Those of us Disney fans have waited six long years for the sequel to the epic cinematic experience that was Frozen….After all that time Disney creators spent working, you’d think they would have come up with a better title than Frozen 2. However, that’s a moot point (and somewhat of a Disney tradition).
I was finally able to see Frozen 2 in theaters over Thanksgiving break. Perhaps I over hyped the film for myself, thinking that somehow Disney would surpass Frozen. I was expecting a extraordinary soundtrack, relationship development between Anna and Kristoff, and hilarious antics and humor from the much adored Olaf. Unfortunately, Frozen 2 only delivered on one of those expectations.
Unlike the music in Frozen, which flows seamlessly in and out of dialogue, Frozen 2 seems to stop and start in abrupt fits as if the musical sequences are plugged into the film in a haphazard fashion. As for as the music itself, it’s mediocre at best, at least for the most part. From my experience, the best film music, whether it be an instrumental piece or a musical number are the songs that you can’t help but have stuck in your head for weeks after seeing the film. They are the songs that are constantly on repeat on your playlists and the ones that you belt out at the top of your lungs. The only song that had that effect on me was “Into the Unknown”. I can honestly say that as soon as my family left the theater, I was trying to see if I could hit those high notes, much to my brother’s dismay.
Here’s what it sounded like (try to imagine a dying seagull): “Into the unknoooooooown! Into the unknooooooooown! Into the unKNOOOOOOOOWWWAAAWOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!
As far as my expectations for Anna and Kristoff’s relationship development, I was sorely disappointed. For as little time as Kristoff had on screen, I have to wonder why Disney put him in the movie at all. I understand that Disney wanted to continue to make the film with Elsa and Anna’s relationship at the forefront of the Frozen world and I wholeheartedly approve. However, I don’t approve of Kristoff disappearing halfway through the film because he’s lost in the woods. Lost in the woods? For half the film? So Disney can focus on Elsa and Anna? As Deadpool (A.K.A Ryan Reynolds) would say: “That’s just lazy writing.”
There IS a silver lining to Frozen 2 however, and that is Olaf. I didn’t think it was possible, but Olaf’s wit and humor rose exponentially throughout the film. The entire audience was in fits of laughter almost every time he spoke. If nothing else, see the film for Olaf’s sake. It’s worth it.
