The original Frozen stood out for its nods to the classic Disney animated musicals of the past while also adding enough modern sensibilities to its characters to feel relatable, without falling into the traps of feeling too anachronistic or desperately trying to be hip. Six years later, the followup doesn’t match the heights of the first in terms of innovation but still is able to remind us of why we fell in love with these characters.
Rather than how the last movie showcased Josh Gad’s childlike and comical snowman Olaf next to Sven the reindeer in the opening trailer, Frozen II has presented itself from the start as an adventure film first and foremost, and its cast going further beyond heir home kingdom of Arrendale they ever have.
What’s drawing them to the mysterious enchanted forest of Ahtohallan? Elsa (Idina Menzel) only has a vague idea, but it’s related to a melody she keeps hearing at night that calls back to stories and a lullaby their parents, the late King Agnarr (Alfred Molina) and Queen Iduna (Evan Rachel Wood) told the two royal sisters as kids.
Her sister Anna (Kristen Bell), her boyfriend Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Sven and Olaf accompany her to said forest, where they discover they’ve got to resolve an ongoing conflict between Arrendellian soldiers and the Northuldra tribe- with the help of four scattered elements (don’t worry, it’s not an Avatar: Last Airbender copy, Frozen II’s approach to this trope is pretty unique).
The crew talked about the story symbolizing women “rescuing themselves” during the press buildup. It’s evident as the lead sisters give Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps and Basil of Baker Street runs for their money when it comes to Disney’s “detective” characters. Needless to say, Anna and Elsa’s style of investigating the voice and their family’s past involves challenging giant rock-monsters, battling small lizards who can manipulate hot pink flames and an attempt to wrangle a horse made out of water, leading to some super-impressive visuals and action sequences.
Elsa has understandably become one of the more analyzed Disney characters because of her motivations (there are videos wondering if she may ever get a conventional Disney love interest). The company’s female characters overall have gradually become more assertive- Snow White and Cinderella were lauded for their optimism and perseverance, then Ariel and Belle for their proactiveness, then to heroines like Mulan, Tiana, Lilo and Nani for their relatability, then to Rapunzel and Elsa’s journeys of self-discovery serving as their own stepping stones.
She goes on another one in this film, which also ties into the case relating to the warring kingdoms. Her and Anna’s search is emotionally taxing for both of them, and there’s some nice development between the two without it coming off as if they’ve taken steps back in their progression from the first story.
Much of that feeling is wonderfully expressed in song, and Menzel and Bell’s performances are top tier. It’s impossible for me to predict if “Into The Unknown” will become as iconic as Let It Go did over time, but I feel songs like Elsa’s epic power-ballad “Show Yourself” and Anna’s heartfelt” “The Next Right Thing” will become favorites for Disney music fans. Josh Gad also gives Olaf another entertaining number with “When I’m Older”, marking his growing maturity without losing his inherent goofiness.
I was a bit let down by how the new supporting characters received a limited amount of focus. A tribesman named Ryder (Jason Ritter) has some funny moments with Kristoff (leading to the hilarious “Lost In The Woods” sequence), but Ralph Breaks The Internet was able to expand its cast a little and define its newcomers fairly well (alongside the multiple cameos), so I’d have liked to see more from Sterling K. Brown’s solder Mattias and Ryder’s sister Honeymaren (Rachel Matthews).
But Anna and Elsa were always meant to be the heart of this movie, and they don’t disappoint. For all of the impressive set pieces in this film, one of my favorite moments is a smaller one between them- when the younger sibling sings their mother’s lullaby and Elsa snuggles up against her sister on the bed. It’s mind-meltingly adorable, and subtlely powerful without using big, exaggerated animations (though this adventure has plenty of that).
This sequel isn’t the game-changer its predecessor was, but the Frozen cast hasn’t lost any steps in terms of their affability and emotional sincerity. Aside from the story feeling a bit overstuffed in detail (though without giving away too much, it almost feels like it handles Pocahontas’ themes better than the actual 1995 movie), it’s still another entertaining outing with the Arrendale crew that will provide kids and their parents more songs to sing on road trips. Just make sure you’re in the right frame of mind for that one Anna song, because wow. If you’ve had a chance to see it, let us know your thoughts at @official_FAN at Twitter as always!