Movie Review: Frozen 2
December 4, 2019
Six years after the original release of “Frozen,” “Frozen 2” made its debut on Nov. 22. Filled with all of the winter excitement, original music, and lovable characters of the original, “Frozen 2” is a must-see for all of the OG fans of “Frozen” and newcomers alike.
“Frozen 2” follows the same sister duo that won our hearts in 2013, but this time, to uncover the mysteries of an enchanted forest from their childhood nursery rhymes. When Arendelle is threatened by the four elemental spirits, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf go on a journey to find the source of Elsa’s powers and save their kingdom. Along the way, they find Arendellian soldiers from an age-old battle trapped in the enchanted forest, and make it their mission to set them free.
“Frozen 2” casting is beyond phenomenal, just like in the original “Frozen”. Idina Mezel perfectly encapsulates Elsa’s character yet again, just as Kristen Bell does with Anna. Josh Gad returns as Olaf, even funnier and sillier than before. The casting keeps the characters alive and consistent through the sequel.
A Disney movie would not earn the title without a finely-tuned soundtrack to accompany it. While the music in “Frozen 2” cannot beat the iconic “Let it Go” from the original, the producers made a very strong attempt. The tracks varied quite a bit, from “Into the Unknown” showcasing Menzel’s ever-impressive vocals, to “All is Found,” which is reminiscent of “Colors of the Wind” from “Pocahontas.” The new songs tackled some extremely large issues in a practical yet moving way. The 80s-esque “Lost in the Woods” shows the hardships of love— which is a refreshing, realistic take compared to Disney’s happily-ever-after stereotype. “The Next Right Thing” also reflects aspects of depression, another surprise from Disney. The soundtrack is the shining star of “Frozen 2,” just like people expect from any classic Disney story.
“Frozen 2” does have one major downfall, however: an extremely complicated plotline. For an adult watching a children’s movie, I found myself asking a lot of crucial plot-based questions, and paying a lot of attention to follow it. This seems to be a pretty popular opinion, but to me, it is defensible because the movie is tackling some larger-than-life issues. Albeit a little complicated, taking risks to show realistic love, depression, selflessness, pushing boundaries and more in a children’s movie is commendable.
That being said, the complicated plot should not prevent children from watching this movie. Even if they don’t understand it completely, children could definitely enjoy the story, characters and music, not to mention that it’s important to expose them to issues like these in a kid-friendly way.
Overall, “Frozen 2” deserves praise as a more-than-impressive sequel. It tackles some big issues with appealing characters and an incredible soundtrack, along with fantastic casting. The sophisticated plot also makes it entertaining for adults, meaning that “Frozen 2” is truly a movie for the whole family.
