Moana 2 hit with lukewarm reviews despite solid initial box office takings: ‘Lacks genuine passion’
Moana 2 was a box office hit on day one, but reviewers weren’t convinced (Disney)
Disney’s Moana 2 has been hit with mixed first reviews – despite reportedly banking an impressive $57 million on day one at the box office – and critics seem to be split between the “exhilarating” yet “strained” sequel.
Moana 2, which was released on Wednesday 27 November in the US, and Friday 29 November in the UK, follows a “new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers”.
The movie is said to have earned $57.5m at the box office on its opening day and is now projected to hit at least $175m (£137m) during its first five days in theatres, reports The Independent.
As its synopsis states, “after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.”
Featuring the voices of stars such as Dwayne Johnson, Auli’i Cravalho and Nicole Scherzinger, the film has been highly anticipated. Although it has previously faced strange conspiracy theories and rumours such as one falsely claiming that Moana is trans.
Anticipation of the film’s drop is finally over and critics have shared their reviews.
‘Exhilarating, romping sequel’
The Telegraph rated it four stars paired with a headline that read, “an exhilarating, romping sequel with songs that put Wicked to shame.”
John Nugent for Empire also rated it the same, concluding: “This is animated fun of a very high standard — Maui’s luscious locks have never looked silkier or better-conditioned — and storytelling that leans on formula without being reliant on it.”
‘Lacks genuine passion’
In a harsher review, Peter Bradshaw at The Guardian rated it only two stars. He wrote that the “frictionless sequel lacks genuine passion.”
Variety’s Owen Gleiberman wrote: “‘Moana 2’ is an okay movie, an above-average kiddie roller-coaster, and a piece of pure product in a way that the first Moana, at its best, transcended. The new movie wears you down to win you over; it’s a just efficient enough delivery system for follow-your-dreams inspiration to be a major holiday hit.”
Screen Daily’s Tim Grierson described the sequel as “strained”, writing: “…What once seemed so effortlessly charming about this young wayfinder forging her own path has, in Part Two, become more convoluted and stilted — it’s a journey that, frustratingly, leads nowhere.”
Moana 2 was released in UK cinemas on Friday, 29 November. It should stream on Disney+ in March 2025.
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