Disney animation’s moving story is marred by a questionable villain

In the wake of the successful original animation, a lot is happening Moana 2a sequel that builds very well on what came before. Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) gains a sweet little sister, Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), and that personal element really raises the stakes in terms of what the title character is fighting for and who she’s trying to get back to. The animation is still strong and the main character’s beats are moving, but there are certain aspects of the story – namely the villain and his motivations – that hold the film back from true greatness.

The highlights of Moana 2 are in the characters’ relationships

Moana’s dynamic with Simea is especially sweet

Moana 2 was initially developed as a TV show before being turned into a feature film. It could have worked really well in this formatbetter allowing the supporting characters to flourish and develop deeper relationships with Moana and Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who is trapped inside a massive killer clam until the second half of the film. As far as the story goes – which sees Moana on a journey to find the island of Montufetu and reconnect humans from other islands who have been separated by the god Nalo’s curse – Moana 2 It has its defining moments.

Between its thrilling adventure sequences and the heart of the story being the relationships between Moana and Simea and Moana and Maui, Disney’s animation packs an emotional punch. For Moana, growing up isn’t just about being a discoverer; it’s about the real responsibility that comes with it. It’s a responsibility that Moana takes seriously and she feels the effects and constantly worries about what would happen if she failed in her endeavor. In Moana 2, our titular character is looking beyond herself and into the future and what it means for her people. It’s powerful in that sense.

Some songs – “Beyond” and “Get Lost” – are especially catchy and the sequel doesn’t take the easy route. In other words, it doesn’t focus mainly on the nostalgia we may have for the original animation and, in fact, it takes some time to prepare Moana’s journey before she returns to the ocean. The animated sequence shows how much Moana has grown since we last saw her, and she has new dreams and fears to face, which gives her character development a lovely, thoughtful boost and the story takes higher stakes.

There’s a totally adorable theme about the strength of unity that also comes across in the way Moana and her guidance team – smart canoe maker Loto (Rose Matafeo), Maui superfan Moni (Hualālai Chung) and feisty farmer Kele (David Fane) – come along. The sequence highlights unity by contrasting isolation, the true killer of community. Unfortunately, this theme becomes less defined by Nalo’s machinations, which have unclear reasoning. And although the first film had a personal edge in terms of Maui’s actions against Te Fiti and making things right, Moana 2 no.

Moana 2’s villainous motivations aren’t strong

Nalo never appears in the main story

Sometimes a movie is only as strong as its villain, and Moana 2 Could have used a better one. On paper, Nalo is interesting, although the fact that he doesn’t appear on screen until the mid-credits scene (yes, really) is a glaring weakness of the film. We often hear about Nalo – from Maui and Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), a goddess who is also bound by Nalo’s curse – but the lack of him is strange. The characters state that he gains power by separating the islands, but we don’t see what that looks like from a visual narrative standpoint, diminishing his overall villainous power.

I thought about this a lot while watching the film, which took away from the experience of enjoying it. Younger audiences may not be as concerned with what Nalo is or isn’t doing and why, but it’s a hole in an otherwise decent sequel that pushes the boundaries of its main character and how far she’s willing to go to help her beloved island. . Nalo’s absence hurts Disney’s sequel as a whole. Without his appearance, Moana is left fighting a frightening storm in the god’s place, which is much less effective. It’s a good sequence that ends up failing.

The supporting characters are also less defined, adhering to one-dimensional traits that do not go beyond that. In one case, Moni experiences something scary, but there is no time dedicated to expressing her feelings. He clearly seems traumatized by what happened to him, but it seems like something that was cut in time or could have been expanded on in an episode dedicated to him had happened. Moana 2 it was a series. It’s a shame because the characters are great and I was thrilled that Moana had someone to play with other than her pet rooster and Maui.

I liked Moana 2 for what it was and for the heart at the center of its story, but I also saw all of its lost potential. For some reason, Nalo’s appearance in the middle of the credits provokes yet another sequence that, at this point, would be questionable considering his lack of influence on this film. Perhaps the decision by co-directors David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller to cut him from the film was intended to make him a more terrifying presence, but it has the opposite effect.

Moana 2 opens in theaters on Wednesday, November 27th. The film is rated PG for action/danger.