Let the “Moana 2” Oscar Snub Be A Lesson

As the Academy Award nominations were read out on January 23rd, Moana 2 was absent in all categories. While Best Original Song was a possibility (though not likely due to the critical disdain for the film’s new songwriting team), Best Animated Feature saw the film “snubbed" in exchange for Memoir of a Snail. The snub was more so based on the Disney name than quality itself, as Disney and Pixar are (usually) expected to take two of the five slots within the category no matter what. Yet, the Moana 2 omission might be the best thing to happen to the company.

By this point, the knowledge of Moana 2’s journey to the big screen is well known. Originally announced as an original series for Disney+, the series was quickly re-fabricated into a stand alone feature film for a proper theatrical release. The news shocked fans (and by some counts, the cast involved in the project itself), but has led to a box office juggernaut joining the elusive billion dollar club.

All that to say: it’s not good. A remarkably forgettable film, the overall feeling from critics and fans is the episodic nature of the feature that it can’t seem to rid itself of. Characters appear and disappear without any real bearing on the story (I can’t get over the vampire who lives inside a giant clam) and the overall climax feels redundant. Alongside the songs immediately having no weight within the Disney songbook and you have a mediocre money maker.

However, that’s just it: the film made a lot of money, but no one really cared for it. It’s the back-and-forth that Walt Disney Animation Studios is always trying to balance: a well-loved film that also brings in the dough. Recently, the studio has been at a stand still. Encanto was loved, but the initial box office wasn’t great. Strange World and Wish were ignored by all. Moana 2 was a much needed theatrical win, but critics and movie goers have already left it in the dust.

Likely to the chagrin of The Walt Disney Company, the expected nomination for this year’s Academy Awards might actually be the best thing for the studio at large. They are clearly wanting to find a balance between commercial and critical love, but Moana 2 should not be seen as that success.

We can all be happy for Moana 2’s success in a number of ways: a musical hitting a billion dollars, Polynesian cultural representation on a huge scale, and a box office hit for WDAS after years of less than stellar outings. Yet, it’s not successful as a film. An Academy Award nomination would’ve insinuated that Disney can take something and splice it together The Substance-style into a film, even if it's less than the sum of its parts.

The best thing that could’ve happened, happened: Moana 2 was snubbed. While the film can be a financial success, its bones are still not hearty enough to be a story that lasts until the end of time. With the change in leadership and the commitment to sequels created with the benefit of time, I hope Moana 2 is seen as only but a lifeline for the studio and not the new normal. Here’s hoping the “snub" can be a push towards better storytelling.