IronWatcher’s review published on Letterboxd:
Watched in the cinema (182nd visit in 2024)
"You're Welcome" is not only the biggest hit from "Moana", but also the attitude with which Disney dropped a bombshell in February 2024. Instead of exploring the Polynesian world again in an announced Disney+ series, the studio surprised everyone at a shareholders' meeting by announcing a proper sequel - and this was directly dated for the end of the year. But behind this bright appearance lies a well-calculated, pragmatic move: the originally planned series was quickly converted into a feature film in order to soothe the shareholders' tense mood caused by repeated failures and to focus on the profitable Christmas period.
A few months and two outstanding cinema successes later - "Deadpool & Wolverine" and "Inside Out 2" - the financial situation for Disney has eased noticeably. Together, these blockbusters grossed around 3 billion US dollars worldwide, giving the company a stable starting position. Now "Moana 2" is being positioned as the crowning glory of a financially formative year. In particular, the strategic placement in the Christmas period appears to be an almost guaranteed source of income for Disney, especially as "Mufasa: The Lion King" is being added as another heavyweight title.
But while the commercial expectations are clearly defined, the artistic vision of the sequel remains surprisingly pale. Fans of the original who were looking forward to an adventurous immersion in the Polynesian setting may be disappointed. The new songs - this time without the involvement of Lin-Manuel Miranda - were composed by Mark Mancina, Opetaia Foaʻi, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Despite technical perfection, however, the melodies lack the emotional resonance and catchiness that Disney recently achieved with pieces such as "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from "Encanto" or the hits from the "Frozen" films. Instead, the songs seem like routine anthems that drive the plot forward without really sticking in the memory.
In narrative terms, the sequel suffers from an excess of characters and a lack of narrative coherence. While the predecessor benefited from the dynamic relationship between Vaiana and Maui, the introduction of numerous secondary characters here feels like a superfluous inheritance of the once planned series structure. Characters such as the botanist, the storyteller or the inventor remain pale and redundant for long stretches, as the plot neither integrates them in a meaningful way nor gives their roles any depth. As a result, the emotional connection that made the first part so strong is barely re-established.
Added to this is an atmosphere that seems surprisingly colorless despite the visually opulent presentation. Where the first film still shone with variety and creative locations, "Moana 2" appears to be an immaculately polished but ultimately uninspired production that barely rises above its original streaming orientation. The story drags along sluggishly, while even the bright blue sea and the sun-drenched backdrop cannot conceal the narrative monotony.
"Moana 2" is by no means a terrible movie - Disney has produced far more disappointing sequels in the past. Nevertheless, this sequel lacks the narrative commitment and artistic ambition that made the first installment so engaging. The ending in particular, characterized by an after-credit scene that is more reminiscent of Marvel Studios' franchise thinking, underlines the film's market-oriented focus. (Pseudo) fairytale-like Disney magic falls by the wayside. But okay, then we can probably expect "Moana 3" - alongside the announced live-action remake. The shareholders will like it.