Frozen 2

This review may contain spoilers!

While at times confusing for younger audience members there is no denying this is a brilliant sequel to Frozen. I would give Frozen 2 an 8.5/10.

Frozen 2 is the sequel to 2013's Frozen and reunites us with sisters, Elsa and Anna, as they confront another threat stemming from Elsa's magical abilities. In this film the whole gang must venture to a hidden enchanted wood in search of a means to save Arendelle and discover the mysterious voice calling to Elsa. I was really transported by the narrative for this film, there is something really significant in how the story is presented; almost like watching a myth unfold before you. The struggle between the people of Arendelle and the native people of the enchanted wood is a great conflict for the film to be built around and the responsibility to resolve this interesting motivation for our two protagonists. I really enjoyed watching Elsa master the four spirits of the elements as she embraced her powers in her quest for the truth. A nice parallel to this was having Anna learn to let go of Elsa and be less protective of her, the trust these sisters place in one another is the only bond that ultimately frees everyone from the curse that has afflicted the land. The comedy scattered throughout is side-splittingly good too, I feel that they really found ways to make every quirky character really shine and have their moment in the spotlight. They manage to up the ante with the animation as well, mainly through the imagery of the setting and the elements. Frozen 2 crafts a landscape that feels immersive and real, the water, fire and wind sequences in particular have a stunning depth of detail to them. The music for this film highlights the strength of the Frozen films; I really liked the balance of the comedic genius in 'Lost in the Woods' alongside internal character pieces like 'Into the Unknown'.

Kristen Bell, who voiced Anna, is the proverbial heart of this onscreen family; Bell really delivers on that zany fun humour while also playing to the deeply concerned and protective sister figure. Idina Menzel, who voiced Elsa, has to shoulder a lot more stoic seriousness than the rest of the cast which is no mean thing; Menzel's singing is exceptional and her character driven journey is nothing short of an emotional ride. Josh Gad, who voiced Olaf, feels like he's been given a lot more free rein to sculpt this role; Gad makes Olaf consistently funny and entertaining in every scene he's in. Sterling K. Brown, who voiced Mattias, is one of the few new roles who really leaves a noteworthy impression; his immediate loyalty and fond reminiscing about his home makes him a role to love.

However, the best performance came from Jonathan Groff, who voiced Kristoff. I was genuinely surprised at how much this film turned me around on Kristoff as a character, in the last film he wasn't given the opportunity to shine in the same manner as the rest of the cast. This movie does a complete 180 on that and allows us to see all the potential Groff can bring to a role. You still have the awkward, bumbling aspect that makes Kristoff a good foil for Anna, but there's so much more. I was really entertained by the opportunity Kristoff was given to prove he could be one of the funniest in the cast with his line delivery and Sven imitations. The fact that Kristoff has one of the stand out musical performances in the film comes as a real surprise and a treat after the poor pickings he got in the first film.

This film at times errs in how it treats the diverse plots going on here; Elsa's storyline is this very serious investigative journey into her powers and the history of this ancient curse while most of the other characters wind up down much funnier subplots. This often makes it feel like there's a bit of a disconnect between the characters and the stories the film is trying to convey, particularly notable between Elsa and Anna at times. A lot of the subplots often feel like they're there to fill time or aren't considered important in the grand scheme of the narrative as well. Kristoff trying to propose to Anna is one of the funniest elements of the film but it rarely feels like it matters, the exact same thing can be said for Olaf 'growing up' or the introduction of the new characters to the series. It is also worth noting that some of the younger viewers I took with me found the film confusing at times leaving me to wonder if Disney might have missed their target audience a bit with this latest instalment. 

Evan Rachel Wood and Alfred Molina, who voiced Iduna and Agnarr respectively, don't lend any special noteworthy characteristics to these two parental roles; as in the first film the most noteworthy thing about Iduna and Agnarr is their absence. Martha Plimpton, who voiced Yelena, doesn't manage to embody a strong and memorable leader; Plimpton's dry delivery leaves her entirely eclipsed by Brown's introduction. Jason Ritter and Rachel Matthews, who voiced Ryder and Honeymaren respectively, are some of the most forgettable new roles in this film; these characters feel tacked on to stretch the runtime out a bit and fill the cast but ultimately the hold no sway on the narrative at all. Ciaran Hinds, who voiced Pabbie, doesn't ever really justify bringing the trolls back into this film; the vague warnings of this figure just come across as empty foreshadowing and you don't get anything new or exciting about his portrayal.