Moana 2 Parent Guide

Having saved her island from ecological catastrophe, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) is on a new quest. Determined to find other Pacific island dwellers, she has been sailing the vast oceans, finding only uninhabited isles. When a vision shows her the end of her people unless they unite with other islanders, the intrepid young woman decides to seek the sunken island of Montufetu, which apparently controls the currents that link all of the islands and their people.

Finding a lost island would be enough of a challenge, but the drowned island of Montufetu is cursed by an angry god. It can only be raised by a demigod and can only survive if it is walked upon by a human. As it happens, Moana knows a demigod, but Maui (Dwayne Johnson) doesn’t simply come when called. To make matters more complicated, Maui’s being held prisoner by a goddess with an axe to grind.

If she’s to succeed in this impossible mission, Moana must gather a crew, use her wayfinding skills to navigate the trackless ocean, reunite with Maui, and survive potentially lethal perils. It’s not going to be easy, and success is not guaranteed…

Once again, Disney demonstrates its ability to produce breathtaking animation. Moana 2 looks amazing, with brilliant skies, vibrant tropical paradises, and lovingly created seascapes. No one beats the Mouse House’s tech wizards when it comes to making believable oceans – and sand. My gosh, that sand looks so real you can feel it between your toes. Watching this film pulled me away from my cold, snow-snarled city to the warmth and wonder of Moana’s world.

The downside is that the rest of the movie doesn’t reach the heights of its animation and visual design. With rare exceptions, the music is unremarkable, which is a big letdown after the buoyant soundtrack from the original film. The drumming is powerful and there is a song sung by the ancestors that moved me to tears, but the rest of the music is so bland I’ve already forgotten it.

This sequel’s story also suffers from some pacing issues. The movie moves briskly but keeping Maui and Moana apart for the first half of the film sucks out some of the story’s energy. A bigger problem is the absence of an on-screen villain. Nalo is an angry deity who has trapped a goddess named Matangi (Awhimai Fraser) in a giant clam and sunk the island of Montefetu and surrounded it with giant storms. This act disrupts ocean currents and separates the inhabitants of the Pacific islands. But we go the whole length of the film without seeing him and never get a clear sense of his motivations. A great Disney film needs a great Disney villain and Moana 2 doesn’t have one. It’s a big, gaping hole in the center of the production and not even Hey-Hey the brainless chicken can fill it.

My complaints aside, Moana 2 is still a decent choice for family viewing. The only content issues are moments of peril (captivity, storms, lightning strikes, poisoned darts) and the apparent death scene of a major character. None of the violence is graphic and it’s in service of the plot, which provides viewers with multiple positive messages. This is a story that highlights the power of family bonds, the wisdom that comes from ancestors, and the value of learning cultural traditions. It’s also a tale where characters demonstrate courage, ingenuity, selflessness, hope, resilience, and perseverance. And its overarching message – that we are stronger when we weave together diverse people and cultures – is always worth celebrating.