Verdict: 4.5/5
‘Moana 2’ has made a splash, smashing box office records and making $386 million worldwide in only five days, and it deserves all the hype.
The animated film follows wayfinder Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and a ragtag crew of Motunui villagers as they set sail to recover the sunken island of Motufetu – an island which once connected all the people of the sea.
The island was sunk by a power-hungry storm god named Nalo who sought control over mortals and chose to weaken them by disconnecting them.
Moana’s explorer ancestors call her to action for her hardest challenge yet, warning if she doesn’t succeed, her people will disappear and be forgotten in history.
We watch as Moana struggles to leave her island for this adventure, not knowing if she’ll return to her little sister, Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda).
The struggle is punctuated through a song called ‘Beyond’, which has a similar feel to ‘How Far I’ll Go’ from the first movie, but more considered and less impulsive.
I remember seeing ‘Moana’ at the cinema three times when I was 16 – the same age as the main character – and the story, characters and music swept me off my feet.
Watching the sequel was a scary endeavour, noting most don’t live up to expectations, but I felt like Moana had grown up and matured over the years just like me (except I don’t fight sea monsters and befriend the ocean).
She takes on more responsibilities and overcomes despair to achieve her goals, all the while staying true to herself.
Take the kids, bring your partner, drag along your parents, because everyone deserves to see this movie and experience the incredible soundtrack.
See this movie at Hoyts Penrith.
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.