Like many people my age, I am in love with Disney. I’ve been in love with Disney movies ever since I could sit up long enough to watch one. I even got to sit on Cinderella’s lap when I was three years old because she was at the castle while everyone was watching the fireworks at Disney World. And that little three year old in me has never grown up.
So anytime Disney puts out a new movie, I am always beyond thrilled. And as many people know, they delivered a fresh new animated movie over the holidays for Disney fans to enjoy.
However, I wouldn’t say “enjoy” was how I felt about Frozen.
Set in a fictional land named Arendelle meant to resemble Northern Europe, Frozen is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen.” The last time we got an Anderson story was in 1989 with one of my favorite movies The Little Mermaid, and as many know it was vastly changed from the original, since Anderson is known for his, ah, gruesome endings. And as a Disney fan, I’ve grown used to the fluff they add to make their movies age appropriate. I didn’t even protest when they took E. D. Baker’s fantastic fairy tale The Frog Princess and turned it into the vastly different The Princess and the Frog.
But as far as Frozen is concerned, I was massively disappointed. I have never read “The Snow Queen” before, but I know that Frozen has greatly disrespected it. I don’t mind when Disney puts out an adaptation that misses the mark. I do mind when they put out a movie that misses the mark.
The beginning of the movie started off strong, and I immediately loved the feel of it – the sisters in the castle, the playfulness with the snow, and the mistake that sets the narration in motion. I was ready to love this movie and put it in my favorite;s collection forever.
But as the movie wore on, it started going downhill. The songs, while cute and relevant at the beginning, started getting pointless, adding nothing to the movie nor advancing the plot. The characters were being left undeveloped. And the lines started getting cheesier as the plot started to get unbelievable.
In a word, Frozen, in all of its praise and glory, is a very sloppy movie.
Now I’ve voiced this opinion to many of my friends and family members, thinking that this is a valid complaint. It’s not like I didn’t like Anna’s hair, it’s that the movie was poor in quality. But instead I’ve gotten shot down. The main counter argument? It’s a kids movie, you’re being too critical.
As I’ve thought of this, I’ve come to a realization. Why can’t I be unbiasedly critical of a children’s movie? Why can’t I mention what aspects were weak and needed to be fixed? Disney not only has a reputation of making over 50 solid if not good movies, but they also are marketed as a family brand. When you go to a Disney park, rides, activities, and games are all made for a family to enjoy. Granted, they understand that a child will get the most enjoyment out of a Peter Pan ride, but they also strive to include the things that families can enjoy together, without feeling like they will die of boredom. The same goes for their movies; when I saw Brave with my mom, me and her were the only ones that laughed at the jokes that were supposedly for the kids that were in the theatre with us.
So with that in mind, seeing that Frozen has flaws in its writing and story, the fundamentals of what makes a movie, isn’t being critical. It’s pointing out that a company is getting sloppy and lazy in order to put out movies that will make money. If they truly want a family to enjoy their movies, they must make a quality movie that someone like my mom can enjoy along with me and my little cousins. I have no doubt that children loved the talking snowman included in the movie, but frankly, Olaf got on my nerves, mostly because he added nothing to Anna’s character or the plot, and had the most horribly written lines and jokes I’ve ever seen in a Disney side character.
And honestly, I know that Disney can make better movies, and those movies, the ones that are top notch and are made with love, those are the ones I want to show my kids. Not the ones that have a frozen heart.
