The girl-power blockbuster returns
Despite occasional flashes of warmth, Frozen II never entirely thaws
It doesn’t matter how much you care about Disney’s 3D-animated musical fantasy Frozen, you just can’t deny the fact that the movie was groundbreaking in so many ways. Frozen became an immediate global pop phenomenon when it first came out in 2013, and is one of the most successful animated films of all time at the box office until this day.
Frozen is also a film with lead characters that children across the world idolise. With the portrayal of the strong lead female roles that changed those old perceptions of Disney princesses, the movie has made a huge impact with kids everywhere. And whether the anthem Let It Go is your cup of tea in music or not, in the past few years we keep hearing the tune repeatedly from everywhere — from the radio to every school singing showcase.
Now the sequel has finally arrived. And while I wish I could say the new film is fun and even better than the original, that probably isn’t entirely true. Because despite the visually stunning and entertaining story, Frozen II is not without its downsides.
Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, and starring Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad, and featuring new songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Frozen II doesn’t feel like a new chapter, nor offer any new adventures by the two beloved sisters. Instead, the film repeats the old theme of self-discovery and finding the real purpose in life.
Frozen II picks up six years after the events of the original film and finds the gang — Elsa (Menzel), Anna (Bell), Kristoff (Groff) and Olaf (Gad) — as they step into an ancient and enchanted land. We know that Elsa is ruler of Arendelle and all citizens love her and accept her as their ice queen. However, it seems that she still is unsure about who she is and her powers. Then she becomes more and more aware of “the strange voice” she keeps hearing in her head. The group soon sets out to find the origin of Elsa’s secrets and powers in order to save their kingdom and try to lift a spell that has entrapped people inside an enchanted forest.
Along those same lines, the movie gives more backstory for the parents of the two sisters, digging deep into the mythology of magic in this world and the Kingdom of Arendelle, which makes the world of Frozen II seem a lot bigger, more exciting and more magical than in the first movie.
Music is still one of the main focuses in Frozen II, and there are a few interesting new tunes and styles introduced here. You get Into The Unknown, sung by Elsa when she does finally wake up and decides to embrace her destiny; Olaf’s Broadway-style comedic song
When I Am Older; and even the 80s
power rock ballad Lost In The Woods by Kristoff, complete with cheesy guitar riffs and really dramatic lighting that provide a great amount of comic effect.
The CGI is obviously top-notch. Every scene and all the character designs are done nicely and beautifully. By far one of my favourite scenes is the one in which Elsa is trying to cross the sea. The way she tries her hardest to use all the magic she has to help her get to the other side of the ocean before meeting with the mythical water creatures — this scene is just as stunning and impactful as it looked in the teaser trailer.
The biggest thing the movie has going for it is Elsa and Anna and their dynamic together. The chemistry between the sisters is just incredible. You get that sisterly bond, and they work well together. While their personalities are so different — Elsa is an emo, self-doubting, and Anna is fun, vibrant and full of life — it is fun to see them together as buddies throughout the film. Likewise, the way it plays out with Olaf’s relationship with everybody. If you are a fan of Olaf from the first movie, then you should be happy with the new film, as he has a lot more hilarious screentime for himself here.
Kristoff ’s subplot, on the other hand, is somewhat dull and annoying, as he tries to propose to Anna for the entire movie. So you get a lot of those really tired and clichéd scenes where he’s trying to propose, she’s not paying attention, and he can’t get the words out, and you know that’s going to happen for the entire film, and that’s all they do with his character.
The film doesn’t even have a real villain. And that’s quite strange, especially for a Disney movie. I also didn’t feel like the final act was big enough to match what preceded it. It’s just about this enchanted forest, and how would Elsa correct the mistakes of the past, which just feels bland and is definitely a missed opportunity.
The biggest thing
the movie has going for it is Elsa and
Anna and their
dynamic together