Ocean’s Call: Moana 2’s Epic Voyage
Ocean’s Call: Moana 2’s Epic Voyage
Moana 2, released November 27, 2024, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, is a $100 million animated musical that’s sailed to $1.05 billion worldwide, per The Numbers, outgrossing its 2016 predecessor ($687 million) and ranking as 2024’s third-highest earner. Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, with a script retooled from a Disney+ series, it stars Auli‘i Cravalho as Moana, now a seasoned wayfinder, reuniting with Dwayne Johnson’s Maui to lift a curse on Motufetu, a sunken island. Newcomers—Rose Matafeo’s Loto, Hualālai Chung’s Moni, David Fane’s Kele—join the 100-minute PG voyage, shot digitally with Polynesian flair, earning a Golden Globe nod for Best Animated Feature.
The chaos surges—storms batter their canoe, Kakamora pirates swarm, and Nalo’s (Gerald Ramsey) lightning cracks the sky, per Box Office Mojo’s $717 million domestic haul. Originally a series, per Variety’s February 2024 note, it morphed into a theatrical epic after Bob Iger’s push, blending The Little Mermaid’s sea trek with Avatar’s scale. Chuckles ripple—Maui’s “I miss the lava monster” quip, Heihei’s clueless clucks—easing the tempest, per Empire’s “charming.” Critics split; Rotten Tomatoes hit 61%, Metacritic 58/100, with LA Times’s “stunning visuals” clashing NY Times’s “hollow.” X posts gush “Auli‘i’s voice!” but groan “Songs flop.”
The pacing’s a tidal wave—Moana’s “This is my call” vision rushes into Nalo’s showdown, her demigoddess rise a mythic peak, per Hollywood Reporter. Its Thanksgiving debut smashed records—$221 million over five days—per Forbes. It’s an ocean’s call—chaos with heart, chuckles amid waves—an epic voyage that dazzles more than it deepens.
The cast is Moana 2’s wind and sail, a chaotic crew steering its soul. Auli‘i Cravalho’s Moana soars—her “Beyond” belts with matured grit, per Variety’s “luminous,” lifting the chaos of a cursed quest. Dwayne Johnson’s Maui hulks—his “We’re back!” growl and hook-twirling swagger shine, though some X posts jab “overdone,” per Collider. Their reunion—three years post-Moana—anchors the voyage, per Roger Ebert’s “warm pair.” Rose Matafeo’s Loto crafts—quirky “I built that!”—while Hualālai Chung’s Moni fangirls Maui, and David Fane’s Kele grumps, per The Guardian.
Awhimai Fraser’s Matangi, Nalo’s bat-wielding enforcer, broods—“I serve no one”—her flip a twist, per ScreenRant. Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda’s Simea, Moana’s sister, coos, while Temuera Morrison’s Tui steadies. Chuckles splash—Maui’s “Fish hook’s still got it,” Pua’s pig-snorts—weaving levity into peril. Rolling Stone cheers “Cravalho’s magic,” X splits: “Maui’s loud” vs. “Loto’s gold.” They’re the epic’s beating current—vibrant, varied, vital.
Visually and sonically, Moana 2 is a chaotic sea, a Disney spectacle. Bill Schwab’s animation—Oceania’s waves crash, Motufetu’s coral gleams—stuns, per Cinematography World. Chaos roars—Nalo’s vortex swirls, a clam’s jaws snap—shot with $50 million VFX, per Forbes. Kakamora’s coconut chaos, Maui’s hook-lift dazzle—Letterboxd’s “sweeping”—though NY Times flags “overpolished.” Peyton’s Journey 2 flair shines—3D pops—earning AV Club’s “kinetic.”
Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa‘i, and Mark Mancina’s music—lacking Lin-Manuel Miranda’s touch—sings; “We’re Back” thumps, “Beyond” soars, per Soundtrack World. Sound design—oars slap, thunder booms—grips, per Rolling Stone’s “immersive.” Chuckles bubble—Maui’s “Shiny crab’s back?” nod, Moni’s “Wow!”—amid chaos, per BBC vibe. Songs falter—Variety’s “not catchy”—and CGI’s slick, per Collider. Still, it’s a sensory voyage—visuals and sound an epic call that enchants.
Moana 2’s strength is its chaotic sweep—a seafaring tale with flair. Cravalho’s “stirring” Moana (Time), Johnson’s gusto, and the crew’s pluck shine; Roger Ebert gave 3/4 for “colorful romp.” Stakes—Motufetu’s curse, Moana’s rise—pulse, per Empire’s “expansive.” Chuckles—Maui’s “Lightning’s rude,” Kele’s “I hate boats”—lift a 2024 Thanksgiving crush post-Wicked, per Box Office Mojo. Its $1.05 billion haul, outpacing Inside Out 2’s $652 million domestically, and Disney+ drop March 12, 2025, per X, cement its wave—sequel bait set with Tamatoa’s mid-credits growl.
Weaknesses drift. The series-to-film shift muddies—Variety’s “rushed”—and sidekicks blur, per LA Times. Songs lack—Metacritic’s 58/100 flags “soulless”—and stakes feel light, per NY Times’s “safe.” Still, its 100 minutes sail; Rolling Stone’s “delightful” fits 8/10—epic, not eternal. Legacy-wise, it’s a Disney crest—Polynesian pride, per Forbes, though no Moana match. For kids or fans, it’s a must; an ocean’s call that roars but rarely rends.
