Frozen (PG)
Grade: B+
- Directed by: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
- Produced by: Peter Del Vecho
- Screenplay by: Jennifer Lee. Based on "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen
- Starring: Kristen Bell (Anna), Idina Menzel (Elsa), Jonathan Groff (Kristoff), Josh Gad (Olaf), Santino Fontana (Hans), Alan Tudyk (Duke of Weselton), Ciarán Hinds (Grand Pappie The Troll King), Chris Williams (Oaken), Maurice LaMarche (King of Arendelle)
- Music by: Christophe Beck
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios
- Distributed by: Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures
- Released: November 27, 2013
- Running Time: 108 minutes/1 hour and 48 minutes
- Language: English
"Why do you shut me out? Why do you shut THE WORLD out? What are you so AFRAID of?"
-Anna
Everyone feels or says what's above at least once in their lives. If we didn't, then we wouldn't be human. The same applies to the characters in "Frozen" as well, the newest film from Disney, that is perfect for the Winter season. I saw this film recently with no expectations and knowing nothing about the plot. And besides a few things I personally disliked, I think this is one of the strongest Disney films in quite a long time.
Seeing the film in the theater made it a sight to behold and kept me warm, but that changed instantly once the film started. The film opens with two young sisters named Elsa and Anna (Elsa is older, while Anna is younger). One day, while playing late at night, tragedy strikes when Elsa accidentally does something to Anna. It causes great distress for their parents, who seek help to fix the problem. The solution is not one Elsa approves of, but she has no choice but to accept it for the good of her family. By accepting it though, her close relationship with her sister changes. They don't see or talk to each other anymore, and they especially don't play in the snow, which they used to love to do. Flash forward to a few years in the film, when both sisters are older. It's a special day in both their lives because Elsa is having her coronation, and the castle gates will be open for the first time in years. But by doing so, both of their lives are put in danger in ways they don't see coming.
Now, when I said that there were a few things I disliked about this film personally, I mean things that probably didn't bother others, but bothered me. For instance, the music in the film film was below average to me. Some critics say that this has been Disney's best musical film since the Disney Renaissance era, and while I agree with that sentiment, that's not saying much, since Disney hasn't tried putting memorable songs in their films for years. And when they have, they've either been in Pixar films, or songs by other artists, like in "Wreck-It-Ralph", where you know the music wasn't solely made for the film. "Frozen" has some of the same problems. I enjoyed a few of the songs, but others were badly placed, and sounded too much like pop music on the radio. Also, some plot events moved too fast and were never fully explained or referenced again. This is nothing new for Disney, but it would help to give more depth to the characters, which I feel many Disney films often lack. Lastly, I feel as though "Frozen" suffered from what some people call the "Full Metal Jacket" effect, where one half of the film is good, but the other half stinks. The first half of this film wasn't that great to me, but the second half blew me away, which really made it spectacular.
While the negatives of "Frozen" seem like a lot, they do not outweigh the positives I saw from the film. Like I mentioned earlier, the second half of the film really surprised me because its plot twist, that changed the film in a way that I didn't expect at all. I thought I could predict what was going to happen since I've done it before in so many other films, but I couldn't predict anything at all this time. The interaction between characters, the humor, how the film ended; it was fantastic. The cast also deserves credit. Only one actress was known, yet they all did a good job, regardless of whether they had a major role or not. The main reason I think the film appealed to me though, was because of the theme's that I thought it instilled. The theme's that you should really get to know a person before making a decision with them, or that there's more than one way to show love to somebody. They're things that we all know or believe, but to see how it was portrayed on screen was fascinating.
The animation of the film was something I marveled at, like I always do when I see how animation is done now. It's changed so much for me, like it has for everyone who grew up with hand-drawn Disney films. Whenever I see new HD animation for TV shows, I hate it because I think it takes away from the show and makes it look worse, but for films, such as this one from Disney, I think the new technology works since it does it gradually, and it's more consistent and realistic compared to some films and shows. I'm surprised my stance on animation has changed, since usually when it comes to films, I'm pretty stubborn, but it's time to accept technology and what it can now accomplish. Personally, I don't think I'll ever be used to it, but it's amazing to think it can make animation look that realistic, making me wonder what's in store for the future...
