Picking up the story three years after the events in Moana (2016), Moana 2 reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) with demi-god Maui (Dwayne Johnson) on a new adventure. The first film was about Moana finding her identity. This one is about discovering and uniting different tribes in the islands to ensure the future of her people.
In a dream, Moana is visited by an original Wayfinder (someone who navigates the ocean) who tells her about a long-lost island called Motufetu. So Moana undertakes a perilous journey. Dangers arise frequently. In fact, she risks her life. She has to tackle the god of storms to try to find Motufetu, which is not visible to the naked eye. A motley crew of her fellow clan members accompanies her, including comic relief in the form of Heihei the chicken and Pua the pig. Along the way, Moana is reunited with Maui, who always has Moana’s back, but finds himself in a pickle. Threats remain ever present. So reaching, or even finding, Motufetu is never a certainty.
Moana 2 introduces a lot of mysticism relating to the importance of ancestors, family and tribe. It’s about respecting elders, but also being bold and brave enough to find a way forward. The relationship between Moana and her doting younger sister is delightful and potent. I enjoyed the realisation of the key characters, particularly those two and the protective but trouble-fraught Maui. He comes complete with what you might call a conscience tattoo – a nice touch.
Another cute but counterintuitive element is the appearance of a coconut tribe – literally coconuts with attitude. I suppose the film is in the right part of the world (no shortage of that fruit in the Pacific) for that kind of Disney magic to take place. A series of musical numbers punctuate the piece and help propel it.
Visually, Moana 2 is colourful and the characters are attractive, well drawn and animated. Notwithstanding the surprises along the way, the trajectory of the film remains obvious. This is a Disney movie and if Moana didn’t make good, it would be a major shock. And even though it’s only 100 minutes long, I found my mind wandering.
While there are some scary elements as Moana’s ordeal unfolds (it has a PG rating for a reason), youngsters will, by and large, appreciate this likeable sequel.
Alex First
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Alex First is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.