After a six-year-long wait, directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck have wowed the silver screen with the second instalment of Frozen, aptly titled Frozen II. The film stars the iconic snow Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) and her free-spirited sister Anna (Kristen Bell), along with Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his trusty reindeer Sven and our ever loved snowman Olaf (Josh Gad). The heroes embark on a fantastical adventure to help uncover the secrets of their family’s past that are threatening to destroy their beloved kingdom of Arendelle in the present.
The musical sequel throws light onto the importance of sisterhood, women empowerment, the importance of love, and the need for acceptance to its young viewers and adults. These elements are beautifully encapsulated through the humorous and simple dialogues of the cast.
Keeping in touch with the first Frozen, the illuminating visual effects makes this a sequel which is full of life. From the lighting effects to the animations of the characters, even the sounds – everything is played out rather amazingly, giving the film a crisp, modern technology feel.
Credits, also need to be given to the soundtrack of the movie. Songs such as, ‘Into the Unknown’ by Idina Menzel and AURORA, ‘Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People’ by Jonathan Groff and one the cutest and best 80’s-Rock bangers, ‘Lost in the Woods’ written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez for Groff’s role as Kristoff.
The songs are artistically composed to draw the attention of the young audience towards the idea of growing up and the importance of family and sibling relationships. The concept of grief, which is a rather sensitive topic, is brought out delicately without having to disappoint the young viewers. While the tone and overall charm of the songs did not really meet the expectations of the audience as compared to the first instalment, the composers still did a fantastic job with them.
Frozen II is filled with moments that make you laugh your guts out or bawl your eyes out. One of the best scenes in the film comes, without doubt, from our adorable little snowman Olaf, when he recounts the entire first movie in his typical dramatic persona.
The film also grazes upon the modern-day issues of climate change and breaking the stereotypes of the way Disney have portrayed female characters. This is the first animated Disney film in the 21st century to dress female leads in trousers (after Mulan in 1998 and Jasmine in Aladdin in1992), which is a subtle yet huge step in breaking the traditional barriers of archetypal female presentation in Disney films.
Frozen II has considerably large shoes to fill, and the second film works hard to meet the expectations of the viewers. It’s a must-watch for a night of entertainment that will have you laugh and cry but will ultimately leave you satisfied as you walk out the theatre with a smile gracing your lips.
4 stars
Image Credit: MovieDB
Review: Frozen II
