Alright! Today I'm reviewing the global hit of 2013, the animated Disney musical film Frozen, which is about two sisters - Elsa and Anna - the former of which is born with magical ice powers, causing her parents to raise her in isolation. Anna, also trapped in the castle, yearns for the day she can see the outside world and meet her one true love, which might even happen at her sister's impending coronation. Enter a tale about true love, sisterhood, and responsibility, all wrapped up in songs that have been stuck in your head for the past decade.
For the most part, Frozen is excellent. The soundtrack is one of the strongest Disney has put out, the lead characters are all very likable, the animation is still lovely, the designs are instantly iconic, and the orchestral soundtrack is beautiful. Most of the gags land well enough, and the pacing is very efficient. It's a movie that will probably, if not already, burn itself into your mind. Every beat, musical cue, and small detail is likely memorized for the Gen-Z children in a way only Cars and The LEGO Movie are comparable.
It's a genuinely likable movie. However, it's not a perfect one - While it's fun to riff on the "love at first sight" trope Disney has been preaching since 1937, Frozen plays that card one too many times and it almost feels mean-spirited, or at least apologetic, for the other Disney Princess movies. There are also numerous animation errors that are hard to forget once they are seen. Additionally, the character models for Anna and Elsa look like they have been designed by Ruth Handler, which feels wholly unrealistic. Intentional or not, I also found Anna's motivation to be very reminiscent of Ariel's in The Little Mermaid, what with the "I want to see the outside world/falls in love with literally the first man she meets."
However, Disney really attempts to shake things up in that regard - Hans, Prince of the Southern Isles, and Anna's love at first sight, is revealed to be the twist villain of the movie when he refuses to give true love's kiss and reveals he only courted Anna so he could take the throne. While it's a fantastic motivation for a villain, the twist doesn't work in any regard. You see, Hans is far too likable and genuine, to the point where it doesn't feel like a twist but rather a complete 180°.
Throughout the film, Hans has zero intention of malice, even when alone with only the audience. He genuinely smiles after being pushed into the water by Anna, saves Elsa from the Weselton guards despite it being the perfect opportunity to let her die, and advocates for Elsa when they are alone together in the prison. Not only does he have no signs of malice, he is keeping up the act to the detriment of his own plans. The reveal is so jarring that it overrides the important lesson that love at first sight isn't always perfect (A lesson that is again undone by Anna falling in love at second sight with Kristoff). All in all, the film theory about the true villains being the trolls is an infinitely better twist.
Continuing the list of mild grievances, the setup of the movie is also nonsensical; after being told by (rather annoying) trolls that fear would be her enemy, the parents take that advice and decide to (1) teach her to hide and be afraid of the powers and (2) isolate not only her but also Anna in an attempt to keep them hidden. They're not winning Parent of the Year, and the fallacies that have to be taken in order for the plot to happen are just ridiculous. However, it's also strangely comforting in the classic Disney way - these odd plot details are no different than the Godmother showing up for Cinderella after 12 years of servitude and only giving her enough magic for three hours or the two fairies in Sleeping Beauty not being able to cook or sew after 16 years in a secluded forest.
But overall, Frozen doesn't need to be picked apart like that. It's a silly and fun movie with jokes and heartwarming messages, showstopping songs, and some of the best duets Disney has ever made. The auxiliary characters are all very likable (Kristoff is a hilarious everyman) and the animation is gorgeous. Frozen's only real crime is becoming so popular that it's impossible to escape.
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| Frozen III? Bring it on. |
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