Ahead of its theatrical release on Wednesday, November 27, a lucky group of critics had the chance to see Moana 2 early and share their first reactions on X (formerly Twitter). Overall, things are looking good.
Moana 2 offers “another emotional & empowering journey,” says Tessa Smith from Mama’s Geeky, who praised the music, humor, characters, and animation:
“‘Moana 2’ is a worthy sequel! Hilarious, great music & tons of. Another emotional & empowering journey on the sea. Animation is STUNNING! New characters are fantastic but at its best when Moana & Maui are together. Their banter is everything! That mid-credit scene [mind-blown emoji]!”
Intriguingly, Smith also hypes up what happens after the credits by saying, “that mid-credit scene” followed by a mind-blown emoji, possibly hinting at its major ramifications for a potential third movie.
The show-stealing character in the “delightful sequel” for Joseph Deckelmeier from Screen Rant proved to be Moana’s little sister Simea:
“I absolutely loved ‘Moana 2’! The animation is breathtaking, and Moana’s ensemble crew is fantastic. Her little sister completely stole the show for me.
The story is strong and well-crafted. It’s a delightful sequel. I also enjoyed loved the music!”
The songs may not be “quite as catchy this go around,” according to Chris Killian from ComicBook, but there are still “hilarious gags and heartfelt moments” along with a “deeper dive into Polynesian lore:”
“While the songs aren’t quite as catchy this go round, Moana and Maui are still an infectious pair, delivering hilarious gags and heartfelt moments. Brilliant animation, a deeper dive into Polynesian lore, ‘Moana 2’ proves it’s worth sailing beyond the reef once again.”
