On a journey again: Auli‘i Cravalho voices Moana. Photo / supplied
On a journey again: Auli‘i Cravalho voices Moana. Photo / supplied
Moana is back, a little older, wiser and even more beautiful, in Disney’s latest blockbuster which is being released in English and te reo Māori concurrently. That’s a big deal – the previous five Māori dubs of Disney’s animated features were made years after.
This second story follows nautical wayfinderMoana (Auli’i Cravalho) who is instructed in a vision to find the ancient island of Motufetu. To catchy tunes about finding oneself and one’s ancestors, Moana sets off on an ocean voyage with her motley crew – a grumpy grandpa, a plucky engineer, and a Māui fanboy. They encounter storms, coconut-head creatures and the wrath of Nalo, the storm god.
The tale is full of great characters, richly voiced by comedians Rose Matafeo and Dave Fane alongside Hollywood stalwart Dwayne Johnson who returns as demi-god Māui, though his role feels smaller here.
And the animation is glorious. From fantastical sea monsters to weird gelatinous creatures, the underwater world is stunning and Moana’s journey across the waves almost immersive.
There’s been some criticism of Moana 2′s new songs, blamed on the absence of Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton)who worked on the first film. But Moana isn’t really a musical – as with Cinderella and most of its predecessors, it’s a Disney film with songs. Sure, everyone loved Miranda’s rappety-rap lyrics in the first one, but this sequel’s anthemic Beyond is as melodically gorgeous as How Far I’ll Go. And as Loto, Matafeo has a decent stab at rapping a verse or two. The soundtrack’s pan-Pacific music by Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foaʻi returning from the first film – which includes songs in Samoan and Fijian – will land with a particular thrill for audiences from those communities.
It’s not a complex story but it’s warmly comedic, stirring with each swell of Pacific-intoned music, and glorious to look at. Moana 2 is a hugely enjoyable whānau trip to the movies.
Rating out of five: ★★★★
Moana 2, directed by David Derrick Jr, Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller is in cinemas now.