In the end, despite a frigid first half to the film, "Frozen" is a great film from Disney. I don't know if it's better than "Wreck-It-Ralph" was (which had similar animation), but since it's about issues that relate to people, I think it was a bit more memorable and stronger. Regardless of how I feel though, if you enjoy animated films, you'll like this film. And if you love Disney like I do, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Yes, some things are poorly tied together, and some songs sound like Carly Rae Jepsen, but it's great to see Disney go back to their roots, and do a film based off a fairy tale so well (even if it is loosely done). "Frozen" isn't up their with some of the best from the Disney Renaissance, but it's safe to say it has stood out from the pack of recent Disney films.
Now, when I said that there were a few things I disliked about this film personally, I mean things that probably didn't bother others, but bothered me. For instance, the music in the film film was below average to me. Some critics say that this has been Disney's best musical film since the Disney Renaissance era, and while I agree with that sentiment, that's not saying much, since Disney hasn't tried putting memorable songs in their films for years. And when they have, they've either been in Pixar films, or songs by other artists, like in "Wreck-It-Ralph", where you know the music wasn't solely made for the film. "Frozen" has some of the same problems. I enjoyed a few of the songs, but others were badly placed, and sounded too much like pop music on the radio. Also, some plot events moved too fast and were never fully explained or referenced again. This is nothing new for Disney, but it would help to give more depth to the characters, which I feel many Disney films often lack. Lastly, I feel as though "Frozen" suffered from what some people call the "Full Metal Jacket" effect, where one half of the film is good, but the other half stinks. The first half of this film wasn't that great to me, but the second half blew me away, which really made it spectacular.
While the negatives of "Frozen" seem like a lot, they do not outweigh the positives I saw from the film. Like I mentioned earlier, the second half of the film really surprised me because its plot twist, that changed the film in a way that I didn't expect at all. I thought I could predict what was going to happen since I've done it before in so many other films, but I couldn't predict anything at all this time. The interaction between characters, the humor, how the film ended; it was fantastic. The cast also deserves credit. Only one actress was known, yet they all did a good job, regardless of whether they had a major role or not. The main reason I think the film appealed to me though, was because of the theme's that I thought it instilled. The theme's that you should really get to know a person before making a decision with them, or that there's more than one way to show love to somebody. They're things that we all know or believe, but to see how it was portrayed on screen was fascinating.
The animation of the film was something I marveled at, like I always do when I see how animation is done now. It's changed so much for me, like it has for everyone who grew up with hand-drawn Disney films. Whenever I see new HD animation for TV shows, I hate it because I think it takes away from the show and makes it look worse, but for films, such as this one from Disney, I think the new technology works since it does it gradually, and it's more consistent and realistic compared to some films and shows. I'm surprised my stance on animation has changed, since usually when it comes to films, I'm pretty stubborn, but it's time to accept technology and what it can now accomplish. Personally, I don't think I'll ever be used to it, but it's amazing to think it can make animation look that realistic, making me wonder what's in store for the future...
In the end, despite a frigid first half to the film, "Frozen" is a great film from Disney. I don't know if it's better than "Wreck-It-Ralph" was (which had similar animation), but since it's about issues that relate to people, I think it was a bit more memorable and stronger. Regardless of how I feel though, if you enjoy animated films, you'll like this film. And if you love Disney like I do, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Yes, some things are poorly tied together, and some songs sound like Carly Rae Jepsen, but it's great to see Disney go back to their roots, and do a film based off a fairy tale so well (even if it is loosely done). "Frozen" isn't up their with some of the best from the Disney Renaissance, but it's safe to say it has stood out from the pack of recent Disney films.
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