Editor’s Note: This review of Moana 2 contains spoilers.
The beloved 2016 Moana movie from Walt Disney Animation has returned to theaters as a sequel. The highly anticipated Moana 2 returned to the big screen on Nov. 27, marking a nostalgic comeback.
“I’m excited to see the new sequel of Moana. I grew up loving the first movie, and I can’t wait for the second part to come out in theaters later this month,” said sophomore JuanDiego Munoz.
One of the biggest pulls for this movie is Moana, the heart and soul of the movie series. Born in the island village of Motuani, she has a deep-rooted love for the seas, and voyaging has always set her apart. As the oldest daughter of Chief Tui and sister to Sina and Simea, Moana’s adventurous spirit, a force to be reckoned with, will inspire and excite viewers.
Moana left her village and ventured out into the world to save her tribe. During her adventure, she meets the famous demigod Maui, who wants to join her journey to help her tribe and guide her in her quest. Together, they sail across the open sea on an open-action voyage.
The Moana series flourished in recent years, becoming a favorite among children and young teens. Its popularity has created a community for its fans, becoming a fan-favorite franchise for life.
“The first Moana was a great movie. Moana inspired me as a child because of her leadership skills, and she’s a perfect role model for young girls,” said sophomore Quenterrious Terry.
Moana 2 debuted to fans worldwide excited about the launch. The movie entertains and educates the audience about the unique Polynesian culture, imparting valuable knowledge and understanding. It beautifully represents their culture and traditions and shows viewers their cultural experience.
Moana 2 starts with Moana returning from her adventure and returning to her island; as she reaches land, her tribe greets her back home, and sooner or later, she gets promoted in her tribe, to Chief of Motuani.
Moana starts a new journey to the seas. Moana’s task is to reach the cursed island of Motufetu to reconnect with the people of the ocean. She gathered all her allies to start her wayfinding journey and began to set sail. After sailing the ocean and reaching the island, Moana runs into the movie’s most prominent antagonists, Nalo and Matangi.
Moana enters the water to touch the island’s shore and break the curse. While she successfully does that, Nalo hits her with a lightning bolt, and the bolt hits Moana; while thinking she is dead, Moana’s ancestor spirits reach her and restore her to life; she starts to transform and becomes a demi-god just like Maui.
Over the weekend, Disney’s Moana 2 shattered world expectations with a whopping $386.3 million in box office sales since its opening. It broke the record for an animated movie grand opening at the box office, beating Inside Out 2 record-breaking during the summer. This success was a testament to the appeal and quality of the film.
“The grand opening of Moana 2 was great,” said junior Arda Simsek. “The movie taught me a lot about Polynesian culture. My little sister also noted that Moana inspires her to be a great role model and leader to my peers and to help people out.”
The child movie series is a fantastic adventure and thriller movie series. It has gotten impressive ratings from companies like IMDb and Fandango. It has inspired kids worldwide to be great leaders and role models among their peers and family. The movie series shows the amazing and beautiful culture of Polynesians.
Moana 2 will keep growing and inspiring young children all across the globe.
My name is Brandyn Hudson, I am a senior at Oswego High School. I am the Co-Editior-In-Chief of 42fifty, this also my second year, and I love it! I am involved with Lacrosse, HIKE, Bionic, TALK, Student council and numerous honor societies here at Oswego. Looking forward to do great work this year! To reach me you can contact me by emailing 42fifity@sd308.org and putting my name on the subject line.
