Moana sets sail for a new adventure in the latest Disney animated sequel. In Moana 2, the newly-minted wayfinder answers an unexpected call from her ancestors to find a lost island that will reunite her people with those from other lands. To accomplish her mission, Moana must travel further than ever before — all while knowing there’s a chance she will never return home.

For Moana’s greatest and most challenging adventure yet, she assembles a ragtag crew to set sail with her. Yes, Pua and Hei Hei are back. But this time, Moana also recruits some human companions, too: Loto, an expert at ship repair who’s constantly tinkering to make improvements; Kele, a cantankerous farmer tasked with growing food in the ship’s cargo hold; and Moni, a Maui super-fan who documents Motonui’s history and legends. Along their journey, Moana also reunites with Maui, whose demigod powers will be needed in tandem with the humans’ skills to accomplish their mission. 

The film’s new characters also include Simea, Moana’s adorable little sister; Matangi, a (sort of) antagonist who captures Maui in her bat-like clutches; and a Kakamora coconut warrior who winds up part of the crew. I really enjoyed all these new additions, though I wish the film spent more time letting us get to know them. 

Moana 2 was originally conceived as a sequel series, not a feature film. And frankly, that still shows. Despite efforts to meld the story together, Moana 2 often feels like it hops from one mostly-contained plot point to the next. This is the “Kakamora encounter” episode; this is the “Matangi’s domain” episode. And this somewhat choppy execution only compounds the film’s other plot issues: it really struggles to escalate the stakes and make this adventure feel like a worthy successor to Moana’s first outing.

The good news is that while the story and execution of Moana 2 may not reach new heights, the animation and world design remain beautiful to look at. Characters are expressive and endearing (just try not to fall in love with Moana’s little sister); the ocean water effects and action sequences are engaging; and like the original film, we get even more amazing looking ocean creatures and unique monsters.

Music, of course, plays a significant part in Disney’s animated flicks. The original Moana delivered a top-tier track for its lead; “How Far I’ll Go” proved a smash hit among fans. Once again, Disney definitely struggled to reach the same heights with Moana 2. 

The music in the sequel isn’t terrible, but I also wouldn’t call it standout. “Beyond” works alright, but doesn’t hold a candle to “How Far I’ll Go”. Similarly, Maui’s “Can I Get A Chee Hoo?” doesn’t feel as fun or endearing as “You’re Welcome”. (Although to be fair, I’m sure kids will have fun yelling their best chee hoo during the number.) I did really enjoy Matangi’s “Get Lost”. Unfortunately, we spent so little time with the character, it doesn’t make as much of an impression as it could have.

In the end, it feels like unlike Moana herself, Disney wasn’t quite willing to sail off into uncharted waters with this sequel. Its solid animation, fun characters, and whimsical creature design buoy the film, but the story and music just tread water. Ultimately it feels a little flat compared to its predecessor. Still, the return of Moana and Maui will undoubtedly be enough to entertain any Moana-obsessed kids in your life.

Moana 2 premieres in theaters November 27.