'Frozen II' Review

Nominated For: Best Original Song "Into The Unknown" (written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez).

Synopsis: Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa's powers in order to save their kingdom.

Runtime: 103 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG (for action/peril and some thematic elements)

Who should see it? Fans of Disney and Frozen.

Returning to the helm of Walt Disney Animation's frostiest franchise, Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck co-direct Frozen II, which features a screenplay by Lee and story from Lee, Buck, songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and Marc Smith. Following up the second most successful animated film of all time is a daunting proposition, but Lee and Buck seem to face the challenge earnestly. While I don't think the narrative reached its full potential, I commend the filmmakers for charting a new course rather than retreading what came before. With that being said, Frozen II totally feels like one of Disney's direct-to-video sequel releases. The animation and music are up to snuff, but the story's severely lacking... Which is more-or-less how I felt about the original. This is probably a very unpopular opinion of mine, but these two films are, without a doubt, the weakest films from Walt Disney's animation division this decade.

None of this is to say I "hate" either because that couldn't be further from the truth. I've just never been entirely on board the Frozen hype train and think that's important for understanding my perspective. I appreciate musicals, and really enjoy most of the songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, but I also value quality storytelling. I just happen to think neither film shines in that regard. Thematically, they offer well-intentioned messages about sisterly love and being yourself, among other things. However, these ideas aren't explored as extensively as they could be.

My patience was also worn by constant callbacks to the original, which stall the story. These longwinded jokes are made at the expense of the film's pacing, which fluctuates between hurried and glacial. A group of new characters found in the enchanted forest may as well be a bunch of cardboard cutouts seeing as they have no discernible characteristics, existing solely to prop up the core messaging. The supporting characters carried over from the first film are also dead weight with stale subplots. Meanwhile, the ending is void of any meaningful stakes and consequences.

On the other end of the icicle, Frozen II features a few power ballads of the same caliber as "Let It Go," which are "Into The Unknown," "Show Yourself," and "Lost In The Woods." Across the board, the soundtrack is pretty strong, though not quite as memorable as its predecessor. It's worth noting that a few outtakes are included on the soundtrack that I thought were better than songs that actually made it into the final cut. The animation also features a more diverse array of colors and locations as an autumn aesthetic overtakes this sequel. Lee and Buck offer glimpses of an epic fantasy adventure with a grander scope and scale than the original but hesitate to commit to a much more enticing alternative. It probably won't surprise anyone for me to say this, but every sequence where Elsa finds herself alone is stunning, and Idina Menzel's mezzo-soprano belting is heavenly. Even more of that in the inevitable third installment, please.

Reprising their widely beloved roles, Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, and Josh Gad lend solid vocal performances. Menzel and Groff are the standout singers of the bunch, but Kristen Bell isn't too far behind. However, Josh Gad's Olaf grated on my nerves. Your tolerance of the snowman sidekick may vary depending on how you felt about him previously. Otherwise, Sterling K. Brown and Evan Rachel Wood are noteworthy additions to the cast. Though I wish Sterling K. Brown had a more substantial role since I know what he's capable of bringing to the material.

Like most sequels, it's clear Frozen II had lofty aspirations to expand on everything that initially captivated audiences. Though the animation and select songs measure up to that ambition, Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck struggle to sustain an ascent. Despite leaving largely unimpressed, I think the narrative potential for this franchise hasn't frozen over yet. 

Film Assessment: B-