Frozen II
FROZEN II - Disney
Frozen II, the follow-up to 2013’s wildly successful Frozen, manages to live up to the first film’s hype but not entirely. Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa’s (Idina Menzel) sisterly bond is stronger than ever and Arendelle’s gates are open. The sisters are living happily in their kingdom with Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Olaf (Josh Gad) and Sven. All seems well but Elsa has been hearing a spirit’s call that soon takes the two sisters and their friends into the great unknown, an enchanted forest and their kingdom’s past.
Compared to the first instalment, Frozen II is an even more visually remarkable movie in a technical sense. The film has an autumnal colour palette with rich magentas, greens and mustards, but it still stays true to the wintery aesthetic of Frozen. The animation is off the charts, especially the nature-based effects. The mist that looms over the enchanted forest and the raging seawater are incredibly realistic. The spirits take on the world’s four elements — earth, water, fire and air — and are animated in such a way that they can be playful or downright scary, even though they are only portrayed through floating leaves or firelight. The creativity on offer here is nothing short of superb.
The effects of Elsa’s powers have also been upgraded, as she has learned how to control her magic fully in what feels like an organic and evolutionary arc for the infamous Disney princess. The songs are very good with notable standouts — Idina Menzel and Jonathan Groff’s solos come to mind — but they are nothing compared to the original film. It begs the question: will Disney be able to make anything to top the smash hit that was Let It Go?
Frozen II keeps the core of the original film but this time the story is much darker and more mature given that it comes six years later, and Frozen’s audience has grown up, as have the characters. Anna and Elsa have their bond tested as they uncover the forest’s mystery but it is Olaf that has undergone the most change. The magical snowman is still used for laughs but the existentialist undertones will go right under young children’s heads, and this time is geared towards the adults in the audience. Some minor characters are introduced to fill in the backstory but they have limited screen time, and for that reason, they are not very memorable or engaging.
Kristoff gets the short end of the stick with his storyline. He spends the bulk of the movie trying to figure out how to propose to Anna, a romantic subplot that could have been left out. His solo song is his only memorable part as it feels like a fever dream mixed with a 90s boy band music video. There are also some questionable character choices towards the end of the film that feels forced and unearned.
Frozen II feels like it is following in the footsteps of Pixar’s Toy Story franchise; the characters and story are growing up with its audience. It is a wonderful adventure film with a strong story. It is bolder and has more laughs. The animation is vividly beautiful and though it has its missteps, it thankfully is one of Disney’s best sequels and will be enjoyed by all ages.
Frozen II is released November 22nd, 2019.