The Lowdown: I was not prepared for Frozen, Disney’s latest animated musical. In fact, I was not aware that it was going to be a musical, and as such, it brought back a wave of nostalgia and memories of my childhood, when Disney made this kind of film all the time. Goodness knows I watched all of them. But I digress. Frozencontinues the tradition of Disney making films that not only appeal to kids, but also resonate with adults. Certain moments tug at the heartstrings, and it is these moments that make Frozenshine. Beautiful animation, catchy music, and life lessons are present, obviously, since this is a Disney film. Frozen is certainly as enjoyable as last year’s Disney feature, Wreck-It-Ralph (2012), but may be more comparable to the last Disney musical, The Princess and the Frog (2009), and Pixar’s Brave (2011). Basically, Frozen is a wonderful film.
Wonderfully animated too.
1. The Plot: In the Kingdom of Arendelle, the King and Queen have two daughters, Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel). Elsa has been born with the power to create snow and ice from her fingertips. After an accident where Anna is injured by Elsa’s magic, the King and Queen take Anna to a group of magical trolls that live in the mountains. The leader of the trolls saves Anna, but with a cost: he removes all memories of Elsa’s magic from Anna, and advises the King and Queen that Elsa’s power will only grow, and that she must learn to control it. As a result, Anna and Elsa are separated by their parents and isolated within the castle. As years pass, Elsa’s powers grow, but even with the tragic passing of their parents, Anna and Elsa are still kept apart.
Loneliness.
Years later, when Elsa has come of age, the castle prepares for her coronation as the new Queen of Arendelle. Anna is overjoyed at finally being able to leave the castle, but Elsa still fears that her powerful magic will be witnessed by the public. Anna meets Hans (Santino Fontana), a prince from another nation, and the two hit it off immediately. However, Elsa’s powers are accidentally unleashed during the after party, which traps Arendelle in an eternal winter. Elsa flees to the high mountains, and Anna goes after her. Along the way to rescue her sister, Anna meets and teams up with Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), an ice salesman, Sven, his reindeer, and Olaf, a goofy talking snowman imbued with magic. Will Anna be able to save Elsa, stop the eternal winter, and find true love in the process? And will this journey involve spontaneous breaking-into-song-and-dance?2. The Characters: Frozen features the usual Disney blend of characters, a formula that they perfected ages ago. Anna is the feisty, plucky sister who was allowed to live a normal, if lonely, life. Played by Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars), Anna is a girl who longs for the love of her sister, Elsa, but cannot understand why Elsa won’t see her. Elsa, played by Idina Menzel (the Broadway musical Wicked), was kept in an isolated room in the castle for most of her life, afraid of her ice powers and hurting others with it. As much as she would love to see Anna, she can’t bring herself to. Side characters include Kristoff, played by Jonathan Groff (Glee), an ice salesman whose best friend and travel buddy is his reindeer, Sven. The two end up being dragged into Anna’s quest to save Elsa, but even though Kristoff and Anna don’t initially see eye to eye, perhaps true love will blossom somewhere along the line. Or will it?
Hard to say, really.
Anna also has eyes for Prince Hans (Santino Fontana), who she met and hit it off with immediately at Elsa’s coronation. Complicated love aside, there is comic relief in the form of a goofy talking snowman named Olaf, voiced by Josh Gad (Jobs). Olaf was a snowman built by Anna and Elsa when they were little, and Elsa conjured him from her memories. Life as a talking snowman must be tough, especially for Olaf who dreams of the summertime.
Someone should tell him.
3. For Kids and Adults Alike: I mentioned before how animated films, especially ones by Disney and Pixar, are geared towards children and adults. That fine balance of realism and harmless kid-friendliness permeates films made by these studios, and Frozenis no exception. Frozen touches on issues such as forced separation, the growing apart of siblings, and coping with loss, amongst others. The inclusion of mature issues such as these is almost to be expected from animated films these days, but while they are cleverly inserted and peppered throughout the film, they are never overemphasized. Adults watching the film would instantly understand, but the deeper meaning would likely fly over the heads of the kids giggling at Olaf’s wacky hijinks.(WARNING: SPOILERS IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH)
With all of that being said, there is one scene in the film which perfectly encapsulates this fine balance. For those who do not want spoilers, please don’t read this paragraph. The scene I’m referring to is the “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” scene. This scene is a montage showing Anna and Elsa growing up separated from each other. The song and animation work together to tell the whole story, and the audience instantly understands what is happening. Of course, while the singing and humor in the song will appease the kids in the audience, the adults will be thinking of the ramifications that separating the sisters will cause. Then the rug is pulled from underneath the audience when the King and Queen go on a sea voyage and their ship sinks. It is never stated that they perished, but the sight of their ship disappearing behind rough, stormy waves gets the point across. The conclusion of the song is of Anna and Elsa during their time of mourning, but despite the deaths of their parents, they are still separated from each other. The final verse of the song even seems like it leaves out the last line, a line which should have been spoken by Elsa, but due to her isolation, she can’t sing it. This one scene is pretty much like a sledgehammer to the feels. It is reminiscent of the heartbreaking intro to Up (2009), another film which dealt with mature issues and resonated with both kids and adults alike.
(END OF SPOILERS)
The Bottom Line: Frozen is a wonderful film that is perfect for pretty much anybody. It makes one nostalgic for the days when Disney made animated musical classics like Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan, and Beauty and the Beast. It is also a great example of a film with a genuinely affecting emotional core. Audience members sitting around me were digging out tissues. The bottom line: Frozen will melt your heart.
"Some people are worth melting for." - Olaf
Frozenis property of Walt Disney Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios. This review was written by me.Like the review? Post a comment. Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/filmaholicreviewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FilmaholicRvews
Copyright © Filmaholic Reviews, 2013
