Disney released “Moana 2”, a sequel to the beloved “Moana” originally released in 2016, in Nov. 2024. The movie was a box office hit, making a domestic $445 million and a total $1,009 billion globally, eight weeks after its release. It’s no question that lots of people bought tickets to see Moana 2 in theaters, but how did students react to the follow-up movie?
“Moana 2” introduced new characters and storylines that built on the original “Moana”, drawing from the original movie but incorporating new elements. While it might’ve made some solid money, opinions about the movie among students are mixed.
There was a general consensus that the mechanical aspects of the movie, like character design and animation, were impressive. With multiple students complementing the new designs and movements. Shopmore Phaydra Saklar said it was one of her favorite parts.
“I think their ability to design hair and water was particularly impressive,” Saklar said. “I always took notice of Moana’s detailed hair throughout her scenes. They made the ocean look so magical and mesmerizing.”
The movie’s central theme of fellowship and togetherness was another high point for students. It resonated with those who saw the movie, including Junior Elizabeth Bender.
“I thought the theme of human connection was really cute and made for a good family movie,” Bender said.
Many students echo this sentiment, recognizing the movie’s message about reaching out beyond your inner circle and to learn and understand different cultures. Junior Sofia Ramerez reflected on her thoughts of the movie’s deeper message.
“I think the movie is about teaching its audience to feel comfortable exploring the uncomfortable things in life,” Ramirez said.
However, not all students were captivated by the sequel. In fact, many felt the story line and specifically the music lacked the magic that made the first movie so memorable. Saklar summed up her thoughts on the new movie.
“I definitely prefer the first movie,” Saklar said. “I think at the time it was such a fresh Disney story with great music for Disney. The new movie just doesn’t match that essence.”
Senior Aaryn Beck also felt the movie didn’t meet expectations, particularly noting the monotonous music.
“I think some of the music could’ve been better,” Beck said. “Maui’s song was, in a word, bad. Then the other songs were all too similar to each other, even down to their riffs and chord structure.”
Senior Sofia Barrera also felt the new songs didn’t compare to the original’s iconic soundtrack.
“For me, music is so important in films like this, and it didn’t compare to the first one,” Barrera said.
Beyond just the music, some students felt the movie was advertised strangely and in a misleading way. Specifically, with some characters getting lots of screen time in the advertisements but not in the actual movie.
“The advertising was inaccurate to what the movie was actually about,” Rameriez said. “It made it seem like the movie would be about sisterhood, yet there were barely any moments of Moana with her sister.” Despite these criticisms, many students found the movie entertaining and a good addition to the original Moana movie. Sophomore Reagan Rusk thought the movie was very family friendly, and enjoyed it.
“It has a good age range, so you can watch it with the whole family,” Rusk said. “The new characters and storylines made it very entertaining too.”.
For some, “Moana 2” was an exciting continuation of a beloved story, while others thought it was a disappointment that failed to live up to the original. Either way, it’s clear that “Moana 2” sparked at least some conversation, and gave students a new movie to see with family and friends.
