‘Moana 2’ Songwriters Respond to Music Criticisms: “All the Kids Will Be Singing It”

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As a long-time devotee of cinema with a memory that spans decades, I must say that I’ve seen my fair share of Disney sequels, some that have left me humming their tunes for weeks and others that… well, let’s just say they were more forgettable.

Disney Animation Studios is currently experiencing a surge of success following the premiere of “The Second Journey of Moana“, which shattered numerous box office records during its Thanksgiving week debut. However, critical acclaim was somewhat muted, with the sequel’s new tunes receiving specific criticisms. In a recent interview, the songwriters for “The Second Journey of Moana” directly addressed this criticism by highlighting something quite apparent.

Initially planned as a streaming series, “Moana 2” switched to a theatrical release when Disney recognized its potential profitability exceeded expectations for Disney+ alone. This change in strategy seemed to have left critics a bit more critical, with the film garnering more negative reviews compared to its 2016 original. Some reviews even likened it to a Disney straight-to-video release from the past, such as “The Return of Jafar” sequel to “Aladdin.” Critics also felt that the songs in the sequel were not as catchy as those in the first film. However, the songwriters behind the new tunes are optimistic, predicting that children will soon be singing the songs from the sequel just as enthusiastically.

In an interview with Variety, the songwriting duo Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear addressed the criticism that their songs aren’t as magical or inventive as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music for the 2016 film. As students return from Thanksgiving break, they anticipate that everyone will be singing all the songs from the sequel. Abigail Barlow expressed confidence, saying, “Give it a month, and you’ll be tired of hearing it.” Emily Bear added a more extensive explanation, acknowledging that writing a sequel to a hit like Moana isn’t easy because any new work is inevitably compared to the original.

It’s my view that everyone has their own perspective. Composing a follow-up can be quite challenging because you can’t replicate the initial emotional resonance. Since it’s something fresh, people naturally have opinions about it. And as for music, well, its appreciation is often a matter of personal taste.

It’s undeniable that the reception for Moana 2 among critics wasn’t as warm as the original movie. While the first Moana boasts a remarkable 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the sequel has a score of 64%. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a disaster, but some critics did notice a drop in quality. James Berardinelli from ReelViews expressed this opinion, stating, “With Lin-Manuel Miranda no longer handling songwriting duties to work on Mufasa, Abigail Barlow & Emily Bear came on board to collaborate with composers Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’i. The songs in the movie are a step up from generic, but they lack the energy present in Miranda’s contributions to Moana.” This sentiment was echoed by many other reviewers.

‘Moana’ Featured an Academy Award-Nominated Song

The music in Moana was exceptionally noteworthy, earning recognition at award shows. The song “How Far I’ll Go,” penned by Miranda and sung by Auli’i Cravalho, received nominations for Best Original Song at the 89th Academy Awards and the 74th Golden Globe Awards. The track was victorious at one of these events, taking home the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. It remains to be seen if songs from the sequel will also receive awards attention, with “Beyond,” the new anthem, hoping to follow in its predecessor’s footsteps.

In contrast to the original “Moana” movie, it is anticipated that “Moana 2” will surpass its box office earnings, particularly in domestic markets. Within five days over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the sequel has already generated a staggering $225.2 million, setting a new record for the highest Thanksgiving debut ever. The initial “Moana” film earned $248.7 million domestically throughout its entire run, and as of Tuesday’s calculations, “Moana 2” has amassed $239.3 million domestically. Globally, the sequel has garnered $423.5 million, and it is expected to surpass the worldwide total of $687.2 million amassed by the original film by the end of its run. Although critics may have been less captivated by “Moana 2”, audiences seem to be thoroughly enjoying it.

Three years after Moana’s initial journey, the story of Moana 2 picks up, with our heroine embarking on a new adventure alongside Maui (portrayed by Dwayne Johnson) and a team specialized in navigation. They set out to locate the elusive island of Motufetu. In addition to Johnson, the film boasts an impressive cast including Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, Alan Tudyk, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Awhimai Fraser, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, and Gerald Ramsey, who lend their voices to the characters.

Moana 2
is now playing in theaters nationwide.

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2024-12-05 19:33