No one would have guessed the impact Frozen had when it was released back in 2013, and now it’s back to head into the unknown.
This Disney movie exceeded even the loftiest of expectations to become the cultural powerhouse that it has become. Frozen became a global box office smash and the film’s soundtrack and songs sold millions of copies. Songs like Let It Go and Do You Want To Build A Snowman easily became Disney classics. Today, Frozen is one of the most beloved and recognized movies for kids of this generation.
Given the success of the first movie, the sequel has some very big expectations heaved on its shoulders. With all that being said, Frozen 2 is a worthy successor to Frozen.
Frozen 2 continues the story of Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven as they journey to an ancient and mystical forest in order to save Arendelle. Along the way, Anna and Elsa discover more about their past, which is the key in order to save their kingdom.
The most noticeable and commendable thing about Frozen 2 is that its animation style is just as good, maybe even better than the original.
The visuals the film uses are stunning such as the scenic backdrops with great attention to detail and vibrant colors. The movie expands on what was seen in the original to include other elements like water, fire, air, and earth, and their effects are quite good. The visual quality is top-notch and there are a couple of scenes that look especially better and epic on the big screen.
The original cast of the first movie reprises their roles in Frozen 2, including Kristen Bell as Anna and Idina Menzel as Elsa. While Jonathan Groff’s portrayal of Kristoff can be funny at times, his character arc is one dimensional and the main issue he is facing in this film comes off as non-important when compared to the bigger events of the film as well as the character arcs of the other characters.
The real star of the show is Josh Gad as Olaf who gives a scene-stealing performance. There were a few times during the movie where he brought the biggest laughs and more memorable moments. The film also introduces new characters as well, like the tribe of people living in the mystical forest. But the characters we do see don’t stay long enough to leave any lasting impression.
Frozen 2 has a good selection of songs, though some are better than others.
Standout songs include a couple of tracks where Idina Menzel flexes her singing prowess and a pop-rock power ballad performance from Jonathan Groff halfway through the movie. Other songs are a bit forgettable and don’t have the same catchy tune as the original. While it remains to be seen whether Frozen 2’s soundtrack becomes just as popular as the first, the sequel’s soundtrack is good enough.
As stated before, Frozen 2 expands on the lore of the first movie by introducing the elemental spirits of the ancient forest. This helps give context to Elsa’s powers, but the film could have expanded the lore better. There are times where the movie introduces a concept but doesn’t talk about it again or brushes over it even though it could have made the story more compelling.
The biggest fault of Frozen 2 is that compared to the first movie, it’s not as unique as the original. Because of this, the story falls flat.
While the first film talked about how Anna and Elsa’s love for one another is more important than the love of any man, the sequel delves into more mature themes of what it means to do what is right and the inevitability of change, even if it means to let go. While this could have made Frozen 2 more compelling, the film doesn’t do much with it and sticks to more conventional story beats. The plot points of the movie are something that has been done before and, for older audiences, could have even been predicted.
Frozen 2 doesn’t shake up the formula as much as Frozen did.
All in all, it’s still a good movie, albeit one that doesn’t really surpass the original. Gorgeous visuals, great voice work, and some catchy songs are offset by a flat story and lore that could have been explored better.
Catch Frozen 2 in Philippine cinemas this Wednesday, November 20.
