New Moana 2 Trailer Makes the Disney Sequel Look Good
“Now I kind of miss the lava monster.”
Today, Disney released yet another trailer for the upcoming Moana 2. This one, naturally, shows the most insight into the plot yet, revealing Moana’s quest to find an island cursed by a vengeful god. It looks like we will be introduced to new gods and monsters, as well as more of the denizens of Motu Nui. Moana’s parents and new little sister, Simea, get a little more screen time here, as well. As expected, the animation is gorgeous, and we also get to hear some more of the movie’s official music. Check out the latest Moana 2 trailer here:
OK, now I’m excited. This is definitely the best trailer yet. This is a bit less silly, in part because we finally get a sincere moment between sisters Moana and Simea. Moana’s little sister asking about her coming home safe after the journey is much more compelling than the “sis” modern cringe talk. The second song they sample also sounds better and more unique to me than the “Finally We’re Back” segment they have been using. They continue to play it in the beginning of this trailer; in fact, the first portion of this trailer is identical to the last one. It’s the new footage, dialogue, and music that actually has me somewhat jazzed for this movie. I don’t know why Disney leads with the silliest elements in their marketing, but I guess it must be working for them. It reminds me of the Frozen teasers that only featured Sven and Olaf playing in the snow. It’s not interesting or unique, but I guess it must draw in kids and their parents, or studios would switch marketing strategies. I don’t like it, and it doesn’t appeal to me, but however much I love Disney movies (when they’re good), this is my reminder that I’m not their target audience.
This is the first piece of marketing for Moana 2 that hasn’t directly worried me. The first two trailers looked pretty bad. However, I’m still worried about the music and direction since Moana’s songwriter, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and directors John Musker and Ron Clements didn’t return. Moana 2 was supposed to be a TV show for Disney+, so I hope they have managed to make it feel truly cinematic. Those are my main fears for the movie, but I’m still concerned about childish and overly modern humor. They’re going to have a hard time making Grandma Tala feel earned for a second time after her death, and showing her in the trailer is almost certainly a mistake. Even if done right, her appearance should have been a surprise. Simea also feels a little shoehorned in at this point, just a cute baby character for us to fawn over. I’m hoping the movie can change my mind; for what it’s worth, this trailer gave me a little hope with the necklace scene. I’m glad Auli’i Cravalho is reprising the role of Moana, especially since her absence is one of the biggest reasons I’m worried about the live-action remake, aside from the fact that it shouldn’t exist, anyway. Without Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, a Moana movie just shouldn’t be made. I have much more hope for Moana 2 than the remake because it’s driving the story forward rather than retreading it in an inferior medium (for this particular story). I would feel better if the original creative team wanted to work on this, but I am giving it a chance. I’ll be there at least opening week, and I’ll have a review right here on Geeks + Gamers.
But what did you think of this trailer? Are you going to see Moana 2 on November 27th? Let us know in the comments!
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