A Disney blooded, crafty, fun-lovin' wife/mom/organizer/planner, etc who is obsessed with all things Disney 🙂 Maria grew up with the Magic Kingdom and has loved watching WDW evolve into what it is today. A firm believer in the Power of Pixie Dust, she is the owner of The Disney Driven Life - A Community for Neurotic Disney People & a d.i.y. crafty blog, Carousel of Projects - create~inspire~share.
When we first saw Frozen back in 2013, we were captivated, as were most little girls. The music was incredible, and then Frozen slowly took over our lives. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about…the endless days of the DVD on repeat. Singing “Let It Go” as loud as you could in the car. The apps. Frozen on Ice. Frozen, the Sing-Along version. The addition of the ice queen and princess in the parks – and an attraction that caused quite the controversy. The endless toys. Just as we thought we were free…
Frozen 2 is here…
So are we happy about this or ready to bang our heads against the wall? Let’s chat about this, spoiler-free, and dive deep into the madness.
The Movie
Why was Elsa born with magical powers? The answer is calling her and threatening her kingdom. Together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven, she’ll set out on a dangerous but remarkable journey. In Frozen, Elsa feared her powers were too much for the world. In Frozen 2, she must hope they are enough. 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 on Nov. 22, 2019. Â
The Music
Let me prepare you now. There is a lot of music in this film. When I say “a lot,” I really want to say almost every scene breaks into song. With that being said, the music itself was not “bad,” I just could not find it as catchy as the original film. The songs fit into the movie and are well done. Having an alternate version of “Into the Unknown” (Idina Menzel version vs. Panic! At the Disco version) helps to break up the monotony that we endured during the “Let It Go” phase of our lives. The “voice”(voiced by Norwegian pop artist Aurora) that calls out to Elsa is simply beautiful and intriguing. Either version works for me, as they are both beautifully different.
Another song that stood out from the rest was “Lost in the Woods.” Kristoff’s solo moment, reminiscent of an 80’s hairband power ballad video, was odd, but ok all at the same time. It was a fun break from the mellow overtone of the moment. This is another song that has an alternate version(Jonathan Groff version vs. Weezer version). For this one, I have to say that Kristoff’s(Groff) version wins it for me. Once you see this, you will understand.
The Visuals
There are so many visuals in this movie, I’m not even sure where to start. There are cameos – keep your eyes peeled for a few non-Frozen Disney pals to show up! Frozen 2 is like a Frozen family reunion – almost everyone shows up in some way. But there are new friends to get to know as well. We are introduced to Honeymaren and Ryder, who really could have had more screen time – but I guess that leaves the door open for more Frozen later on.
Frozen 2 takes us beyond Arendelle into new territory – and a backstory for Anna & Elsa. The woods are stunning and colorful. The earthy tones feel right for this time of year. It is definitely not the glimmering, glistening ice palace that we saw in Frozen, but still breathtaking. This movie is more nature-based, and with that, we see a lot of the elements – Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water. These are intense, and occasionally could be viewed as “the bad guys.” But we will talk more about that later.
Do the Right Thing
It seems that the takeaway from this sequel is “doing the right thing.” And with that, comes a dark-ish song from Anna to reiterate the message. “The Next Right Thing” talks about what to do when you feel like giving up. This line from the song explains the message best:
“You are lost, hope is gone
But you must go on
And do the next right thing”
This message is refreshing to hear, as we all struggle with something. But, Frozen 2 does not just focus on Elsa. It seems that all the main characters struggle with some form of a problem that weighs heavy on their hearts – and how they deal with the struggle somehow makes this movie a bit relatable.
That PG Rating
Frozen 2 is rated PG for action/peril and some thematic elements. Some of this movie is intense, with a few really dark scenes. A bit of Anna & Elsa’s past is relived, (their parents’ death), which really had me holding my breath. It wasn’t scary, but it is a moment that could trigger a reaction to the grief. The elements, Earth, Wind, Fire and Water do cause a few intense scenes, but nothing major. There is fighting, but again, nothing cringe-worthy.
My Overall Take
Frozen 2 is a decent movie. The story reminded me a bit of Moana, with all the elements. Olaf is once again a show-stealer. And the girls of Arendelle show just how strong girls can be.
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