Frozen II
Frozen is the type of iconic film that has such a strong cultural presence that it’s difficult to escape. Despite its near omnipresence in DVD players, Target toy aisles, and happy meals, it doesn’t seem like anyone really got sick of Frozen in the past six years since its release, which is a testament to just how charming it was. It was an absurdly likable film made by talented artists. It had an uplifting message, fun songs, a solid plot, and it was visually interesting.
While I certainly liked Frozen, I’m about a decade and a half removed from their target audience, so I probably wouldn’t have seen Frozen II in theaters if it weren’t for a gaggle of little cousins that brought me along, however, I’m glad I went.
Frozen II was a strong sequel, and the box office proves it; according to Disney, it had the biggest global animated debut of all time. Like the first, this movie also has a good message and enjoyable music, was created by the same group of gifted artists, and is even more visually appealing.
⚠️ Spoiler Warning
As far as the plot goes, I don’t want to give away too much, but suffice it to say that the story was complex and fast moving without being overly dense. I particularly enjoyed the whole “Avatar Elsa” twist. It also teaches kids the value of looking at history for yourself and making your own decisions about the truth, rather than blindly accepting what you’ve always been told.
The music was the first film’s greatest strength, and while no song in the sequel lived up to “Let It Go”, that was such an extremely high bar that I didn’t really expect them to clear it, and I don’t think they set out with the goal of outdoing themselves. However, there are more songs in this movie that could be enjoyed without immediately seeing the movie in your head.
Idina Menzel again has the strongest song in the movie, “Into The Unknown”, while Johnathan Groff’s 80s style “Lost In The Woods” is a close second, for me. If you’re checking out the album, Panic! At The Disco’s cover of “Into The Unknown” is solid, too. I wish they’d given Kristen Bell more songs because I really like her voice, but oh well. Also, the folky, Nordic sounding vocals throughout the film were terrific, and I’m glad they were able to finally explain the music from the first film’s opening credits in a way that fit the story.
Frozen II is a strong sequel. The two films each stand on their own but complement one another nicely. Should Disney make a third? Probably not. Should you drop what you’re doing and run to the theater to see this one? Also probably not. But should you tag along if you get the chance? For sure.