The long awaited sequel to the Disney sensation Frozen was recently released on November 22nd. Frozen 2 lives up to the original movie, bringing new stories, conflicts and unforgettable moments. 

Picking up a little after the first film left off, fall is beginning in Arendelle and all seems to be pretty normal among the main characters. That is, until Elsa (Idina Menzel) starts to hear an unknown sound calling out to her. 

The beginning of the movie calls back to a memory of Elsa and Anna’s (Kristen Bell) parents telling them the story of the enchanted forest and the four elemental spirits that live in it as well as a song about a river that holds memories. After an attack on the kingdom from these spirits, Elsa, Anna, Olaf (Josh Gad), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and their reindeer Sven set off to find this forest, while encountering different obstacles along the way.

The primary aspect of this movie that I thought was beautifully executed was the music. In the original film, Elsa’s song “Let It Go” was incredibly popular with Idina Menzel’s powerful voice carrying the lyrics flawlessly. The new film gave the audience two fresh commanding songs, “Into The Unknown” and “Show Yourself.” From the lyrics to the vocals, these two did not disappoint and gave many people new songs to sing their hearts out to. 

Contrasting to these power ballads, there was also songs that added comedy. Olaf sang about how everything will make sense when he grows up in “When I Am Older.” The movie showed him going through difficult and worrisome situations while saying that everything is fine and these things will make sense later in life. Kristoff brings a boy band vibe in “Lost In The Woods.” As the reindeer sing backup for him, he sings about feeling lost without Anna by his side. Overall, the music added to the movie and made it even more enjoyable.

Olaf stole the show in Frozen 2. He brought laugh after laugh, which made the movie worth the watch. A hilarious moment in the film was when Olaf was recapping the first film to the villagers in the enchanted forest. As this part occurred, laughter could be heard throughout the entire theater. Josh Gad did an admirable job giving Olaf his voice and adding his own flair to the character. He brought the comedy throughout the entire unfolding of the story. Animated movies can never be too serious, especially with the intended audience of children. It’s nice to have humorous occurrences in order to keep kids and even adults engaged in the story.

While bringing many laughs, Frozen 2 also was an emotional rollercoaster. It starts off with a happy vibe but is almost immediately swept into drama. There are many ups and downs as the gang takes on different threats and makes new friends. Near the end, there is a huge incident that happens to Elsa and Olaf that is heartbreaking, but eventually all is resolved. It’s a given that every famous animated Disney movie has a twist that is usually sorrowful, however these moments are resolved in the end in most cases. The contrast between comedic and melancholic elements made the movie engaging.

The underlying theme of both movies is that the sisterly love between Elsa and Anna is strong enough to get them through anything. It broke Anna out of her frozen state in the first film, and it keeps them going in the second. Everything Elsa does is to protect the people she loves. Having sisters myself, this subject matter means a lot to me. I would do anything for my sisters, and it’s interesting to see that translated into a movie. Seeing the battles the characters faced and how they overcame them was intriguing and made me want to keep watching to see what they would face next. 

Frozen 2 didn’t try too hard to be better than the original and was honestly a well thought out sequel. The original movie will always be special, as it introduced many to the main characters, however the new movie brought depth to these characters and gave them more personality traits. The music carried the story along without feeling like it didn’t fit or was an awkward transition. As the movie played out, there were feelings of happiness, humor, and sadness brought throughout the theater, however the theme of love stuck out in every moment. This movie was well worth the six year wait and gave a satisfying conclusion to a story that began when most high schoolers were kids. This film is a must-see for lovers of Frozen and Disney in general.

4.5/5