Review by J1 Reporter Ava Ellis

Recently, a few friends and I went to see the new movie “Moana 2.” Released on Nov. 27, “Moana 2” brought some disappointment and excitement. Director David G. Derrick Jr. brought some new ideas to Moana’s story. I went into the movie unsure what to expect, having heard from people who loved the movie and people who hated it.

Moana and her new found crew of locals go out to explore new islands. In their search Moana receives a call from her ancestors. 

In the film, there is no true antagonist. The so-called villain, Matangi, seems to perfectly fit the picture of a Disney villain at first, but ends up helping Moana and her crew by the end of the film

Overall, I left the theater feeling disappointed with the movie. The plot lacked depth and the music did not amaze me, as the first “Moana” soundtrack did.

I thought the soundtrack and visuals were good but both seemed to copy or to be too close to the first “Moana.” 

The movie is rated PG and has a run time of 1 hour and 40 minutes, making it the perfect length for young children to sit through.

Online rating companies have rated it, 65% Rotten Tomatoes and Screen Rant rated it a 6/10. I feel as though these ratings are true to the film. 

The film is somewhat easy to follow with good visuals, but is not a touching cinematic masterpiece. Overall I would rate this movie a 5/10, as this is not the worst movie I have seen, but is definitely not the best.