Frozen 2 might just be the first sequel to be even better than its original counterpart. This film was absolutely brilliant in every aspect. Frozen 2 surpassed the hype and is worth seeing more than once. The visuals, storytelling, music, and character development were all magnificent.
*This article contains spoilers. If you have not seen the film, then please do not read any further.
All is Found
The intro to this movie sets the tone for the entire film. You know how they say the overture in a musical gives you clues into the rest of the show? That’s exactly what this first song did for us. “All is Found” is sung by the Queen of Arendelle (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) as a lullaby to her sweet daughters, yet this is where all of the answers of their past do lie. “There’s a river full of memory” is such an important line in this song, and later we hear Olaf constantly tell his friends that, “Water has memory.” Honestly, this was such a brilliant use of a tender lullaby. This scene reveals such a tender relationship Anna and Elsa had as children before Elsa hid herself and her powers. Also, seeing the Queen cuddle close with her daughters was beautiful. I really appreciated the tender moments Anna and Elsa had with their parents.
Some Things Never Change
Fast forward to present day, and the residents of the kingdom of Arendelle are perfectly content with life as it is. This, of course, means that something major is about to happen. Nevertheless, the sheer optimism coming from each of our heroes (including Elsa this time!) was pure and wonderful. We get a glimpse into the heart of each of them, and it’s evident that they all love and appreciate their time together. It reminds us to seize the day and truly love the ones you’re with.
Into the Unknown
Elsa has grown so much since we last saw her in the original Frozen film. Also, Idina Menzel kills it, yet again, in this powerful song of self discovery. She went from hiding her powers from everyone to being proud of who she is. Although, when she hears this call she seemed to pull back into her scared, unsure self. This song sent shivers down my spine as Elsa began to embrace the idea of chasing this voice calling out to her. Rather than ignore it, she even calls back to it in the same way it called. The way this song built up was powerful, and seeing Elsa use her power in ways we have never seen was refreshing and exciting to say the least.
When I Am Older
Our sweet, sweet Olaf delivers loads of laughs throughout the entire movie. He has the bright side of everything ready every time. This song talks about how everything makes sense when we are older, but is that ever the case? Sure, we understand things a little bit better, but we never have all of the answers. And speaking of character development: one of my favorite Olaf moments was when he tells Anna he feels anger rising. That anger was rising in him! This is the first, and I think only, time Olaf feels anything but happiness. We are allowed to be angry when the ones we love push us away. Thankfully, Olaf did not feel this way for too long once he reconciled those feelings. Way to go, little buddy!
Lost in the Woods
Kristoff gets his own song this time around, and Jonathan Groff has such an incredible voice. I could probably sit here and write a book about all of the reasons why it is such a great song. I won’t, don’t worry. This song is an 80s style ballad, and it is even filmed that way. Talk about pure animation genius. Kristoff is so in love with Anna, and he will do anything for her. Here, we get to see exactly how he feels, which is so rare for a male character in movies these days. Listening to him pour himself out was beautiful. Kristoff feels so lost without Anna. Later, when he does end up catching up with Anna, she apologizes for leaving him behind. His response? “My love isn’t fragile.” This is such a powerful line. Kristoff knew Anna had to be there for her sister, and he so clearly loves her no matter what happens. Yet another example of tremendous character growth.
Show Yourself
This song is another powerful, self-discovery song that does not disappoint. I had the chills, and it made me cry. Elsa is finally certain about herself. She is no longer worried about her powers or her past. She comes to terms with how special she is. The power in this scene is incredible. The outfit and hair change is reminiscent of the first movie, but here it seems to be much more powerful. Elsa’s hair comes down, and to me this is almost as if she is finally letting her walls down and allowing herself to be as true as she has always wanted to be. As it turns out, the call was coming from her mother and the truth about her kingdom.
The Next Right Thing
Talk about a deep, emotional song. Anna, who is usually another one of our optimistic heroes, is utterly alone. As someone who is used to always being around a loved one, I completely resonated with this song. Anna is lying there, in the cold and darkness. Elsa is gone, she thinks Kristoff has left, and now Olaf has faded. How Kristen Bell got through recording this song is beyond imaginable. Anna has a choice: either she gives up and goes home or she does “the next right thing.” She is brave. She is strong. The choice was not clear to her in the beginning, and she knew in her heart exactly what needed to happen. It was beautiful to watch her fight the mental battle of not giving up. Elsa, through her magic, was able to show Anna what needed to be done. And Anna was able. The inner struggle shown through this dynamic song caused a lot of tears along with yelling (internally of course) YOU GO GIRL.
To Sum Up…
Frozen 2 easily gets a 10/10 stars from me. We finally get to see where Elsa got her powers, and it was a relief to learn they were a blessing and not a curse. Of course it was a happy ending, and I personally squealed with glee when Kristoff finally expressed his feelings to Anna and proposed. Anna became the queen of Arendelle, while Elsa took her place as queen among the Northuldra. Seeing both sisters in a place of authority was the perfect way to end this already perfect film. Well done, Disney.
What Twitter is saying
guys, man of the hour: Kristoff. 🤴🏻🤴🏻🤴🏻
Single-handedly destroying toxic masculine standards by being that role model who teaches young boys it’s ok to FEEL 👏🏼 AND 👏🏼 EXPRESS👏🏼 EMOTIONS 👏🏼 while still looking "good" in leather 😉😉#Frozen2 pic.twitter.com/dSEeENJpR8
— 지훈이가 🌸🌸🇵🇸 (@Ji_Hoon_Lee) November 25, 2019
https://twitter.com/Cherryart_/status/1198985553213083648
the way that elsa’s hair evolves as she begins to open her heart to those who love and believe in her the most is so beautiful #frozen2 pic.twitter.com/r8zAFtKhGz
— nat🍒 (@blazingidina) November 24, 2019
the most breathtaking cinematography #frozen2 pic.twitter.com/iFotGVAhe0
— maisie (@nancyswheeIer) November 23, 2019
Very well said!!!i it’s a 10/10 for me also! I can’t stop listening to the soundtrack. Primarily “lost in the woods”. That song made me chuckle with both reminiscing feelings and a love for Jonathan Groff!