i watched moana 2 so you don't have to (moana 2 review) 🌊⚡️🌴

[@persephonestudy]

Watch terrible sequels, spin-offs, reboots: ❌ Watch videos essays analyzing why they are terrible: ✅

[@rubykgarrett]

real i love to see fellow haters sharing my opinion publicly

[@Victoria-_]

Yessss 😂

[@Lollipop.er42]

You definitely made the smartest move

[@dorianforster6758]

I’m not spending a buck on actually watching this movie, so video essay is the perfect way to go

[@AarnaAmbardar-n5d]

This week I saw so many Moana 2 reviews and they were all EXTREMELY negative. I went to watch it last night with friends and family and it was AMAZING. I don't understand the hate, will keep defending this movie because they did an amazing job considering the state this movie was in before release.2

[@Frogcoven]

Close enough, welcome back direct to dvd sequels

[@trinaq]

Yep, it's Belle's Magical World all over again.

[@Cinnamonraisin_Bagel]

don't put this on the same level as lion king 2

[@bobbyhill9918]

​@@Cinnamonraisin_Bagel The Lion King 2 Is literally a Shakespearean masterpiece compared to Moana 2

[@sunnysweetfool7499]

​@Cinnamonraisin_Bagel this and Cinderella 3

[@mimiisrofl]

It didn’t have to be though

[@lydiajoe8955]

Not gonna lie, of all their movies to make sequels from, I found Moana to be unexpected. Personally I thought the ending was satisfying enough to not need a sequel so I’m not surprised the sequel ended up mid

[@stars4cyn]

i feel like the second movie is maybe a setup for a 3rd? idk but if u watched the after credit scene i figured this was just there to bridge the story out even more

[@Victoria-_]

Me too!

[@kristinahuchison2511]

Same. NGL I thought the first movie ended perfectly with all her village becoming voyagers. And honestly I kinda don’t understand the point of Moana having a little sister if they weren’t gonna do anything with her. Honestly this makes me glad Tangled got a tv show instead, because the people in charge of it actually cared about the characters and the original movie, and didn’t retcon or change certain details.

[@andrewpremacio4936]

for me , this is the story the original should have

[@jtomyhope575]

Disney knows that a sequel was not “needed.” Most sequels aren’t. But with the success of the first film, it seems they knew there was more money to be made with a sequel.

[@trinaq]

The original holds up so well on its own, so naturally, Disney decided to make a TV show, and after it was scrapped, turn it into an unnecessary sequel. Oh, and now there's a live action remake in the works.

[@christopherfeatherley]

That's waaaay too much

[@Frogcoven]

Schaffrillas Productions made a great video on the subject of a live action Moana, I highly recommend it as it really makes sense why we’re getting so many Moana products.

[@ronniesan9805]

Nooooooooooooo!!

[@OpticalSorcerer]

Actually it wasn't scrapped; Bob Igor just thought it was too good to be a show and upgraded it to a film. If only the quality was upgraded, too.

[@NightAtTheOpera3]

I want off this ride Mr. Bones

[@watsupchick3251]

I was genuinely so angry when they announced this sequel because it was so unnecessary and I refuse to see it out of protest

[@Victoria-_]

Same! It would’ve been better as a SHOW

[@LiamN407]

LITERALLY SAME

[@jovic_sawyer]

The family "road" trip would be so iconic, wish the story was about it

[@rubykgarrett]

little miss sunshine

[@eria.l.833]

yes, esp seeing that dynamic in the mitchells vs the machines, it would be fun to watch & emotionally more compelling

[@getalifedotcom]

On the topic of "people working on these projects genuinely trying their best." Well, they aren't. Pixar laid off their most senior artists and slashed their teams. The people who replaced these senior positions are as greedy and soulless as the executives, and everyone else is improperly trained/experienced because everyone who *could* train them was fired. They've reduced the process to a profit-based algorithm-driven animation sweatshop. I'm saying this as someone whose LinkedIn job recs went from a multitude of animation positions from storyboarding to character rigging, to part-time jobs at Target or Walmart basically over night.

[@larajurado8001]

My God, my God, this is so sad. I'm glad I am not directly supporting this kinds of practices by not watching as many disney movies at the cinema (especially not cash-grab sequels, ahem), but the movie is gonna be a success regardless, due to many kids wanting to go (can't blame them). It really pisses me of that making good, intelligent, funny and/or interesting movies is not a priority, since either way, they're probably going to be financially sucssesfull. What kind of childhood movies will gen beta experience...

[@eatatjoes6751]

Yep, pretty much.

[@BioLivbanon]

Yes. I could tell without even looking it up. Anything is horrible today, when it comes from Disney. The last Disney Princess that worked is Tangled. The last movie I don't even know...

[@KaeMcSpadden]

The reason why the modern fourth wall breaks work is because it works with Williams comedy style and you can assume the genie is so powerful, the he can see the future or travel through time.

[@erikdaniels0n]

Exactly! I always assumed it was because Genie exists almost outside of time, if that makes any sense.

[@rubykgarrett]

also bc it was robin

[@ArMo-ho7ie]

Disney is allergic to creativity

[@tamiej.]

Why be creative when they can keep making bank off recycling the same ips over and over?

[@Shark-pj8in]

Idk they they can't get good writers and a good songwriter. Well, I do know, but still. They seriously don't even need to try with these with all the money.

[@thatrandomstickman]

Would you rather to choose repetitive sequel from masterpiece or original work about LGBTQ agenda bullsh/t?

