Referring to 2013’s Frozen as a “hit” would be, mildly put, a stupid understatement. And I’m being polite when I say “stupid.” (‘Cause kids might somehow find this review.)
From the painfully overplayed “Do You Want to Build a Snowman,” to the completely misused and meme’d “Let It Go,” Frozen was no less than a phenomenon.
But more importantly, it was a great movie. Not only was it kinda different from what had come before, it wasn’t afraid to point out and poke fun of the dated ideas its predecessors carried. It also carried a uniquely un-Disney sense of dark humour that appealed to an older audience. So it’s no easy feat for a sequel to live up to the original—let alone surpassing it.
Whether Frozen 2 surpasses the original will be a matter of extensive discussion in the years to come. But what it certainly is, is different.
From early as the first teasers, Frozen 2 felt more like a superhero flick more than the traditional Disney animated fare. A large part of Elsa’s character resonating the way it did was because she was pretty much a superhero in a fantasy setting. And if there was any potential of The Princess Bride taking a dip in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s pool, Frozen 2 would be it.
While there are certain thematic and story similarities to the first movie, it is mostly sufficient so as to keep both movies in the same narrative franchise. But there’s also enough of each character’s journey differing in this sequel for it to be its own tale. Frozen 2 is also careful to correct some of the issues from which the original suffered.
A blatant problem with the original Frozen was its questionable use of certain characters. Often abandoned to expository roles with clunky dialogue, the movie’s excessive roster felt tiresome by the end of it—-especially when there didn’t seem to be a pay off to their participation. Frozen 2 treads on the same issues, but handles it better, making what new characters introduced actually function.
Unfortunately, Disney’s ownership of Pixar works against itself. The animation of the characters feels somewhat less fluid than their sister studio’s, and the character animation already feel somewhat dated. This is especially obvious on a rewatch of Frozen, so it might actually be possible that they’re doing their best to keep things consistent, but this just may not be the best way.
Of course, as fresh a take as Frozen 2 is, there are some predictable feel good plot elements. But even as tropes go, it is generally handled better than most films that fall within the genre. Frozen 2 essentially manages to escape most of the trappings that come with being a sequel of this nature.
Even Disney’s usual annoying choice to have the featured ballad remade by some popstar to plague radiowaves is well met with Panic! at the Disco, Kacey Musgraves, and Weezer all contributing actually good renditions of their respective numbers.
And if you’re worried about not having watched (or refreshed yourself on) the first movie, fret not. Olaf’s got you covered. Just be sure to stay all the way till the end for the full Olaf experience.