Originally planned as a TV series for Disney+, the Moana sequel transforms into a holiday blockbuster. Featuring advanced CGI and a psychedelic adventure, the film showcases Moana's growth and the challenges she faces. Despite some impressive songwriting from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the sequel relies more on visuals than innovation.
was intended as a TV series for Disney+ before the allure of valuable IP convinced Disney’s executives to shoot for a holiday blockbuster instead. After all, in the intervening years, the original.
And yet, it has its new appeals. Directors David Derrick Jr, Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller have had eight years of CGI developments to work with and the onscreen visuals are sumptuous. Oceans ripple, sands sparkle and sunsets glow better than the real thing; there’s so much texture in Moana’s hair you’ll find yourself getting jealous of a cartoon.
The lacklustre songs are just the half of it. The first film found coming-of-age tension in Moana’s quest to fulfil her wayfinding destiny despite family trauma but there’s no emotional pull in this sequel to make anything matter ; it just shuffles through plot points like pages in a cheap paperback.
That it all ends with a closing mid-credits sequence pointing to yet another sequel proves Disney will always drive a good idea into the ground like no one else.
Moana Sequel Disney+ Holiday Blockbuster Enhanced CGI Psychadelic Adventure
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