[@donaldwright8567]

What makes Moana 2 more frustrating to me than the old Direct to VHS/DVD sequels in the 2000's is that, unlike those movies, this is still presented to the audience as a part of Disney's official "Animated Movie Canon" Line-up.

[@vetarlittorf1807]

Why is that more frustrating?

[@ModernGurlz]

i actually had a bit in the script about this (but got rid of it!) basically talking about how disney frames these blatant cashgrabs VERY differently than they did direct to video sequels back to the day. they didn’t pretend they were “high art” so audiences went in expecting that. these new sequels are treated like theyre the same as the originals canonically and creatively which is just false advertising

[@ho1a-Gad]

@@vetarlittorf1807these recent sequels are presented to be OFFICIALLY canon, and OFFICIALLY an expensive disney movie. The direct to DVD sequels back then, were just there, appearing in a lower quality and such. whats frustrating is that Disney (the animators i mean) put effort into something so drab that might aswell do as fine as something made 20 years ago

[@vetarlittorf1807]

@ho1a-Gad Pretty sure all the sequels are canon.

[@cbismarck07]

​@@vetarlittorf1807 Well, you're wrong. Direct-to-video sequels with half-baked animation were never canon (except maybe The Lion King 2, Disney still acknowledges Kiara and brings her back every now and then).

[@youtuberdanalt]

The fact that Moana 2 has already made more money than Dreamworks The Wild Robot (much better movie btw) is just criminal.

[@AllHisEngines]

Wait, for real? How?!

[@Stacydsullivan]

The wild Robot was really good. That was unexpected.

[@baniboo]

people don't want to see good art it's sad

[@aduckwithanumbrella]

​@@banibooExactly this. They'd rather see the next Moana of a ten film franchise instead that has no heart.

[@Shouganaigarage]

Wild Robot was actually super good and I said the same thing to my wife when we walked out of Moana 2

[@kimisea]

Unfortunately I don't think Disney will ever change now...they moved away from direct to DVD sequels and entered the revival era because their films in the 2000s were mostly flopping. They make sooo much money now just putting out mediocrity. They have no reason to pour more money into making good, original projects, because they'll make 10x more money with Moana 4, Frozen 6 and Toy Story 7.

[@deanstownhall]

@@kimisea frozen 6 💀💀💀

[@mayaleeleng]

This is so true, and sad :/

[@cityboy2092]

The only way this will stop is if people stop watching them. But the problem is that it's harder than ever for movies to have global appeal now that countries other than the US are developing their own film industries, so there's now way more competition facing Hollywood. That's not even getting into the fact that there are more convenient options for entertainment than going to the movies like streaming and video games that people can play on cheap big-screen TV's that have almost the exact same quality as an IMAX screen. People want to save their money for something that they think will be a sure bet, so going to the theater to see something they're not familiar with is unlikely for much of the population. So the result of that is we're just gonna keep getting bland, middle-of-the-road schlock based on IP that is as inoffensive and focus grouped as possible until people are willing to try giving new movies a chance

[@annabelle746]

I don't think it scales like that, to be honest. There was a time when Disney could release just about anything under the Marvel brand, and people would flock to watch it. That is no longer the case. Disney will suffer reputational damage if they don't balance out their offerings with quality content. A generation of kids might grow up with much looser ties to the Disney brand. They'll feel it once they have fewer Disney adults. They're diluting their own brand.

[@deanstownhall]

@ agree 100 it’s just unfortunate that the process is gonna take so long 😭

[@carebear2025b]

The ending of the film finally started moving in an interesting direction. I have no idea why THAT wasn't the entire movie......

[@psychotophatcat]

Probably because it would have been something that happened like five episodes into a TV series and then built up further, instead of dropped right at the end of the movie

[@starcherry6814]

10:18 Thats actually a brilliant idea, and very relevant considering Polynesian culture is very family oriented

[@desdar100]

I want to say that I'm no Pacific islander, but a lot of the characters talk like White tiktokers that live in LA. Maui's Haka rap where he talks about being besties with Moana, skipping leg day, and leveling up make me wince a bit. I know LMM is probably cackling and kicking his legs up on his bed reading everybody crying out for him after people were dogging him while it was still trendy

[@beidougi6787]

No wonder the pacing was super confusing. At some parts it felt that they just put some clips together and called it a day. The movie hella had pacing issues. Now knowing it was supposed to be a tv series, it’s making all sense.

[@HazelDogfr]

lin manuel miranda jumped ship, good for him

[@moustik31]

Did he? I heard, he was working on the new Mufasa movie.

[@imaraoctavia]

@@moustik31that’s true. They honestly should’ve waited for him 😅

[@jovic_sawyer]

And bad for us

[@erikdaniels0n]

More likely, because this was a TV Show, they didn’t wanna pay him to return. It’s pretty much confirmed at this point that Cravalho and Johnson weren’t going to voice Moana and Maui in the show because they were “too expensive” (that’s how cheap this production was) and they had to be brought in after this became a movie to dub over the lines. Auli’i Cravalho is not a huge household name (which is sad she should be!) so if they were too cheap to pay HER to return, no way could they afford Lin Manuel Miranda

[@lunarialoonatic]

@@erikdaniels0ndoubt it considering the cameo in PJO

[@papermr.magolorguy7957]

Marvel Humor is taking over 💀

[@4k.vip3rz]

not to compare but seeing moana 2 after seeing wicked felt like a slap in the face

[@moustik31]

Do compare bec. after the Miles Morales movies and the Arcane Netflix show, Disney should be stepping up their game, not wallow in their own mediocrity!

