Chaos and Chuckles: Moana 2 Unleashes David Derrick Jr.’s Oceanic Odyssey

Moana 2, released November 27, 2024, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, is a $150 million animated musical that grossed $1.05 billion worldwide, per Box Office Mojo, outpacing its 2016 predecessor’s $687 million. Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, with a script by Jared Bush and others, it stars Auli‘i Cravalho as Moana, now a wayfinder seeking the lost island of Motufetu, and Dwayne Johnson as Maui, joined by a new crew. Shot digitally with 2D flashbacks over three years, its 100-minute runtime—originally a Disney+ series—hit theaters after a pivot, earning a Golden Globe nod for Best Animated Feature.

The chaos sails—storms rage, Nalo’s (Tofiga Fepulea’i) curse sinks ships, Moana’s “I am Moana!” drives a frantic quest, per its $460 million domestic haul. Derrick Jr., a Moana vet, expands the first film’s Polynesian pulse—ancestral calls clash with cannon fire in a Pirates-meets-Finding Nemo whirl. Chuckles bob—Maui’s “Can I get a chee hoo?” flex, Moni’s (Hualālai Chung) “Story time!”—easing the tide, per Variety’s “colorful.” Critics split; Rotten Tomatoes hit 61%, Metacritic 58/100, with LA Times’s Amy Nicholson noting “stunning animation, adrift story.” X posts since 2024 coo “Moana’s back!” though some groan “forced sequel.”

The pacing’s a squall—Motunui’s calm erupts into oceanic chases, a crab’s lair twists the tale, per Hollywood Reporter. Its $150 million budget fueled Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear’s songs and a $1 billion-plus finish, per The Numbers, topping Wicked’s Thanksgiving clash. It’s Derrick Jr.’s odyssey—chaos with splash, chuckles amid waves—a seafaring romp that rode high but drifted.

The cast is Moana 2’s crew, a chaotic band steering its ship. Auli‘i Cravalho’s Moana soars—her “Beyond” belts resolve, her “We’re here!” rallies, per Empire’s “vibrant.” Dwayne Johnson’s Maui struts—“Call me fabulous!”—his charm loud but grating, per Roger Ebert’s “overdone.” Their dynamic—chief meets demigod—anchors the chaos, per Variety. Rose Matafeo’s Loto tinkers—“Canoe’s ready!”—and David Fane’s Kele farms, per Rolling Stone, though Hualālai Chung’s Moni shines—“Tell it again!”—per LA Times.

Temuera Morrison’s Tui gruffs—“Stay safe”—Nicole Scherzinger’s Sina soothes, and Tofiga Fepulea’i’s Nalo storms—“Power’s mine!” Chuckles splash—Maui’s “I’m still a legend,” Donkey Kong’s (Alan Tudyk) “Oof!”—weaving levity into peril, per The Guardian. NY Times hails “Cravalho’s heart,” X posts muse “Maui’s extra,” though some snipe “Newbies flop.” They’re the odyssey’s wind—spirited, spotty, strong.

Visually and sonically, Moana 2 is a chaotic sea, a Derrick Jr. dazzle. Osnat Shurer’s animation—Oceania’s blues, Motufetu’s glow—stuns, per Cinematography World. Chaos crashes—Kakamora swarm, storms churn—shot with $50 million VFX, per Forbes. Canoe leaps, a crab’s dance pop—Letterboxd’s “stunning”—though Collider flags “CGI sheen” in 2025 eyes. Derrick Jr.’s Lilo & Stitch roots craft a Polynesian pulse, per AV Club’s “lush.”

Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa‘i, and Mark Mancina’s score—“Beyond” lifts, “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?” thumps—nabs nods, per Soundtrack World’s “solid.” Sound design—waves roar, shells hum—grips, per Rolling Stone’s “rich.” Chuckles ripple—Maui’s “Chee hoo!”—amid chaos, per BBC vibe. Flaws? Songs fade—Variety’s “unmemorable”—and VFX rush, per NY Times. Still, it’s a sensory voyage—visuals and sound an oceanic anthem that swells.

Moana 2’s strength is its chaotic flair—a wayfinder’s tale with pluck. Cravalho’s “radiant” Moana (Time), Chung’s spark, and Derrick Jr.’s vision shine; Roger Ebert gave 3/4 for “visual feast.” Stakes—Motufetu’s rise, Nalo’s fall—stir, per Empire’s “sweeping.” Chuckles—Moni’s “Big crab, huh?”—lift a 2024 Thanksgiving win post-Inside Out 2, per Box Office Mojo. Its $1.05 billion haul from $150 million—X posts still hum “Beyond”—teed up a live-action Moana (2026), per Forbes.

Weaknesses drift. The 100-minute runtime jams—Variety’s “episodic”—and newbies blur, per LA Times. Songs lack—Metacritic’s 58/100 flags “generic”—and stakes wane, per NY Times’s “light.” Still, it sails; Rolling Stone’s “decent” fits 7/10—chaotic, chuckle-warm, colorful. Legacy? A Disney crest—Disney+ March 12, 2025, per The Numbers. For kids or Moana fans, it’s a must; an odyssey that floats, not flies.