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Six years ago, Disney’s Frozen charmed moviegoers of all ages—and parents ended up with “Let It Go” stuck in their heads for years. Now Arendelle’s royal family and their friends are ready to set out on another frosty adventure in the eagerly-anticipated sequel.
Frozen II finds Queen Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) distracted by a mysterious voice that seems to be calling her away from her kingdom—and when disaster strikes Arendelle, she decides to travel in search of answers. She and her sister, Anna (Kristen Bell), follow the voice to an enchanted forest—and a kingdom that’s been kept in darkness for years. And while Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) tries to figure out how to propose to Anna—and Olaf (Josh Gad) contemplates his growing maturity—Elsa decides to continue the journey alone.
Early on in Frozen II, the filmmakers begin preparing fans for change: the changing of the seasons, the changes in the characters, the changes in relationships—and maybe even some big changes in Arendelle. And just the thought of things changing could be scary for fans. But let’s face it: change is inevitable in a sequel—and while Frozen II definitely tries to recapture the frigid fun of the original, it shows that it’s just not easy to remake such an overwhelming success.
The sequel finds Elsa and Anna trying to find answers—answers to what’s happening in Arendelle and maybe answers to their own past. The enchanted kingdom holds significance for the sisters and their parents—as explained in a rather complex tale told in a flashback to the girls’ childhood. In fact, much of the story is much more complicated than it needs to be, and storylines often feel awkward and forced. It’s a hard movie to explain—because it heads off in so many directions, often without a real, solid reason. And it’s all accompanied by a series of songs that you’ll struggle to remember in the morning (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for parents who still haven’t recovered from The Non-Stop “Let It Go” Singalong of 2013-2016).
Fortunately, though, there are still plenty of things here that haven’t changed. The animation is, once again, absolutely breathtaking—inviting audiences into this magical world of ice and water, of falling leaves and blazing fire. The characters, too, are still lovable—especially lovably bumbling Kristoff and, of course, Olaf, who continues to offer plenty of comic relief. In fact, they provide some of the film’s greatest moments. So while parents may wrestle with the film’s rambling story and forgettable songs, young fans will just enjoy Olaf’s storytelling and the singing reindeer and the animated magic of another trip to Arendelle and beyond.
Diehard Frozen fans will love catching up with their favorite characters in the long-awaited sequel. And the sheer artistry alone makes it worth watching on a big screen. But if you’re hoping for the music and magic and unforgettable moments of the original, you might end up feeling left out in the cold.
Blu-ray Review:
Every film goes through changes throughout production—and that’s probably even more likely when it comes to the highly-anticipated sequel to a smash hit like Disney’s Frozen. And the Blu-ray release of the animated follow-up explores all areas of the film—and the changes it underwent during the quest to get it just right.
Special features include five deleted scenes and two deleted songs—all with introductions by the directors, who discuss the changes in the story and how they also led to changes in musical numbers. And, for those interested in the inspiration for the story and its parts, The Spirits of Frozen II explores the inspiration and the animation of the different nature spirits, while Gale Test has some extra fun with the wind spirit.
If music is your thing, you won’t want to miss features like Scoring a Sequel, which discusses some of the instruments, the themes, and the melodies used in composer Christophe Beck’s score. You’ll also want to check out the music videos by Panic! At the Disco and Weezer, as well as the song selection feature, which allows fans to sing along with their favorite songs. And you won’t want to miss hearing “Into the Unknown” sung in 29 different languages.
Or, if you’re just looking for something quick and fun, check out Did You Know? which offers some interesting facts and Easter Eggs that the kids will love. And don’t miss the in-studio silliness of the outtakes.
Whether you love the story aspects of filmmaking, the music, or just the entertainment value, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in this release. Even if you don’t normally explore the special features, take a minute to watch the outtakes and the Did You Know? feature with your kids. They’re short and fun—and they may actually give your kids a new interest in animation.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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