[@Victoria-_]

Right??

[@sarasenft2674]

I'm so glad someone mentioned the references to modern things for jokes. I haven't seen anyone say anything about it but it irked me so bad

[@h2woah344]

Agreed! The blobfish with the stupid screaming goat noise really annoyed me. Its like brainrot in a movie.

[@melodyshart7572]

you hit the nail on the head when it comes my issues with the majority of modern "popular" films. All characters feel exactly the same, the same type of humor and quirkyness in every movie in both live action and animated films. I dont know why people still consume new media from disney...

[@isitbees]

People were separated by a godly figure and need to be found for the original group to survive, the main character dies and comes back as a godly figure ... Sounds a lot like Frozen 2

[@starsneptunexx]

even the song “beyond” sounds like “into the unknown”. Just swap “ocean” and “snow” 💀

[@VilikesaTuragakula]

Honestly, Disney should have re-released Cinderella 3: A Twist In Time to theaters instead of Moana 2. That movie was the DEFINITION of a Disney sequel, amazing storyline, gave Cinderella more agency, made her a girlboss who fought for her love and with so much wit in her soul. Heck, the Prince was given more space to breathe, a down to earth personality than the first movie and was done so well! Anastasia had the perfect arc, so that movie should be recognized! Imagine how it would do at the box office! Old but gold!

[@Sarahlovesguineapigs]

Yes, I watched Cinderella 3 as a kid and I loved it! Amazing how good it actually is despite being a direct to DVD sequel

[@gorsime13]

u bringing up death was great considering how pivotal moanas grandmothers death was to the first movie

[@christopherfeatherley]

You know what would be a cool concept? If Disney made a 2D sequel(s) for their original 3D movies. I'm not sure how practical it would be, but if it's a success, they might bring back their 2D animation studio permanently

[@ishathakor]

i like this idea. trick disney into using 2d animation again

[@is.a.bell.a8700]

i mean... "Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure" is _right_ there

[@fangirldreamer748]

A TV sequel is a great idea!

[@jandm4ever716]

But that would require them having animators who knew how to do 2d animation and sadly they don’t have a lot of them anymore.

[@luchats]

basically tagled series 2d while tagled movie is 3d good

[@Rose_Bride]

Im sure that I'm in the minority here...but honestly? I'm _glad_ that they didn't have Simea stow away. For me this was one of the things Disney actually got _right_ in this "movie". The annoying little sibling secretly tagging along who NEVER listens, ALWAYS finds themselves in a situation and who you are now responsible for protecting is one of the most _overdone_ and _clichéd_ tropes shown in media. ... and not just television and film, but in literature as well. I'm a HUGE bookworm and I legit _roll my eyes_ and _groan_ everytime something like that happens. At least for me, them keeping Simea limited to small doses made her more tolerable, kept her lovable and adorable and insured that we didn't get sick of her as a character.

[@SpringRae]

This was a movie that did not need a sequel. The movie industry is so lazy. I just think of all the new stories we could have in animation and live action. Nope. Let’s redo the same 20 classic films over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

[@runswithscissorsfull]

is it just me or is pacing in general just affecting all kinds of media lately? There's no time to let things stew we HAVE to get the next beat or audiences will be bored? ugh thanks for saving me 2 hours of a nothing burger.

[@ishathakor]

yeah it's like mr beast editing has wormed its way into everything else too. everything has to be action action action otherwise the audiences might have to think about the movie for more than 2 seconds

[@vanvuong999]

It feels like the lifespan of a tiktok microtrend

[@PeachyMushroom1]

this is probably a hot take, but I also particularly blame the people for there being so many sequels. These films can’t be successful without the people. Everyone is always saying “companies need to stop making so many sequels and make original movies, we want original movies!” Yet they barely go out to see these original movies and are so quick to watch the next sequel that comes out instead. I do understand that going to the theaters is expensive, especially for an entire family and they can’t go out to see every new movie. Plus the original movies that Disney did release are bad. But if you really want Disney to change and actually put effort into original movies, STOP GOING OUT TO SEE THESE SEQUELS AND ATLEAST GIVE THE ORIGINAL MOVIES A CHANCE.

[@KaeMcSpadden]

What did people expect? They tried to piece together episodes from a show into a movie.

[@whitelioness87]

For this former Disneyphile…Moana was the LAST Disney media product I ever spent my money on to see in theaters back in 2016. None of the songs particularly grabbed me ( let’s be honest LMM is no Alan Menken/Howard Ashman/Stephen Schwartz ). Have not spent a dime on anything from the company since then. I would love to see a video from you on your top 10 most rewatched Disney Films! Also your 10 Favorite Disney villains! Keep up the great content!

[@annabelle746]

Personally, I thought LMM's style worked really well for Encanto. I wonder if that's an unpopular opinion? But you're right, I prefer more classic Disney movies, and so I'm not a fan of his work for Disney princess movies. I still wish they would go back to making 2D animation, but the technical knowledge was lost, from what I've heard.

[@larajurado8001]

I think this is a little purist. Lin is just as talented as Allan/Howard and Stephen, it's just a style difference. Bouth his songs for Moana and Encanto are very good, and fitting, and he certainly comes from a place of passion and artistic sincerity.

