The warm Polynesian spirit and open-sea adventure are back in “Moana 2,” but little of the original’s humor or catchy songs can be found in this warm but lackluster sequel, set three years after the original.

“Moana 2,” which hits theaters Wednesday, was originally developed as a streaming series before hitting the big screen. Strangely, however, there is neither a lack of scale nor spectacle here. Directors David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller have crafted an often stunning animated film that’s a visual evolution from 2016’s Moana.

But in a story that literally introduces a boatload of new characters, it’s hard to shake the feeling that “Moana 2” is caught in the crosswinds – too torn between changing studio demands to really make its mark to find your own way.

That’s a shame, because the original “Moana” is the lightest and brightest animated film Disney has made in a decade – with the possible exception of “Encanto,” which also danced to the lilting rhythms of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songs . (Miranda is crucially missing from “Moana 2,” although “Hamilton” director Thomas Kail is currently working on a live-action adaptation of “Moana.”)

Photorealistic remakes have been the Magic Kingdom’s dominant theme in recent years, a trend that has made quirkier, more imaginative animations like “Moana” all the more extraordinary. Here was a film that somehow balanced Pacific island cultural authenticity with the cartoonish delights of a demigod accidentally turned into a shark and Jemaine Clement as a singing, parading giant crab. Talk about win-win.

Such ingenuity is harder to find in the utterly earnest but not particularly inspired “Moana.” It begins with a visibly adult Moana (Auli’i Cravalho, Returns) setting out to search for evidence of Pacific islanders outside of her home island. For her people, she is now a mythical figure herself, idolized by young people because of her courage and her “super friendship” with the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson, also back).

When Moana finds an artifact with clues to a twin-peaked island, Motufetu, believed to have been the unifying center of her ancestors, she sets out to find the cursed island and reunite the diverse people of Oceania. This time, however, Moana is sailing on a more crowded boat.

Some of the old pals – Heihei the rooster (with sounds courtesy of Alan Tudyk) and Pua the pig – are back. But Moana decides she needs human help this time and brings with her a crew consisting of uber-Maui fan Moni (Hualālai Chung), engineer Loto (Rose Matefeo) and grouchy elderly farmer Kele (David Fane).

Each of these characters has a generic edge, and while one could see the need to add more personalities for a series (Moana also now has a cute little sister voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), they’re basically dead weight.” “Moana 2.”

For me, the iconic image of these films is Moana as a solo adventurer, leaning against the wind in her camakau and charting an unknown course. Sure, Maui is inevitably her buddy comedy partner on adventures, but Moana and her canoe shouldn’t allow passengers any more than John Wayne on his horse.

After an encounter with the Kakamora’s Coconut Brigade, Moana and Maui eventually reunite via a giant clam, where Maui has been captured by Matangai (Awhimai Fraser, Having Fun), a mysterious bat-adorned figure who is something of a villain for the film. She’s more interesting than some recent Disney antagonists and probably gets the best song (“Get Lost”) in a film that far lacks Miranda’s touch. (The songs are by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear.)

This scene and the climactic scene featuring a sea of ​​tornadoes swirling across stormy waters are vividly drawn – certainly enough to excite younger moviegoers. As a direct successor to “Wicked,” one of “Moana 2’s” most notable selling points may be its comparatively short runtime. At 100 minutes, it’s a full hour shorter than “Wicked.”

Ironically, “Moana 2” – an evolution of a would-be series – is short. But the hopes for “Moana 2” should go beyond mere placeholders. Only a few times does the banter between Moana and Maui truly resemble the fun that characterized the original. In one such moment, Moana corrects Maui after he calls her, perhaps confusing Moana for many other Disney protagonists, a princess. His comeback? “Well, a lot of people think you are.”

“Moana 2,” a Walt Disney Co. release, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for action/peril. Running time: 100 minutes. Two stars out of four.