Moana 2 was initially supposed to be a limited Disney+ streaming series before a decision was made to turn the series into a feature film.

I did not stay long enough to see if there is a post-credits scene but there is a scene during the mid-credits.

The film takes place three years after Moana while eight years pass in real life. Watching this film probably gives audiences an idea of where the streaming series would take the story. That’s assuming that things did not change in transitioning the story into a feature film. At this point, I would probably expect an announcement at some point from Disney that Moana 3 is in the works.

Following the previous film, Moana (Auli‘i Cravalho) has been searching for signs of life on other islands in the ocean. When we first reunite with her in this film, she finds an artifact but no sign of life. Not long thereafter, an encounter with a previous wayfinder, Tautai Vasa (Gerald Faitala Ramsey), leads her to search for the island of Moana’s long-lost ancestors, Motufetū. Moana cannot do this alone–trekking deep into Oceana will require putting a new crew together and teaming up with Maui (Dwayne Johnson). It certainly will not be easy and like the first film, there are other obstacles this time around. Such as Kakamora or Nalo. The Kakamora appear to pose a serious threat but like Moana and her people, they want to reconnect with their family. If Moana is unable to connect the islands of Oceania, who knows what the future may hold.

The journey is more complex this time. Nalo is an even bigger threat than the lava monster that they faced earlier. What they have to do is go on the type of journey where they might not come back. But hey, this is a Disney film and Disney films have happy endings, right? And since it’s a Moana film, you know they will not do anything that threatens the future of a franchise. She is one of their princesses! But anyway, because this film deals with a bigger threat, it needs to have some comic relief. That’s where Heihei the chicken (Alan Tudyk) and Pua the pig enter the picture. Kele (David Fane), too. Moana selects the farmer for his crew. Meanwhile, the Kakamora form their own version of comic relief, even if they appear to be villains at first.

Behind the scenes, Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina make their return as composers. Meanwhile, the songwriting team of Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear replace Lin-Manuel Miranda. This is the department where it probably hurts the film the most. How do you replace a Pulitzer Prize, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony-winning songwriter? Lin-Manuel Miranda’s talents are–to put it simply–irreplaceable. Moana‘s voice was developed in the first film so in many ways, it makes sense that they tend to copy Lin-Manuel Miranda’s style rather than bring something new. That being said, “Beyond” is going to be the film’s main Oscar contender. They have three different versions in the film so it’s sure to contend.

Aside from the music, which does contain a few highlights, the story is about connection and the future. It’s certainly a theme worth exploring and I could see why they made initial plans to do so as a Disney+ series. For one, it is not unlike Disney to continue to develop characters in a series format. However, it is so easy to lose track of titles when studios release them streaming, even in a weekly format. After all, there is so much going to streaming these days. Studios really need to release films in theaters so as to help compliment their streaming services.

While Moana 2 is lacking Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical talents, the film’s story and resonate themes just might be enough.

DIRECTORS: Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller, David G. Derrick Jr.
SCREENWRITERS: Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Miller
CAST: Auli‘i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Awhimai Fraser, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, Gerald Faitala Ramsey, Alan Tudyk

Disney releases Moana in theaters on November 27, 2024. Grade: 3/5

Please subscribe to Dugout Dirt and Solzy on Buttondown.