Eight years ago, Moana (impressive voice of Auli’i Cravalho), the strong-willed Polynesian wanderer – don’t call her princess – made a splash with her eponymous Disney debut. Her unique sea adventure starring the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson at his best) grossed the studio over $665 million worldwide and secured an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film. But it was the heroine’s charm and dogged determination to save her people from an environmental disaster that brought victory Moana its most enduring characteristics.

As with all commercially viable Disney properties: Moana was intended for franchise. Four years after the success of the original, Disney announced plans for an animated series. They then scrapped that idea in favor of a more traditional cinematic sequel and dropped news of an upcoming live-action remake.

But Moana 2directed by Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller and David G. Derrick Jr. from a screenplay by Jared Bush and Ledoux Miller, might have worked better as a longer series. While the highly anticipated sequel features stunning animation, it lacks the cohesive narrative and emotional intimacy that made its predecessor special.

Cravalho and Johnson are sure to reprise their roles as the voices of Moana and Maui, whose latest mission takes them through unknown parts of Oceania. Their sea adventures are enhanced by a vivid style (Byron Howard is the animation director and Kevin Webb and Amy Lawson Smeed serve as animation supervisors) and impressive visual effects (led by Carlos Cabral and Kyle Odermatt). In breathtaking sequences, Moana, Maui and a new motley crew, including the spacey chicken Heihei (Alan Tudyk), encounter impressive waves and mysterious creatures that remind viewers why 95 percent of the ocean is still unexplored. The scope of the action shows Disney’s animation expertise.

However, this peacocking image doesn’t extend to the narrative, which is scattered and superficial compared to the first film. Where Moana focused on the relationship between the titular adventurer and her reluctant demigod companion. Moana 2 divides his attention between several characters. These personalities – which include other Motunuians and new villains – become window dressing in a film that doesn’t have much time.

Moana 2 begins three years after Moana saves her island from an environmental disaster. The young sailor has sailed around in search of other societies and returns to Motunui at the start of the film with evidence of other inhabited islands in the region. The endearing homecoming introduces new characters, including Moni (Hualalai Chung), a passionate island bard; Loto (Rose Matafeo), a quirky shipbuilder; Kele (David Fane), a cantankerous farmer; and Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), Moana’s stubborn younger sister.

These islanders, with the exception of Simea, join Moana as she sets out to complete another of her ancestral missions. During a ceremony where Moana accepts her Society of Wayfinders’ highest award, the ancestors come to her in a vision and reveal why the last person to receive the award and never returned from their final journey embarked on such a dangerous mission in the first place has undertaken. They beg her to undertake a similar journey, as if restoring Te Fiti’s heart wasn’t risky enough. The future of her community, she learns, depends on finding an island hidden by the vengeful god Nalo (Tofiga Fepulea’i) that connects Motonui to the rest of his oceanic archipelago.

Before Moana sails away, she spends time with Simea. The pair, affectionately known as Big Sister and Little Sister, sneak off to other parts of the island to share stories and secrets. With an enthusiasm reminiscent of Gramma Tala (Rachel House) from the 2016 feature film, Moana teaches Simea about the history of her people. Close-ups of the sisters, whose curly hair looks even more bouncy in IMAX, underscore their intimacy. Their interactions are a highlight of the film, providing a crucial emotional anchor as well as a glimpse into Moana’s own development since the last story. She is now an older sister and more aware of what she could lose if these missions are unsuccessful.

After some persuasion, Moana follows the call of the ancestors and sets off beyond the reef with her motley crew to find the lost island. A chaotic encounter with the coconut-shelled Kakamora and a mountain-sized clam leads them to a reunion with Maui. He was trapped in a dark underwater lair by Matangai (an ace Awhimai Fraser), a cunning villain with an affinity for bats and shadowy corners, reminiscent of famous Disney villains like Ursula. Her song “Get Lost” is one of the most memorable tunes in a musical where Lin-Manuel Miranda’s absence is sadly felt.

From the moment Moana and her team rescue Maui from Matangai’s prison, Moana 2 builds impressive action sequences on top of a relatively weak story. Bush and Ledoux Miller’s script contains more witty jokes, but lacks the narrative roundness of its predecessor, with the members of Moana’s skilled team getting particularly short shrift. You can’t help but feel like you had more time – the film is a brisk 1 hour and 40 minutes long – or a more episodic approach might have helped. (A post-credits sequence suggests there’s more to come for Moana.)

When it comes to optics, however, the scaling pays off. The sea has never looked so threatening, and the deeper Moana and his companions delve into its unknown territory, the more threatening the environment becomes. Powerful gargoyles circle uncontrollably over the water, threatening to destroy anything in their path. Glowing, eel-like leviathans leap through the air before attempting to devour Moana’s humble boat. Faced with these gigantic forces, the gang embarks on new ways of working together. Even if Moana 2 When they falter, their courage remains a constant source of inspiration.