It is rare when a film captures the public zeitgeist and dominates pop culture for a period of time. That is exactly what Frozen managed to do back in 2013. It was a massive success hat captured the hearts and minds of families everywhere with great characters, a touching story, and songs that were impossible to resist. Now Frozen II is trying to recapture that magic and tell another story in this series. Will this attempt pay off? I’m not completely sure walking out of this film. While it takes us back to this world and gives us a fresh story, I believe it may be harder for kids to latch onto.
To describe the plot of this film might be very difficult but I’ll do my best. Frozen II picks up a couple years after the events of the original and we see our characters Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven all living their lives in the kingdom. All are happy until a call from far keeps singing to Elsa. That call leads to Arendelle falling into turmoil due to the elements collapsing, and the group ventures off to an ancient forest to fix the problem and find the true origin of Elsa’s powers. Sound complicated? That’s because it surprisingly is for a kid’s movie and I love that about it. This film is being released five years after the original came out, and it is expecting the audience to mature with it. Heavy play Disney. We saw this recently with Toy Story 4 this past year where the film played more towards the generation that grew up with the franchise rather than a newer one. I respect Frozen II for taking that swing and while it may not payoff financially, it succeeds in quality. It is not bigger and louder like many sequels are, it is instead more personal and explorative of its characters like a Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 is. If you can get on board with that, you will enjoy this film.
What I believe is going to play very well with Frozen II is the messages it is trying to translate to audiences. This film has a lot on its mind, and it doesn’t hold your hand when trying to explain itself. For instance, this film has big ideas about maturity. It knows everyone will eventually grow up and face that crisis of wanting to mature while also not wanting to lose that childhood view of the world you have. Olaf in particular faces this situation. He is a snowman who was born to fast and is still learning the world around him as it changes constantly. Same goes for Elsa. While she was able to finally control her powers by the end of the original and embrace her sister, there were still unanswered questions she had about her past and always knew one day they would come back. It is not about being comfortable where you are, it is about facing the reality to grow and learning from it.
Two of the major factors that made the original Frozen so successful were its lively characters and tremendous songs. That formula works here, and perhaps takes it a step further. While no song is as catchy as “Let it Go”, there are three others that come damn close. The one your kids will be playing constantly is “Into the Unknown”. It has that catchy vibe that will get stuck in your head. Meanwhile “Lost in the Woods” that Kristoff sings really drives home a powerful message and “Show Yourself” by Elsa and Anna takes that and brings it to a whole new level. “Show Yourself” can be interpreted in many ways, all of which are worth exploring. Of course, the voice talent is impeccable. Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel return as Elsa and Anna and could not have done better with what they are given. I felt Frozen was more of Anna’s movie, but Elsa gets the brunt of it in the sequel and just crushes it to the point where Elsa is one of Disney’s best characters of recent. Josh Gad is so much funnier as Olaf in this film but also gets heavy moments that can just crush you. Finally, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff is the unsung hero of this cast. He has a relatability and vulnerability that he brings to Kristoff that just knocks you back in your seat. The entire cast is stellar and one of the best for an animated film Disney has assembled.
This may seem like it was a lot to unpack and you may be confused as to where I lie on this film. Truth is, I did not know how to feel once the credits rolled for Frozen II but as I left and even began writing this, it has only gotten better in my estimation. It is dark, and deep, and joyful, and full of surprises but in the end, a very worthy sequel. The more you watch this film the better it will get and only grow in your feelings with each viewing. It may be tougher for younger children, but it will be well worth it for those who strap in for the ride.
The Verdict