Though Earnest and Visually Dazzling, ‘Moana 2’ is More Dull Than So Shiny

The warm Polynesian spirit and open-sea sense of adventure is back in “Moana 2,” but little of the original’s humor or catchy songs finds its way into this heartfelt but lackluster sequel set three years after the original. “Moana 2,” which opens in theaters Wednesday, was originally put into development as a streaming series before it was rerouted the big screen. Curiously, though, it’s not scale or spectacle lacking here. Directors David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller have made an often dazzlingly animated film that is, visually, a step up from 2016’s “Moana.”