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James Mottram

3/5 stars
Eight years on from Moana, it is time to reacquaint ourselves with Disney’s plucky Polynesian heroine.
Moana 2 takes us back to the fictional Oceanic island of Motunui and into the company of Moana, again voiced by Auli’i Cravalho.
She assembles a crew to help lift a curse. As a so-called wayfinder, Moana has the skills to communicate with water, which morphs into shapes to point her in the right direction.
Members of Moana’s team include the brainy but quirky Loto (Rose Matafeo) and the plant-loving, grumpy Kele (David Fane).


Also in the film are Moana’s pet piglet and rooster, and a curious pint-sized creature that wears a coconut shell. Maui, the “super-chiselled demigod” from the first movie, is once again voiced by Dwayne Johnson.
Moana sets out to follow a trail of fire in the sky left by her ancestors. She and the other characters must find the cursed island of Motufetu.
Directed by David Derrick Jnr, Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, Moana 2 is a pleasant enough experience, but it doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel.

As in the first movie, there are respectful nods to Polynesian culture and mythology in a script that ripples with gentle humour.
Johnson gives a lively reading of Maui, who has all the best lines in the film – a highlight being when he refers to some aspiring youngsters as “Moana-bes”.
Sparkling animation captures the paradisal qualities of Oceania through glowing sunsets and lapping waves.
But if there is an issue with Moana 2, it is that Moana and her team are never beset by any real danger on their journey; their triumph seems inevitable.

The songs by Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow are also fairly forgettable, although the buff and burly Johnson does get to growl his way through one number.
It all makes Moana 2 an undemanding watch as gentle as a Hawaiian breeze. The film is likely to appeal most to young viewers mesmerised by the bright, soothing colours.
It is a shame the storyline is so basic; a further rewrite, or even the creation of a villain, might have pushed the plot into more interesting territory.
The post-credits clip, hinting a third Moana might be on the cards, may be wishful thinking.
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A still from Moana 2. The sparkling animation in Disney’s sequel is likely to mesmerise viewers, especially young ones. Photo: Disney

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Disney’s Polynesian heroine and Maui the demigod, voiced by Dwayne Johnson, meet again in a sequel that looks spectacular but lacks suspense


Disney’s Polynesian heroine and Maui the demigod, voiced by Dwayne Johnson, meet again in a sequel that looks spectacular but lacks suspense.


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Review | Moana 2 movie review: Disney’s animated sequel with Dwayne Johnson is beautiful but basic

Disney’s Polynesian heroine and Maui the demigod, voiced by Dwayne Johnson, meet again in a sequel that looks spectacular but lacks suspense