Frozen Review

Rating: 8/10 (8 January 2014)

Disney's 53rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics Series, Frozen, came out this year on November 27. Directed by Chris Buck (Tarzan) and Jennifer Lee (Wreck it Ralph) this computer-animated musical is loosely based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale called The Snow Queen. It illustrates the story of two sisters with a feel similar to the Broadway musical Wicked; the youngest, Anna (Kristen Bell), is very much like Rapunzel from Tangled with her rambunctious lust for life. The oldest sister, Elsa (Idina Menzel), comes across poised and stand offish, though the real reason behind her reserved demeanor and isolation is due to her dangerous icy powers, which grow increasingly deadly whenever Elsa becomes emotional. When long-simmering tensions come to a height at a coronation party, the newly crowned queen fearfully flees the kingdom and unintentionally whips up a snow storm that throws everyone into a glittering white winter. In order to bring back summer and fix the unnatural seasonal change, Anna sets off on a journey to find Elsa and put things to right again, but more importantly to make a reconciliation with a sister she used to be very close to. Along the way she develops a company of friends including a ruggedly handsome mountain man, his pet reindeer, and a cheeky snowman.
Here's a film that I hadn't originally planned on watching because of the cheesy trailers and the lack of marketing, which for me was indicative of a sloppily thrown together el cheapo 3D film. The commercial advertising didn't do Frozen any favors focusing too heavily on the kiddish comic relief. I didn't want another Disney road trip movie with quirky reindeer characters, a talking snowman or even a plastic looking Barbie princess squeaking "Cold, cold cold!" While what I got wasn't something that deserved a comparison to Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King, it still had all the wholesome whimsical tones that mark a memorable Disney classic. Many film critics also agree that it's possibly one of the best animated musicals since Disney's renaissance era. It received critical acclaim upon its release.
I owe the majority of this film's success to the stellar visuals and the mildly heart-warming bond between the two sisters. The strongest playing card of the film is the complexity of Elsa's character and Anna's drive to break through the emotional walls that she has built up makes for sweet story telling. Unfortunately when Elsa runs away and leaves the scene the movie loses it's momentum. The high point of the film comes at this point when Elsa, on her way up a mountain side belts out a power ballad called "Let it Go." While singing this Disney version of "Defying Gravity", she sculpts a massive ice crystal castle using her ice-bending powers. It is a VERY impressively animated scene with gorgeous visuals complimenting the musical arrangement. I recommend giving it a watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk Fans of beautiful big-budget animation will enjoy these creatively rendered blossoming snow crystal patterns.
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