Movie Review: Frozen 2
by Julie Perez
With the monumental success that Frozen had in 2013, you would think that Disney wouldn’t dare touch it for fear of ruining it. Seldom have I watched a sequel that I regarded as high as its predecessor yet Frozen 2 has forced me to rethink the hesitancy I feel when getting ready to watch a sequel.
Frozen 2 takes a journey through Elsa and Anna’s ancestry, which leads them to discover a long-kept family secret. You see? Cartoons are just like you and me.
The plotline for Frozen 2 felt chaotic, it felt like an outline that was meant to be used for another movie. Though the plotline definitely has its issues, I offer you a quick reminder that this film is catered to children. So, does it really matter? Absolutely not.
The animation alone is absolutely stunning, the visuals leave you in awe and will find themselves embedded in your mind long after you leave the theater. The sisterly-bond continues to be charming and Elsa and Anna’s dynamic is explored a lot more this time around. The music remains catchy and I silently send a prayer for all the parents that will be forced to replay the songs until the next Disney movie comes out.
Though truly everyone exceled at the voice acting, it’s Josh Gad that steals every single scene that he’s in. Frozen 2 finds itself in darker subject matter this time around and Olaf creates the perfect moments of levity. Though (semi-spoiler) Olaf finds himself out of the movie for a big chunk in the middle, his scenes in the first act made enough of an impact to make him one of my favorite parts about the film.
In close second would be the music; just as powerful as in the first and full of life lessons that the children will sing for many, many months to come. Idina Menzel has another anthem with “Show Yourself”, Kristen Bell sings an emotional ballad with “The Next Right Thing” and Kristoff finally gets the song that Jonathan Groff deserves. “Lost In The Woods” is the 80’s pop ballad that none of us realized Frozen was missing. The editing during this song is a stand-out moment for me and most adults in attendance will appreciate it. Sure, the movie is full of clichés, which are mostly due to Kristoff’s storyline and yes, it finds itself underusing Jonathan Groff. With that being said, Frozen 2 finds itself being a strong sequel in a world full of ones we wish didn’t exist.
