MIDNIGHT REVIEWS Moana 2 Review
Cardboard cut-outs don’t work on the sea.
Matthew D. Smith also has a podcast he co-hosts with Leslie Wai. You can find it here.
Moana 2 (1hr 40mins)
Directed by: David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller
Featuring: Auli’I Carvalho, Dwayne Johnson, Hualalai Chung
Synopsis: Moana (Carvalho) and Maui (Johnson) are back together again, this time trying to find and pull up a great island from deep under the sea, in doing so connecting people from around the world.
Review: Despite the synopsis, it’s actually a long while before Moana and Maui are reunited. On paper this could be mistaken for a brave decision, a slow burn that builds excitement up until the party really begins, but here it only emphasises Moana 2’s self-inflicted weaknesses.
If the characters Moana and Maui were respectively dealing with had anything more than paper-thin intentions or characterisation, the film could easily make their separation a strength but two-dimensional figures do nothing more than remind us of the more interesting back and forth we could be enjoying. While the first film built up M&M to a reasonable degree, here the new characters can be summed up with simple phrases. There isn’t any of the depth of Moana (determined and confident yet self-effacing; very aware of her responsibilities; resolute even in the face of actual godly adversity) or Maui (beach smiles with a hint of bitterness). Here we simply have: Old Man, Mile-A-Minute Mechanic, and Maui Fanboy. This is all you need to know to understand the characters, and that’s a real shame.
So much of it lacks dynamism.
When the pair do finally get together, they’re still held back by a sequel playing it very safe compared to Moana. There are some amazing visuals and designs on display, tying into the idea of mythical tales being told of how Moana completed yet another quest. Gigantic sea creatures and gods rubbing each other up the wrong way hint at the running theme of humanity only having so much control when it comes to nature, and making do with what they have. It’s a children’s movie, but really both stories are about human beings just about getting by in the face of near-insurmountable odds, with occasional victories to savour.
But the fun, and funny, ideas are sometimes let down. Considering the majority of the movie is based on sailing boats and choppy waters, so much of it lacks dynamism. Sequences grind to a halt at times, with previously perilous background elements being left on pause whilst pieces are organised and set in their rightful places. By the time the finale comes around, which does feature flecks of excitement we’ve had before, pulses are hardly going to be racing for anyone who isn’t the youngest of audience members.
The gags that are entirely new, work and are funny.
No mention of the songs yet, and this is probably because they are fine at the time but are completely disposable. Moana 2 has a tough act following belters from the first movie and tries to retrace these steps before getting a little lost amongst the stars and the waves. Instead of the incredibly sarcastic, self-serving You’re Welcome, Maui blends into the background during his obligatory number which confuses repeating itself for a chorus.
If the film held its nerve with how it treated Maui, this would be entirely fitting, and it’s an interesting idea: Maui, putting himself on the line for humanity yet again, becomes human himself. But this is nothing more than hinted at before the film throws the idea away in favour of the status quo.
Ultimately, Moana 2 also comes down with some of the symptoms seen in so many recent movies. Maybe said symptoms are contagious. A lot of the gags, but not all, are simply references to what came before, and this is a shame because the gags that are entirely new, work and are funny (fitting the uber-child friendly tone, most of them involve slime). There is even an after-credits set up for Moana 3, seemingly hinting at a Moana Cinematic Universe. Is there an acronym we can use for that?
Matthew D. Smith likes to overshare his views on movies and TV shows whenever and wherever he can. Indulge him, and follow him on Twitter or enjoy the podcast he co-hosts with Leslie Wai.
