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The poster for Disney’s Moana 2, released on Nov. 27.

From the first time I heard Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) belt “How Far I’ll Go” in Disney’s Moana, I have proudly declared that Moana was my favorite Disney Princess.

However, that viewpoint was altered upon watching Moana 2, recently released on Nov. 27. 

For those who are unfamiliar, the story of Moana goes as follows: In Ancient Polynesia, when the island of Motunui becomes poisoned with a mysterious curse, the chief’s daughter, Moana, must set out on a dangerous voyage to find Maui (Dwayne Johnson)—a trickster demigod—and restore the heart of Te Fiti, the Polynesian goddess of earth and life. Along the way, she fulfills the call of her ancestors and discovers her own identity. 

The second film is very similar to its predecessor. Moana, now a confident wayfinder, encounters on a voyage to reunite the people of Polynesia. Knowing she can’t embark on this adventure alone, she enlists the help of Maui once more and three of her fellow villagers. 

I hate to admit that I had very high hopes for this sequel. Moana has not only been my favorite Disney princess, but my favorite Disney character since 2016. As a young girl, her courage and perseverance, as well as her desire to explore the ocean, invigorated me to be just like her when I grew up. I felt compelled to believe in the 2024 release and hope for the best.

Unfortunately, I was mistaken.

As the movie progressed, it was painfully obvious that it had been produced and written in a rush. Five new main characters were introduced very early on: Moana’s little sister, Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), Loto (Rose Matafeo), Kele (David Fane), Moni (Hualālai Chung), and the supposed villain, Matangi (Awhimai Fraser).

Unlike the original, where Moana and Maui both underwent major character developments, all these new characters had no time to find a purpose of their own. Although side characters don’t always have an amazingly dynamic arc, they always have an underlying motivation. Loto, Kele, and Moni all started and ended with the same likeness. They went on a voyage, came back with a victory, and were happier overall, but they had no development. Put simply, there was no intention behind their personas. 

The same goes for Matangi. In the beginning, it’s believed that she is the antagonist since she is introduced in an ominous light and has the classic villain laugh. However, as her minuscule storyline continues, she ends up becoming more of a middleman to Moana. There was no clear implication about what her role was. 

Additionally, both Moana and Maui’s character arcs were already finished in the first film. Since there was nothing more to go off of, it was difficult to create an entirely new plotline for the latest film. 

Looking at the production history of Moana 2, this lack of evolution in each personality makes perfect sense.

Originally, the entire film was a Disney+ series, plainly named Moana: The Series. Announced in Dec. 2020, it was designed to be a five-episode release with an emphasis on musical comedy, with no real attempt to become a theatrical release. 

Unfortunately, in Feb. 2024, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the series was being reimagined into a full film. This move was for the obvious intention of a cash grab, although in truth, there was no need for that. Pixar’s Inside Out 2, released on June 14 and distributed by Disney, became the highest-grossing animated movie of all time at the box office, pulling an end total of $1.699 billion. In contrast to the uninspired Moana 2, Inside Out 2 was popular for good reason and has left a lasting legacy on the company and its audiences. 

This release combined with the late Dec. release of the live-action Mufasa: The Lion King would have easily been enough to sustain the studio for the year, but the executive board leading Disney is now more focused on economics than on the love of making a well-written movie. Essentially, they have lost the view of the company’s founder: the beloved Walt Disney, who believed in the pursuit of progress.

Furthermore, the entire series/movie was developed by the Walt Disney Animation Studios location in Vancouver, versus the heralded lot in Burbank, California. Although the animators and story directors at this studio are in no doubt talented, they do not possess the same adeptness and rigor that animators have at the original studio, which produced every major Disney Animation from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the first Moana. 

Looking back on it, I believe that it actually would have been a decent television series. With five episodes, character and story development could’ve been explored further, bringing a depth that was practically nonexistent in the theater. Movies are intended to showcase a moving story in a relatively short runtime, while TV series tend to dive deep into plots and make the audience care about each scene. With five 30-minute to hour-long episodes, Matangi and the others would definitely have made interesting characters that would have been worth learning and caring about. 

If Moana 2 had stayed as Moana: The Series, it’s also possible that the songs would have been tolerable. 

In Moana, famed musical songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda—best known for his work on Broadway musicals Hamilton and In the Heights—undertook his role seriously, churning out iconic tracks like “You’re Welcome” and “Shiny.” With catchy lyrics and tune, they instantly became Disney favorites.

The new songs in the sequel were, let’s say, extremely disappointing. 

Compare “How Far I’ll Go” and “Beyond,” Moana’s new lead anthem. When I say that the difference between the two is almost indistinguishable, I’m not kidding. Both songs echo the same sentiment: Moana is faced with a difficult decision, to either leave her island and follow her heart, or stay and help her people at home. 

The original sounds authentic and inspired, but “Beyond” sounds like a literal copy and paste of “How Far I’ll Go.” It’s an utter disservice to the initial track and the continuation itself. By rephrasing the lyrics, “Beyond” further sets up the story of Moana 2 to be mundane.

That’s the best way I can describe this story. Mundane. It was enough to keep me briefly entertained for a good hour, but after that, the remaining 40 minutes kept dragging on and on. The amount of gags and try-hard humor got extremely old incredibly quickly. With no depth, no stakes, and no clear plot, I almost fell asleep. It reminded me of those direct-to-DVD sequels Disney used to make in the early 2000s, like Aladdin and the King of Thieves or Cinderella II: Dreams Come True. 

With all of this said, there were some positives I found in the film. For one, I did like the animation. Bold, bright colors engulfed the screen at all times, making the audience feel immersed in the experience. The overall style of the look was, for the most part, seamless. Additionally, Moana’s new outfit was lovely. Coupled with her gramma’s necklace as always, it was one of the only signals of progressment in the world of Moana. 

All in all, Moana 2 is an unfortunate symbol of Disney forgetting the true meaning of their company. The way the executives see it, as long as the mediocre sequels and live-action renditions make plenty of money at the box office, there’s no reason to put effort and risk into creating a quality product. Regrettably, this theory has been proven true time and time again.

As of this week, Moana 2 has made $717 million globally, surpassing the original’s number of $640 million in just 20 days. It also currently holds the title of highest Thanksgiving weekend box-office opening ever.

Disney will take this as a sign that audiences appreciate the constant reiteration of fan-favorite stories and will most likely continue to produce more. For example, a live-action Moana is set to release in 2026 and is currently filming on the islands of Hawaii. 

However, timeless Disney classics like Moana and Beauty and the Beast only came about because of the aforementioned risk. Someone had an idea and dared to develop it to create something wonderful. Without these individuals, there never would have been any Disney originals to savor. 

This is exactly why we need these original stories. Audiences want to see something we’ve never seen before; something we can relate to and hold close to our hearts. Moana is sacred to many people of Samoan and Polynesian culture. Coco is beloved by many of Mexican descent. Encanto is important to Colombian people. But more importantly, transcending cultural barriers, these stories withhold life lessons and enjoyment that can be shared across generations—to everyone. 

Looking to the future, I can only hope that Disney takes some inspiration from its subsidiary company, Pixar, and has the tenacity to take the leap as they once did and to create stories that can be loved and respected for all time. 

As Disney’s legendary founder once said: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” — Walt Disney