August 24, 2025

Movie Review: Luca 2: Beyond the Waves (2025)

Pixar dives back under the sea with Luca 2: Beyond the Waves (2025), a heartfelt and visually dazzling sequel that builds beautifully on the original’s themes of friendship, identity, and belonging. While it occasionally plays it safe, the film delivers plenty of charm, laughter, and emotional depth.

The story follows Luca, now a teenager living in Genoa and pursuing his dream of studying astronomy. When an ancient sea legend threatens both the surface and underwater worlds, Luca and Alberto must reunite to embark on a daring adventure across the Mediterranean. Joined by Giulia, the trio discovers hidden kingdoms, new sea creatures, and a mystery that forces Luca to confront what it truly means to straddle two worlds.

Visually, the film is breathtaking. Pixar’s animators craft glowing underwater realms, sun-drenched coastal towns, and starry skies that tie into Luca’s love of the cosmos. A mid-film sequence set in a bioluminescent cave is nothing short of magical.

Voice performances are once again spot-on. Jacob Tremblay brings warmth and growth to Luca, while Jack Dylan Grazer infuses Alberto with humor and heart. Emma Berman’s Giulia is given more depth this time, becoming an anchor for both boys. Newcomer Isabella Merced voices a mysterious sea guardian, adding intrigue and gravitas.

Narratively, the film doubles down on themes of growing up and finding one’s place. Luca’s journey is less about hiding who he is and more about embracing the complexity of identity — surface and sea, science and myth, childhood and adulthood. The emotional payoff in the final act, as Luca must choose between staying with his family or venturing further into the unknown, is classic Pixar: bittersweet, tear-inducing, and deeply human.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that some story beats feel familiar, echoing the original’s “hidden world” conflict. But the expanded scope, humor, and emotional maturity give the sequel its own identity.

Verdict:
Luca 2: Beyond the Waves (2025) is a touching, beautifully animated sequel that captures the wonder of friendship and the courage it takes to grow up. It may not surpass the original, but it swims gracefully alongside it.

⭐ Rating: 8.4/10