My daughter was 6-years-old when Frozen premiered in 2013. A day didn’t go by without her singing along to “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” or “Let It Go”! She slept on Frozen sheets snuggled up next to her plush Anna and Elsa dolls. Eventually the Frozen DVD was on constant rotation at our house Yes, we’ve been anxiously waiting for a sequel and, thank goodness, that day has come!
Six years later, fans of the original film are given a sequel and just as the fans of Frozen have grown up, the story has also matured. Even our favorite snowman Olaf, who now has permafrost, has aged and he’s questioning life. Frozen 2 has the answers: What exactly did happen to Elsa and Anna’s parents? Where did Elsa’s powers come from? What’s the backstory??
The movie opens with everyone content in Arendelle, doing what families do, until Elsa is distracted by an enchanted voice. Elsa tries to ignore the melodic voice that calls to her but she starts to wonder if the voice understands her. Elsa chases the voice and her leaving sets off a chain reaction that puts Arendelle in danger.
Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave to follow the voice and we see the sisters switch roles. Elsa is bolder, while Anna seems nervous and protective of Elsa. But in reality Elsa knows she needs to go on a journey of self-realization.
The story telling in Frozen 2 is compelling and the animation is truly beautiful. Frozen had an amazing chart-topping soundtrack and the anthem “Let It Go”; could Frozen 2 compete with Elsa’s “Into the Unknown” sung with true heart-stopping emotion by Indina Menzel? I can say it definitely is a stellar song but I honestly loved Panic at the Disco’s version during the end credit. They nailed it!
Another great musical moment is Kristoff shining in his affectionate 80’s-styled power ballad to Anna.
To wrap it up, the second film is a little darker and edgier than the first. Cute new characters, like Bruni, a little fire spirit, add to the hilarious moments, such as when Olaf recaps the first Frozen through sidesplitting reenactments. The magical water horse Nokk reminded me of The Last Unicorn.
Also, this film has a ton of girl power with a message about embracing differences and putting family and friendship first.
Was it worth the wait? Yes! Frozen 2 is a spectacular sequel. And I hope there isn’t another Frozen. The writers did a nice job wrapping up the story with a happy ending. My advice: let it go, Disney! Job well done!
From the Academy Award®-winning team—directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, producer Peter Del Vecho and songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez—and featuring the voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Frozen 2” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2019.
