING BY: Grace C. Kim

RUNTIME: 100 Minutes

RELEASE DATE: November 27, 2024