[@jandm4ever716]

Just because it’s not YOUR style doesn’t mean Lin is not talented

[@AGK1999FE]

They're very different styles, but I love both. I thought Encanto songs were absolute bangers, but I also adore masterpieces of old Disney songs like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and The Beast ones. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken are legends, but Lin-Manuel Miranda can also very well become a legend in the future, he's already done a lot. Even when he is goofy as hell☠️

[@littleseaturtle]

thank you for your honest and eloquent review. as a polynesian girl who grew up loving disney princesses and always wished to see one who looked like me...i was so disappointed with the first film. growing up hearing sweeping, heart-wrenching ballads like part of your world and reflection and then getting lin manuel miranda's musical style, the difference was jarring and grating on my ears. every princess i loved growing up had her own interesting personality and a cute prince and moana got...ugly maui and the adorkable heroine trope. when i see disney is making a "new" film, i just sigh and keep scrolling atp.

[@nikajo002]

Hmm. So you're asking for a "damsel in distress" movie during Disney's "independent, girl boss era". Yeah, in the 21st century, we won't see those types of Disney movies again. 😑

[@annabelle746]

@@nikajo002 It doesn't need to be a damsel in distress. Just look at Princess and the Frog. Tiana was literally an independent entrepreneur and business woman. Even movies from the Disney Renaissance in the 90s had a "girl power" angle (e.g: Mulan, Belle, etc.) In my opinion, the actual problem is what OP mentions about the "adorkable" princess trope, where virtually every female character has had the same personality since Tangled.

[@littleseaturtle]

⁠@@nikajo002i think i understand what you're trying to say, and agree that disney is too hyper focused on creating relatable "girl bosses" at the cost of good storytelling and fully fleshed out characters. personally i wish they'd take a leaf out of hayao miyazaki's book. he's great at writing interesting female characters that are strong but flawed, so they sometimes need help and sometimes that help is from their romantic interest. it doesn't make them a damsel, it just makes them human.

[@littleseaturtle]

@@annabelle746yes, perfectly said!

[@aravindrenmahenthiran6827]

You just being unfair at this point the first movie was amazing and calling maui ugly is gross and disgsuting just because he does not conform to what you think is attractive is not anyone's problem

[@lunamoonintheverse]

miss the old Disney

[@rattusskelly6393]

3:48 hearing a plot synopsis and having not watched the movie, it seems like it could be a fun tv show

[@SocksAndSalami]

I truly believe *Encanto* was the Last Great Disney film from the modern era. Now it's going downhill and it's a biiiig problem when no one is that interested in seeing a **DISNEY** movie in theaters

[@ruatfelachhakchhuak7823]

2000 to 2016 was the iconic modern era disneys. Frozen 2 and toy story 4 are kinda OK, then in this decade, encanto is the only exception.

[@RseelAlshehri]

@@ruatfelachhakchhuak7823 come on frozen 2 is good

[@RalucaAriadna]

Didn't like it. Wanted to. But couldn't

[@Moça99-p3p]

Girl no way I called it

[@materialgworll]

Damn 😅

[@BioLivbanon]

Everybody could call it! Disney is just soulless and greedy. Plus they make really bad movies since the 00s.

[@thecavalieryouth]

I will ask this question till my dying day: are the people complaining on social media about the lack of original IPs and risk-taking by studios *at all* reflective of the general movie-going population??? Is "we want better than this, Walter!" just a social media thing? Because these sequels & remakes are obvious cash grabs, but is all the data they're working off of telling them that people want/like all this nostalgia bait & general decline in quality? Surely *something* is telling them to keep churning them out as much as they are.

[@deanstownhall]

This is such a good point. It feels like there’s just a large portion of the general population that is more than ok with slop and those who aren’t are forced to online spaces to share our grievances 😭

[@sexcbish9981]

I mean this sequel is already on track to be HUGELY successful. Frozen 2 made over a billion dollars. Nearly every Disney remake has been incredibly successful at the box office as well. Unfortunately, I would say it is just a social media thing, the average movie viewer doesn’t really mind a bland plot or unoriginal idea, especially when it comes to kids movies like Moana. The few times Disney has tried to be creative and churn out a new story recently has not done very well (Encanto being the exception) remember that movie that came out this year that allegedly was going to introduce a new Disney princess and had a really unique animation style? Yeah I can’t even remember the name as it unfortunately flopped.

[@Savanna-e9m]

There are a lot of people who go to the movies as a social activity, not because they're interested in the movie. It doesn't matter what movie is playing because they're not going to see a movie, they're going to spend time with someone. That's why slop movies do so well.

[@KatjeKat86]

Moana has been used as a babysitting movie for years now. For a lot of little kids it became their comfort movie so of course they're excited to see the new one and parents are going to take them. Now be interesting to see if this also becomes a babysitting movie or if it's something they see once or twice and go back to the original. I noticed that Disney starred making a lot of these movies for the littlest of kids which really limits who's gonna watch it.

[@irinas.6347]

My friends are casual moviegoers. They do complain about the lack of original movies all the time, but when a good, original movie comes out, they don't watch it. Primarily because they have kids and not a lot of time to keep themselves informed about upcoming movies. They watch movies based on ads they see and friend recommendations.

[@g.d.tharanga3712]

When Matangi walks upside down, her hair falls down but her loose dress doesn't. 😂

[@800Ms-k6n]

I wonder what this movie would've been like if Disney actually gave the production team an additional a year or a year and a half to developed the story and animation more instead of rushing the entire thing to theaters as they announced that it was going to be a movie 10 months before it's release which was a pretty bad sign

[@justanotherguy2609]

13:39 I’m sorry, what? Weird romantic undertones? Genuinely, what the hell are you talking about? I haven’t seen anyone mention their relationship in any way other than friendship. This is a frankly bizarre point that stood out to me in the video. I really want to know who watches either Moana film and takes away any form of romance.

[@rosesal2473]

A LOT of people on social media want Maui and Moana to get together. That's what she is referring to.

[@Freezient]

⁠@@rosesal2473Its not that, if you’ve been around the internet shipping and people wanting to see two characters in a relationship is a common thing, just see Elsa and Anna. ModernGurlz was referring to the film itself, not the moana fandom and i did get some weird undertones from it, not necessarily romantic, but if you show this to someone who has no idea who these characters are, they would think they’re an item

[@starsneptunexx]

@@Freezientno way have people been shipping Elsa and Anna 😭😭 that’s so crazyy it’s giving Alabama

[@Freezient]

@@starsneptunexx All i’m saying was that’s just fandom stuff in general. There’s none of those in the movie itself

[@LadyAhro]

Although shipper's brainrot is a thing, sometimes interactions can have a passion level (in the sense of enthusiasm and charged energy) or a level of closeness that raises an eyebrow even to people not immediately incline to slap two characters together romantically at the slightest sign of them getting along. Because there can be a very real point where people see certain levels of interpersonal dedication as perhaps accidentally coded. Regarding what people see in media and interpret romantically, those who watched Klaus and then went, ahh they added a compulsory heterosexual breeding pair instead of following what we felt like we'd seen on screen actually ended up including total non-shippers like my boyfriend. If even he could say that if the main character was female then there would have been a romantic subplot, more people would have drawn the same conclusion. It's way, way, way less of a thing in Moana vs Klaus, but I can see why the brainrot had sunk in easily in this particular fandom, even if it's entirely against my will in this case 😬 Underage girl and thousands of year old God is always an ick. But without a drop of context, some would go 'huh they do look like there's something there' before doing their research and learning her age and hopefully finding the entire thing repugnant.

[@KatAlysst459]

Thank you for being the only person to bring up the shortcomings of the first movie too. I feel like so many people are obsessed with it and I just don’t understand why. I feel the same way about Lin Manuel Miranda too

[@genevieveblackburn1348]

It was just kind of... there. Saw it with some friends as we're Māori so love any representation but at the end we were all like... oh! That was certainly a movie! And that's the sum of it - it's just kind of there. Unnecessary.

[@Odd_Designz]

That one guy being a spirit to greet her and Maui maybe even giving up his Demi status for her would have been pretty cool

[@MortMe0430]

If the mouse absolutely HAS to keep bleeding their old IPs dry, I'd rather see a return to 2D animation for the films that got absolutely shat upon by their sequels. Give them new innovative sequels that completely ignore the straight to video ones, with better stories and more emotional weight and maturity (obviously not GoT levels). And for goodness sake, written and designed by people with actual care for and knowledge of the cultures being depicted! And don't farm them out to the cheap TV animation studio. I will always be salty about Mulan and Hunchback.

[@Cinnamonraisin_Bagel]

they should've made big hero six 2 but i would literally die if they ruined that film for me (even though they could easily just adapt the tv show's first season)

[@Shark-pj8in]

From what I've seen, it's FINE. big emphasis on fine. The songs aren't the best and could be better, but beyond is pretty good imo.

[@Gwen1661]

I personally disagree with Moana becming a demigod being a good thing or making sense. To me, it felt like Disney trying to make Moana even more of a YOU'RE SPECIAL type of character when she's more "average" compared to some of the other leads, even other disney princesses in the modern era. She doesn't have magic. Moana was chosen by the ocean because of her compassion, not because she's a special. I will say, I would be more open to the idea of Moana becoming a demigod if a) it was foreshadowed in the movie, and b) maui stayed a mortal after his heroic sacrifice. As it stands, it reeks of Disney wanted to have their cake and eat it too. They cannot have it both ways.

[@halliewright3116]

Yes! All we could talk about after the movie was how much we wanted maui to stay human, it would have made for such an interesting arc next time, as he watches moana have the powers hes used to having and learns what it means to have a human family. And 100% all i coild think the whole time was "these three side characters are so annoying and unnecessary." The old guy was there to provide food and farm knowledge and they never used that at all!

[@alejandraesquer155]

I don't remember a single song from Moana 2. None.

[@Muna-Jlore0997]

I don’t either. It’s the same with side characters.

[@kristinahuchison2511]

I haven’t watched this movie yet, but this honestly makes me glad Tangled never got a sequel but rather a tv show. And the animation was actually inspired by the paintings in the movie. I don’t care that a show doesn’t make as much money as a movie, the show was such a perfect continuation of the original movie while adding new characters and arcs to explore the world of Tangled. A sequel just has the potential to either be disappointing or completely missing the point of the first movie’s ending or what made people enjoy the first movie. Ironically I’m one of the few people who prefers Frozen 2 over its predecessor, but that doesn’t change it made the world building more confusing and felt kinda aimless at times. It was all about “why Elsa had magic” BUT it never answered why Anna didn’t or how the spirits actually worked (like the water spirit legitimately trying to kill Elsa for no reason) and I found the whole Agnar’s father as the real villain kinda forced. Yeah, the bad guy is already dead, never mind. And even the ending felt a bit off with Elsa choosing to leave Arendelle as a guardian spirit while Anna became queen.

[@stardust948.]

Moana's family joining her on the voyage would have been fantastic to see.

[@kray_pop]

I wanted Matangi to be an evil villain. The songs in the movie reminds me of Disney Junior shows. They remind me of Sofia the First. I liked the song 'Beyond'. I liked the movie. I had a problem with the pacing though.

[@hamdialihassan1048]

I kinda liked it. Sure it’s not great and it could use some rewrites. For example I hate when movies do that thing when they’re like ”hey let’s play around with the idea of permanent consequences but not really” which happened twice in a short span (Moana’s death and Maui’s tattoos being stripped). The crew was like funny at times but they felt unnecessary most of the time and they could’ve done more with Matangi. But the animation was gorgeous, the main story was kinda cute and ”Beyond” & ”Get lost” are BOPS and I didn’t love the rest of the songs but I didn’t dislike any of them either (unlike ”shiny” and ”you’re welcome” in the first one). And I absolutely ADORE Simea. She’s just the absolute cutest 🥰. So yeah, it was nowhere near as good as the first one but it was all together kinda cute.

[@TheLadySilverMoon]

I agree that it was a total cop-out that Maui got his powers back in the end, as well as the "hero's death" fake out. The structure of the story and the side characters were also not very good.

[@win_gif]

when they mentioned fanfiction i knew it was over 😭😭😭 literally what were these modern references it wasnt authentic at all (except for the underlying score that was amazing)

[@frediemelperenaxiii235]

The fact that this movie seems to be making bank is honestly so disappointing, and honestly frightening. Because not only is it meh, but also the production of this movie just screws over the animators. Like we all know this was supposed to be a Disney+ series, and so it was animated in a different studio. But ofc after the recent flops Disney needed the money, so they transferred production in order to fit the look for theater release. And ofc the original animators weren't paid as much, so the cost was pretty cheap. All's this to say, since the movie is doing well it's definitely going to give Disney ideas, ideas that'll screw over animators.

[@thoughtsofaleo2916]

Good lord, some of these comments are annoying af and this isn't even my video. Anyway, I just want to say that I, and I know other people as well, always appreciate your videos and the thought you put into them. Even if I disagree with you over things sometimes (though not in this case because I really had no hope for this movie), I still appreciate your perspective. Even though Moana isn't my favorite 2010s Disney movie, I can appreciate its importance to Polynesian culture and the care and love put into it. Which is why this sequel and the upcoming live action is nothing but disappointing for me. I really feel like they could have done something interesting with this story - the family voyage idea would have so cool and would have made us relate even more to the sister! - but instead they straight up just rehashed early 2000s direct to DVD sequels and it's aggravating. I'm just hoping they pull a Cinderella 3 and put a lot more effort and intention into the inevitable sequel, but I'm not holding my breath.

[@Juli-dv8mn]

The only exposure I had to this movie so far eas this girl screaming in the cinema

[@Valentine-pm3kb]

10:48 i’m so glad someone else feels this way. ppl act like hes so great but i actually find his involvement in anything is usually what ruins everything 😭

[@kellaher]

It was just so confusing and nothing but a set up for Moana 3, if Maui permanently lost his tattoos or this was a series instead of a whole ass movie it would’ve been more interesting. I also don’t like how there’s two characters with accents lol like they live on an island with the same people why do you have a New Zealand accent I get that the actors were both of the same culture but STILL😭

[@anti2007]

No offence, but they all have accents. Are American accents somehow not an accent?

[@smollbebe2625]

Just watched it today! I didn't even know it was supposed to be a series but now that i do a LOT of things in the movie make sense. The film was beautifully animated but i fear that's where the pros more or less stop:/ pretty hard to believe today that the same studio made some of my fav movies like treasure planet, atlantis and 101 dalmatians. Very disappointing:(

[@charthesmile]

i didn’t care to see it but it never felt like a real sequel, just an excuse for one. still doesn’t feel like a real movie to me.

[@jwaall228]

I went to see this the day it came out, and you've summed up my feelings about it exactly. I think if they were going to create a film, they should have made this film a TV show and set it up for the story of Moana 3, making that next film, Moana 2. Everything came too easily to the characters and you're right, the animal sidekicks were flat compared to previous films. There was no character growth which has been a major issue that has irked me with modern Disney films. And a deeper exploration of her family would have been perfect too with her family coming along for the adventure, too! Though I have little faith, I really do hope they do better with the coming sequel. Fingers crossed, hey! 🤞

[@Freezient]

Nice to know the main characters Moana and Maui are still okay. As much as I didn’t want this sequel to exist, it expanded some lore. Also so I wasn’t the only one getting some weird undertones from Moana and Maui right? It also doesn’t help that Moana is 19 in the sequel Lol i also highly doubt they’re going to give either or both of them any love interest, the original Maui had partners, so maybe it’s possible we might see some of his exes in future adaptations, but I doubt we’ll see them giving Maui new love interest. They are very much like a platonic version of Flynn and Rapunzel or a human version of Nick and Judy, which I also hope they do not pair them up in the sequel, I know they talked about the possibility, but i rather they stay friends. Also I didn’t think the tweeting joke was that bad, sure it aged poorly, but nothing lasts forever and I can see it as an old timey “send message with your birds” type thing, it works.

[@lucyshnyr5647]

One may like Lin-Manuel Miranda or not, but he is still one of the most brilliant songwriters of our time… and his music made Moana 1 worth watching for so many people. Now this sequel lacks a good coherent storyline (for reasons already mentioned here - i.e. the movie was originally supposed to be a television series), and this mediocrity of a soundtrack is simply making it all worse. The whole thing felt generic and random and was a disappointment. Pity that it seems to become the new norm for Disney.

[@denisaelena8541]

Interesting how Moana in this sequel got the Elsa treatment from frozen 2

[@tiannaspence9671]

Moana and Samaya seem like mom and daughter which is what made it weird for me. I did get some nostalgic moments and tears but overall the movie was just okay. The only song I liked was Moana’s Beyond

[@silentnaka3638]

Moana is a kids movie from what i see most kids reviews they love being from hawaii i understood the story it was cool to see.. even if im not polynesian

[@Mookneepie]

We need to remember that these movies are made for kids and the formulaic plots are directed to them.

[@grantponciano9386]

I'm concerned people will think that this is how all Polynesian people are like...

[@starsneptunexx]

Oh my dayss same. I remember a Māori tourist guide talked about the importance of our culture, and one American tourist was like “oH LikE tHe MoVie MoAna???” and we were all staring at her like “😐”

[@AyeGee721]

@@starsneptunexx lmao I can believe that. Like yeah we're pretty chill at the core, but throughout the Islands its different!

[@Whit1213]

@@starsneptunexxNot all americans are that dumb

[@rubykgarrett]

studios can’t just strike gold and have a good standalone anymore and it makes me rip my hair out

[@acejojo]

This was the best sequel Disney has had in a long long time… so I was surprised everyone I know & their kids loved it!

[@RPumpkinQueen]

They were inspired by "Jason and the Golden Fleece" which has a similar structure, being an ancient hero's tale. I'd see that very concept, and yes, in 20 minute episodes on tv.

[@Hei-SuenTang-pv1nz]

honestly the musics amazing, i dont know how you can say that its awful

[@shayantanidas986]

All of your suggestions are so good

[@HazelDogfr]

It feels like all the jokes were just repeated from the the first movie

[@Quoxz]

If I had a nickel for every movie I've seen that had a very fitting open-ended conclusion and then an unnecessary sequel and/or remake? (How did Moana get both at the same time? Wtf) I'd be able to buy like, half a happy meal I think.

[@serenediipity]

it took a second watch for the first movie to grow on me because so much of the plot was just moana and maui arguing in the middle of the ocean together so i wasn't quite sure what they could do to entertain me this time around

[@dianabryan7421]

I really wanted you to do a review, so thank you❤

[@Sarafromnc]

I’m sorry what 😂 we loved Moana 2. The music was great, the new outfits were pretty and the ending was so good

[@ShootingStarStudio]

You know who would’ve made this better? More Tamatoa.

[@RockTheDragon]

I would've liked a Moana show on Disney+ purely because I really liked the first movie. I haven't seen this sequel yet-- I'm not sure if I even want too now. It just sucks because the world of Moana is really fun and colorful and has great potential for world building, but it went to waste. It makes me sad to see Disney lose its ability to tell stories.

[@TheHollowedKing754]

I didn’t really care for the side characters, they were bland and we didn’t have much time to connect with them, it also felt like the movie was just constant action, no time for slow scenes, the scenes when it was just Maui and Moana felt good… but then it’s immediately back to the “plot” if we can even call it that, plus “Get Lost” isn’t even a villain song, let alone a good one

[@Muna-Jlore0997]

The side characters from Moana 2 were way more bland than wish generic seven dwarves.

[@stephanicrandall7797]

THANK YOU for pointing out the modern jokes. It just yanks me out of the world that the movie was building. Can't stand it. The first Moana starts out well, and then when we get to Maui and his tweeting joke, the IQ of the movie drops like a stone.

[@vincenthoule5643]

Moana should have a tv serie instead of a sequel. Remember 2 years ago, when disney annouced the return of 2d. Disney needs new good original stories and 2d again.

[@ghostreyn]

Ngl I had high hopes for this movie, but after it's come out those have dropped dramatically. Personally I enjoyed the first movie, despite not liking Maui at all, I kind of wish he got his demi god status taken away at the end of the first film, have Moana take his place, and then the second film explore that with Maui living as a human and Moana trying to figure out if she should mention to her village what happend to her while learning how to lead the village. Idk sounds more interesting to me.

[@mikaellahill43]

This turned into a bit of a rant so apologies from now. Things just kept happening and being told to the audience. Like you said, they had too many new characters and to keep up with everything and everyone was tiring. The animation was annoyingly repetitive along with the desperate callbacks to EVERY SINGLE THING from the first movie. Almost nothing felt deserved and when it was, there was no weight to it or an inappropriate reaction e.g Maui's shark head gag. I have been staying away from trailers of films for years so all I had known about Moana 2 was the poster and the same thumbnail of Nalo's henchwoman. I predicted her 'arch' before the movie and, surprise surprise, I was right. When Nalo never showed himself for the whole movie, I sensed that there was going to be a Moana 3 and then the end credits scene just rubbed it in my face😂. When I saw him, I thought,"Cartoon Thanos?" I didn't dislike all the songs but it sounded a lot like Wish so I was surprised Julia Michaels wasn't there again. I didn't know about about the series aspect. Disney could have done minisodes like they did for Mater/Mator from Cars, Tinkerbell, every recent cartoon, etc. I can definitely see one with the Moannabes. All in all, I agree with what you've said.

[@PGbutalsofourteenplus]

Matangi already was a “Here Me Out” for people right at her first introduction 😂😂😅

[@anapliego376]

Honestly didn't even realize how biased you are until now, you praise Wicked for all the wrong aspects, yet you trash all over Moana 2. You obiously know more about fashion than film or story telling stick to that.

[@tainapere]

coming from a polynesian perspective, i'm 50/50 on this movie. we get our representation and i love how even though most of the script sounds tokelauan, i can still hear a bit of sāmoan, māori, cook island and tahitian. I saw moana siva and i watched her do a niuean warcry. Maui did his fa'aumu and moni did the sasa. Seeing that in animation form really warmed my heart. However, I do agree that it was rushed and a little unnecessary. The music could have been a lot more better in terms of pasifika beats. I'm not sure why they added Lin Manuel Miranda to the mix of composers when you have amazing composers all over the islands. Opetaia is amazing and Te Vaka has always been a wonderful addition to the journey of Moana but if the entire movie is about bringing our people together, why didn't they reflect that in the making of the soundtrack as well? We have Josh Tatofi, Adeaze, Aaradhna, Nesian Mystik, Tone 6, and so much more that they could have intergrated into the soundtrack and so many opportunities to make it sound less cheesy and more REAL. This screams lazy to me. Also, i think Motufetu could be a reference to Havaiki (Also known as Avaiki, Savai'i or Havai'i in other pasifika languages) which is essentially the land where us as Pasifika people originate from. The pulling of the island reminds me of the story of when Maui pulled The North Island of Aotearoa, which is called Te Ika A Maui. So many references yet the storyline still kinda sucked. I also agree that it would have been much better if it was a family trip instead of adding in ghe new characters but I do love the Iconic sound of David Fane's voice (Mac in Bro Town and plays Paul in Sione's Wedding) in this movie as it fits in perfectly with the polynesian dynamic.

[@tainapere]

I also think Nalo's character was a lousy personification for global warming and climate change issues. It all comes back to our pacific islands, which are struggling the most because of these issues, even though they contribute the least to it. Initially, Nalo was the evil god that sunk motufetu and that reflects in real life because Global warming is currently sinking our Tuvalu Islands and Micronesian Islands are also struggling to keep up with countless cyclones and hurricanes as well. I feel like they could have made Nalo a lot more better as a character. obviously, nalo is still a bad person but his character was lacking depth, which made the whole thing lousy for me. I'm interested to see what would have happened if they spent little bit more time researching and tweaking the storyline. But as a cook islander at heart, I still cherish the movie and appreciate the integration of pacific culture into our arts.

[@christinaphoenixowl7642]

You confirmed many suspicions I had of the movie. And I am also glad to hear you are also not a fan of Lin Manuel Miranda's music. Though, I will say, I find the music in Moana better than most (though his songs aren't my favorites of the movie 😂) That, and, though I like Moana, I, too, find her adorkableness worthy of an eye roll. Not only that, but this and every movie these days is sooooo oversaturated with quips. I will likely watch on Disney+, but refuse to pay to see it in theaters.

[@jasminewilliams1673]

Weather u like Miranda or not, seems like the public was clamoring for him in this project as he was trending 😂

[@chichilafemme6336]

Omg yes I was thinking the same thing that they needed to kill off someone and I also thought the same character should’ve been killed off. It would’ve worked so well, he always told legends but now he finally gets to be in a story. Maybe he sacrifices himself or something. I don’t think Moana should have gone with her family tho. But I do like the dad going.

[@TANGL3_BURR]

Here's some good and bad opinions I have on Moana 2 (which I never watched, but your review was extremely helpful). Good- The dad at least is now fine with Moana going out on boat Moana grew up We can now understand how there's barely other people living on other islands New characters Baby sister is at least relatable to those who have siblings Bad- The lie about the main villain Bringing a crew with Moana just feels too out of character for her Bringing animals with her on a dangerous journey also seems too out of character for her The villains being a bat goddess and a storm god just feels like the whole "anything related to something we're afraid of is a villain" thing Maui becoming a demi-god again just feels too rushed The actual main villain only being in the credit scene The crew feels like the protagonist friend group from Wish Too much comedy Now here's some things I like to add to the movie. Matangi should be more like Tai Lung, vengeful and reckless, wanting revenge on the person who put her in the clam. Get rid of the crew. I like new characters, but they're not important. Nano should at least be mentioned and not be in the movie, and be the villain of the next movie. Your idea of some family time, but let the dad die for some sad moments (as someone who reads Warrior Cats, which is a kids series, they practically kill off a lot of characters, so it shouldn't be hard for Disney to kill a single character). Your idea of Maui being mortal, but what if Moana blames him for her father's death? They can forgive each other later on. After they forgive each other, they can battle Matangi, who kills Moana for getting in her way, then does Moana become a demi-goddess and have an emotional moment with her dad. That's all i have. Hope you like my thoughts and ideas!

[@alsss214]

i just miss the overall design and themes of the older disney movies. they look so much better and flow easier. they’re funnier and are more rewatchable. aladdin and emperor’s new groove are great examples of this. they need to stop making sequels to movies that don’t need them or random movies that don’t really make sense. i haven’t even watched encanto because it just doesn’t seem appealing at all. i think one of the last good disney movies in this new format is coco. but, i do like that toy story has kept its same vibe throughout the movies. i just miss the old disney movies. after the 2000s, it’s really gone downhill.

[@Bun800]

Still haven't seen the original, will likely never see this. Enjoyed commentary all the same :)

[@kentjoseph28]

Moana 2 is basically the tropical version of Frozen 2

[@Elidessinnn]

Frozen 2 was better

[@akabaneaki]

Alot of people that went for moana 2 definitely are either kids who parents bring to watch (3 person tix each at LEAST) , or people who were tricked by the trailer.

[@mynameisnotesther]

the fact that she became a demigod

[@Glocks.Scotch.and.Wristwatch]

My kids and I left the theatre after 1 hour. So disappointing.