Review: Frozen 2

A story of sisterhood, friendship and taking risks

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Sven, Kristoff, Anna, Elsa, and Olaf look into the distance. Photo credit: Disney Movies

Kaelei Whitlatch, Contributor

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers for “Frozenand minor spoilers for “Frozen 2.”

Six years ago, Disney produced a movie that featured an iconic song that would not leave the minds of children (and adults alike), “Let it Go.”

Disney’sFrozen” follows the tale of ice princess Elsa (played by Idina Menzel) whose magical ice powers challenge the kingdom of Arendelle when she is crowned queen of the kingdom. After accidentally revealing her snow and ice powers to the kingdom, Elsa runs off believing that her kingdom is afraid of her.

Her sister Anna (played by Kristen Bell), along with iceman Kristoff (played by Jonathan Groff), his reindeer Sven and the happy-go-lucky snowman Olaf (played by Josh Gad), venture to find the newly crowned queen. When Anna finds her sister on a mountain in her ice castle, Elsa cannot control her powers and accidentally freezes Anna’s heart.

Only an “act of true love” can reverse the spell, and after Anna’s love interest Hans of the Southern Isles (played by Santino Fontana) betrays her, it looks hopeless for the princess. However, Elsa was able to break the spell after hugging Anna and everyone has a happy ending.

The same studio that brought the award-winning film recently produced a sequel, simply titled “Frozen 2.” Opening in theaters on Nov. 22, the sequel takes place three years after the original, where Elsa is thriving in Arendelle. A flashback reminds Elsa of a story of an enchanted forest and a mysterious voice. She begins to hear a voice, a “secret siren,” seemingly calling out to her, so she decides to journey into a hidden land. Anna comes with her, leaving only the magic trolls from the first film to look after the kingdom. Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf tag along, making for a wonderful adventure and some playful music.

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Elsa controls her powers as she sings “Into the Unkown.” Photo credit: Disney Movies

The graphics and animation of the film are stunning and nearly flawless. Seeing the movie in theaters was very enjoyable due to the surround sound placing the audience in the middle of the action.

The sequel was a perfect combination of new and old. The story brought back familiar characters and events from the first film, while also telling a whole new story was able to leave an impact and give viewers an emotional narrative.

The music, although not as catchy as the first soundtrack, added to the storytelling. “Some Things Never Change” is a wonderful way to reintroduce characters within the first 10 minutes of the film. Of course, Elsa has a “Let It Go” 2.0 within “Into the Unknown.” Idina Menzel’s vocal abilities shine as she belts high notes. “When I Am Older,” sung by Olaf, is a great comedic break from the sometimes intense themes of the film.

By far, my favorite song was “Lost in the Woods” sung by Kristoff. He didn’t sing much at all in the first movie, so hearing the amazing voice of Broadway performer and Pennsylvania native Jonathan Groff was a treat. The imagery and musical elements of the song plays homage to classic rock bands such as Queen. Another song I enjoyed was “Show Yourself.” It is a feminist anthem sung by Elsa, and Menzel’s powerful vocals shape the song into a dynamic piece of music.

The entire soundtrack of songs were brilliantly written Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. The score of instrumentals by Christophe Beck also added to the film by setting the tone of many scenes.

The script of the movie was very well written, capturing the attention of both children and adults. Although it can be a stand-alone film, it is helpful to have seen the first movie to understand certain jokes. Olaf is such a loveable little snowman that made room for some comic relief, and Josh Gad’s performance never ceases to amaze. The subplot between Anna and Kristoff was also very entertaining and had a relieving conclusion.

“Frozen 2” was a great continuation of the timeless first film. The haunting tone of the movie and the more involved plot made for a story enjoyable by both children and adults. You won’t want to miss these familiar characters as they travel “Into the Unknown.”

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