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Frozen 2 Movie Review: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell's film treads on thin ice yet delivers a visual extravaganza
Frozen 2 Movie Review: Olaf (Josh Gad) remains the strongest source of entertainment in Frozen 2, which walks on thin ice but delivers a visual extravaganza. It's the characters that take center stage and make the sequel a worthy successor, albeit, taking the safety and predictable route.
Movie Name: Frozen 2
Frozen 2 Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Frozen 2 Cast: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad
Frozen 2 Stars: 3.5/5
There are some films whose magic can't be replicated! Firstly, they slowly entice us in, taking us into the unknown and make us fall in love with adorably goofy fictional characters... even a snowman! Such was the feeling when the audience saw Frozen (2013) for the very first time. Even the frostiest of hearts melted with joy. When you have a film that has the crisp content and also becomes a billion-dollar entity, who wouldn't think of possibly elaborating it into a franchise? But with all sequels, there's the taboo of the predecessor. Does Frozen 2 fulfill its existence? Let's find out.
Frozen's strongest suit was its characters and the sequel sees the return of the awesome foursome! Taking place a few years later is Frozen 2, where we are welcomed to Arendelle, the same way Olaf had envisioned his summer to be like. Anna (Kristen Bell) takes pride in getting used to the familiar as she becomes a family with Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his trusted Sven as well as the goofball Olaf (Josh Gad). Then we have Elsa (Idina Menzel), who is finally coming to terms with the present but her fears come rising with a sound from the unknown, beckoning her and giving her sleepless nights. What's admirable about each character is that while they go on an existential journey of becoming who they are through the pathway of emotional maturity, these characters never lose their basic eccentricities. Anna is still that tad bit of a fairytale hunter while Elsa will always be the big sister, who has to let go but is still troubled by the past.
Trouble brews for Arendelle when Elsa can no longer ignore the past and that leads the squad to enter the enchanted forest farther North; something that Elsa and Anna's parents had referred to during their bedtime stories and lullaby's. In order to save Arendelle from extinction, Elsa and Anna have to make some difficult choices together and apart.
When it comes to the actual storyline, directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee weave a safety net around the characters and give us a predictable start, middle and finish. However, they use all the other components with a wild imagination that almost puts you in an hourglass of the unpredictable. Firstly, it's the strong base of all the characters who you can't help but coo over one more time. For children, in particular, you'll find them laughing and crying with pure emotions; whether it be Anna and Elsa's complex but maternal sister-bond or even Anna and Kristoff's modern age romance, so far-fetched from the usual Prince Charming-Cinderella set-up.
Even in Frozen 2, Olaf is the one with the best bits. In order to get reacquainted with Frozen, which did come out six years ago, we see our favourite snowman give us a summary, which is sure to tickle our funny bones. Josh really plays wonders with keeping Olaf fresh and witty. Idina and Kristen never lose a chord in bringing back Elsa and Anna with their stunning vocals, whose chemistry could give the biggest visual love stories a run for their money. While Elsa and Anna's progression of finding out their true worth could rival even the original, it's Kristoff who really suffers. The marriage proposal angle, while charming, seems redundant and only a technique to get Kristoff more involved. However, Jonathan Groff gets the spotlight with Kristoff's first solo song titled Lost In The Woods that has a major Backstreet Boys-themed persona. The new character, who promptly wins our hearts is Sterling K. Brown as Lieutenant Destin Mattias.
Speaking of the music, there isn't a single track that could upstage the hugely popular Let It Go but as a whole, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez have concocted the right portion, where every song feels like it deserves a place, whether it be Into The Unknown or Show Yourself. The first half is filled with one musical number after another, but it never dulls your spirit and instead, gets you reacquainted with their journey.
Frozen was a visual spectacle and with a sequel, they had to go above and beyond! Certain sequences, especially the ones with Elsa and her magical powers are such a delight, that one has to witness it to believe it. Right from the fire-frog like creature to the frozen horse, acute detailing has gone into the tiny specks of dust and it shows in complete clarity.
In finality, does Frozen 2 justify as the true successor of Frozen? While the safe space ruins what could have been an extravagant treasure, however, you can "let go" of the unpredictability and instead witness a magical ride filled with snowflakes and captivating characters.
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