It’s fair to say that Moana etched a space in our hearts, and as she continues her journey across the oceans, the anticipation for the sequel was building up. Reprising her role as the wayfinder, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) is on an expedition to find other people, even as her island grows and flourishes.
The movie starts slow, like a calm ocean, picking up pace as the expedition unfolds. With no other human tribes to be found, Moana faces the challenge of overcoming Nalo, a god who gets his power by keeping people of the ocean away from each other.
While the combination of Moana and Maui (Dwayne Johnson) created a storm in the original movie, the chemistry is somewhat lacking in this, with Maui making a slow entry.
Together with a small crew, Moana sets sail to the island of Motufetu, where she and Maui are reunited and engage in a battle against Nalo, with help from some surprising characters.
‘Moana 2’ highlights the importance of belief and finding new paths, even if it means attempting the unknown. It also showcases teamwork and friendship but misses out on the laughs and giggles the original movie was able to generate.
The music is another aspect of the movie which falls short of expectations, with none of the songs really living up to the brilliant animation and visuals. ‘Moana 2’ is perhaps the most visually appealing movie of recent times and is bound to leave you in awe.
A good watch overall, there are some heart-warming elements which will make you smile and it would be safe to say that Moana is likely to come back with more expeditions to keep us entertained.