The new Moana 2 movie has been compared to Disney’s ‘direct-to-video’ movies by several fans weighing in on the new movie on social media.
Although it is unclear if they had actually seen the film, several fans complained that the new sequel seemed to be of the same level of quality as previous Disney films that went straight to VHS.
Released in US theaters today, Moana 2 is the sequel to the beloved animated film Moana and follows the title character venturing to the distant seas of Oceania.
The sequel was originally intended to be a Disney+ series, but was remade into a theatrical film. Variety previously reported.
One X user wrote a day before the release: “Getting major ‘Direct To Video Sequel’ vibes from everyone’s reactions to MOANA 2, which is a shame.”
‘The basic consensus I get from Moana 2 is that it’s not as good as the first, the story isn’t as good but it’s actually a lot of fun and not terrible. Wow, it really is like a direct Disney sequel lol,” another X user posted.
The new Moana 2 movie has been compared to Disney’s ‘direct-to-video’ movies by fans weighing in on the new movie on social media.
An , BUT it should be decent because it was for the big screen with another terrible villain it should be better…’
One viewer said in their review: “Almost, welcome back to Disney’s direct-to-video sequels.” #Moana2 has charming animation and solid voice acting, but suffers from a half-baked story, boring new characters, and unforgettable songs. It’s not terrible, but it is very inferior and not as BRIGHT as the original.’
Another heard through the grapevine that the film had been compared to a “direct-to-video effort.”
‘Someone else described it as a direct-to-video effort or a TV movie. With such a compelling character and franchise here, they shouldn’t have been so lazy in their writing. At least they didn’t make Moana go to America, where she quickly snags a ship back home. #Moana2’, they noted.
One of them offered advice to Disney on how they ‘should’ have proceeded with Moana 2: ‘Disney should have made Toy Story 2 for Moana and scrapped what was done straight to video to build a proper sequel from scratch.’ He’ll make a billion anyway, but it’s crazy that that was never the plan from the beginning.
An Oh, this really WAS a direct-to-video sequel, huh?
Another said the film seemed like a “soulless direct-to-Disney+ production.”
At X, several fans complained that the new sequel seemed to be the same quality as previous Disney films that went straight to VHS.
The new Moana 2 movie has been compared to Disney’s ‘direct-to-video’ movies by fans weighing in on the new movie on social media.
‘#Moana2 is an empty effort, lacking the emotional depth and creative ambition it desperately needed. “Clearly intended to bolster Disney’s bottom line, it feels like a soulless direct-to-Disney+ production, devoid of the artistry or heart that made the original special,” the user wrote.
Another posted: ‘#Moana2 Disjointed, messy, low-risk story; disappointing songs that unsuccessfully imitate the masterful melodies of the first; New forgettable characters. It looks like a direct-to-video sequel from the 2000s. It would have worked much better as a Disney+ limited series as originally planned.
Others defended the film: “I really don’t think reworking Moana 2 from a canceled TV show puts it on a similar level to Disney’s direct-to-video sequels that were literally finished episodes with some framing devices.”
On Monday, one person said the movie had ‘a chance’: “Moana 2 was made by the B Team! It’s like a direct-to-video movie set in theaters!” Hey, SOMETIMES it works! (Look it up, made by Disney Movie Toons AND THE TV ANIMATION division!) You’ve got a chance!’
One fan said the film still had “a chance”
The possibility of the film resembling a straight-to-VHS Disney film was also not far from the minds of several critics.
The film opened in US theaters today, November 27.
The possibility of the film resembling a straight-to-VHS Disney film was also not far from the minds of several critics.
rolling stone, However, he assured readers that was not the case: ‘Is Moana 2 better than the direct-to-video sequels that Disney used to award its most popular titles back in the day?’ “Of course it is, and the animation of these sun-drenched Pacific island landscapes, aqua-blue gulfs and churning ocean waves and purple-hued weather phenomena couldn’t look more stunning,” they wrote.
The AV Clubhowever, he said it had similarities to direct-to-video films.
“The resulting first feature film from directing team David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller is a ramshackle Franken-ship that’s still seaworthy enough to sail into theatrical release, but has more in common with the direct-to-video sequels than with the Smart Original,” they wrote.