MITCHELL LIERMAN
liermanm2@lopers.unk.edu
The sequel to one of the highest grossing animated films in history, Frozen II pleases fans by building upon the established universe in exciting and dynamic ways. With plenty of direct references to the events of the last movie accompanied by all the charming characterizations that audiences fell in love with, this movie hits the ground running with all of the energy behind the last and more.
Musically, this movie seems to have a healthy amount of soft-rock influences, with many of the songs featuring rock ballad elements including an interesting electric guitar feature midway through the film. The “Let It Go” equivalent piece is perhaps somewhat fortunately nowhere near as iconic while still sufficiently providing the movie with a flagship piece to give the movie a unique identity. The same can be said for the counterpart track to “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?” a song that incessantly made its way through the masses when Frozen came out in 2013. The new tracks are nowhere near as massive of ear-worms as these two pieces, which ironically allows for them to contribute to the overall story in a much more meaningful way.
As the defining song “Into the Unknown” would imply, the characters venture out of Arendelle on a quest through the richly diverse world they inhabit. The unique fauna exist much in the same vein as the rock trolls from the first movie, and the interactions between them provide for some of the most interesting moments in the new movie. Overall, this further develops the world and creates a more immersive experience which gives the movie a child-like sense of escapism.
The world is also quickly fleshed out by sweeping pans that capture for the first time the Kingdom (or Queendom as of the beginning of the movie) of Arendelle in all of its glory. These shots allow viewers to indulge their eyes in a well-crafted landscape that previously went untouched and unexplored, even as the characters in the universe explore more of that world for themselves.
The interesting plot hooks and themes of song and storytelling engage the audience and keep them anticipating the next development, playing into the central motif that Frozen was originally built on: the stories of Hans Christian Anderson. By keeping the plotlines uncomplicated and easy to understand, the movie honors the children’s book tradition it’s built upon and remains accessible for audiences of all ages by offering a storyline that is engaging to older viewers as it ventures into more mature themes than its predecessor.
Overall, Frozen II is a treat for viewers of any age. It finds the perfect balance between simplicity and complexity, resulting in a thoroughly imagined, well-crafted fantasy experience. While the songs may not be as culturally impactful as the tunes from the original, there is no doubt that children will be belting out the lyrics to the most popular songs until at least next spring as audiences continue lining up to take part in the adventure again and again.
