Film

Moana 2

Musical Adventure

By Beenish Mahmood | January 2025

Moana 2 is a 2024 American animated film with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, it received an IMDB rating of 7.1/10. It falls into the adventure, animation, comedy, fantasy, and family genres.

The plot is simple. Her ancestors call upon Moana to travel far into the dangerous waters of Oceania to find the lost island of Motufetu. With the help of Maui, a demigod, Maui tries to raise the island out of the water but is stripped of his powers by the villain Nalo (the god of storms) before he can do so. Moana has to break the curse that Nalo has cast upon the island of Motufetu to gain power over mortals.

The island is connected to all other islands, and Moana’s ancestor warns that the people of Motufetu will go extinct if Moana doesn’t raise the island. A sequel to Moana 1, Moana 2 carries the story forward.
Mark Mancina composed the music for Moana 2. The songs are delightful, and the lyrics add to the film’s theme. Moana 2, a musical adventure film, vividly captures the Polynesian culture. The relationship between Moana and her sister stresses the significance of family and how selfless the love between family is.

The costumes suit the film’s theme, set on an island. The director uses vibrant colours that evoke the spectator’s spirit. With bright and flashy scenes, Moana 2 wins the viewer’s heart. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film touches upon the themes of family, love and unity. Maui and others aid Moana in her mission. It is a collective effort, and Moana couldn’t have ventured into this mission alone.

Moana, the protagonist, is charming and full of vigour and enthusiasm. She is daring and is not afraid to take up challenges. Like Disney’s other classics where the female always wins such as in Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty and Pocahontas, Moana too proves to be the lead and central character in the story. The film also addresses the issue of feminism. Moana, a woman, takes upon herself a dangerous mission and henceforth breaks the taboo that women are inferior to men. Moana advocates equality between men and women.

Moana is charming and witty, and says The Guardian: ‘The main selling point remains Moana herself: the sparkiest and most intrepid Disney heroine of them all.’

Moana is similar to Pocahontas. Both are Indigenous natives and warriors.

In conclusion, Moana 2 is a good effort on behalf of Walt Disney. Walt Disney continues to bring about new, dazzling stories. Moana 2 is worth watching. Full of colours and catchy music, the film promises fun and entertainment and is suited for both adults and children.