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It’s been eight years since Auliʻi Cravalho made her acting debut in Moana, capturing young hearts as the chief’s daughter discovered her identity with the help of demigod Maui. Now fans are highly anticipating the release of Moana 2, where she will be called by her wayfinding ancestors to break the god Nalo’s curse on the hidden island of Motufetu. The new movie is set to hit the 2024 movie calendar on November 27, and critics are taking to social media with their first reactions to the Disney animated sequel.
Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson are both reprising their roles for the film, and not only does the trailer for Moana 2 give us a look at the villain Moana and Maui are up against, but it looks like we’ll be seeing more of the adorable pig Pua. CinemaBlend’s own Sarah El-Mahmoud was apprehensive about several aspects of the movie, but she changed her mind about the sequel after seeing the first 30 minutes. What are other critics saying? Grab your next-level Moana 2 popcorn bucket and let’s find out!
One of the aspects of the movie that had our critic concerned was Lin-Manuel Miranda not being involved in Moana 2’s soundtrack like he was the first time around, as he’s been replaced by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. That also seems to be a sticking point with Chris Killian of ComicBook.com, although he says he enjoyed the movie overall, writing:
While the songs aren’t quite as catchy this go round, Moana and Maui are still an infectious pair, delivering hilarious gags and heartfelt moments. Brilliant animation, a deeper dive into Polynesian lore, Moana 2 proves it’s worth sailing beyond the reef once again.
Another big change in this upcoming Disney movies is that Moana has a sister in the sequel, and apparently Simea, voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, is quite the scene-stealer. Joseph Deckelmeier of ScreenRant says:
I absolutely loved Moana 2! The animation is breathtaking, and Moana’s ensemble crew is fantastic. Her little sister completely stole the show for me. The story is strong and well-crafted. It’s a delightful sequel. I also enjoyed loved the music!
Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky agrees that Moana 2 is a success, and despite a number of delightful new characters, the movie shines the brightest in its scenes between Moana and Maui. Smith continues:
Moana 2 is a worthy sequel! Hilarious, great music & tons of ❤️. Another emotional & empowering journey on the sea. Animation is STUNNING! New characters are fantastic but at its best when Moana & Maui are together. Their banter is everything! That mid-credit scene!
The Hollywood Handle notes that this world is just as wonderful as we remember, though the music doesn’t quite live up to the 2016 animated feature. They said on X (Twitter):
Moana 2 features Moana & Maui’s return and they’re just as great as you can remember. The sequel reaches higher levels with outstanding visuals and new characters that worked so well in a story with massive heart. The songs might not be as remarkable as its predecessor but there are still some fun ones.
Another fan who was able to attend an early screening was lanyfilm, who enjoyed the songs, though they admit they’re “definitely not as good as the first film,” writing about the upcoming kids movie:
An amazing showcase of animated set pieces, I was in awe of the visuals the whole time! The songs are catchy & there’s a beautiful heart at the centre of the story. I enjoyed it!
The soundtrack was a huge part of what we loved about Moana, so with Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear taking the reins from Lin-Manuel Miranda, it’s not surprising that many will be comparing the two. It sounds like — from the first impressions at least — the songs are still plenty catchy and enjoyable, even if they don’t live up to LMM’s 2016 playlist.
We’ll learn more about what critics think when full reviews come out next week, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend.