What a chilling breeze of fresh animated ingenuity this exceptional sequel scatters down to ragingly-anticipated audiences found between the two narratively-focused polar ice caps! While the first Frozen struck a chord with animation-enthusiasts worldwide, Frozen 2 not only unveils the inevitable truth that Disney is at the top of its creative game but that 3D animation has been steadily proving itself a fluent cinematic successor to outdated effortless hand-drawn 2D.
Our intricate cast of magnetically-drawn characters’ potential are explored to the fullest in a fantastically colourful spectrum of hazardous, mysterious environments, the development of each depending on their roots from the original. While it’s no harder than pronouncing Wales’ town beginning with ‘Llang’ to agree with Olaf’s narrative purpose succumbing to a brainlessly plushie-selling slapstick comedic relief in the first instalment, this turned out to be a mere building-block setup to his continuous development in this carefully-paced sequel. By this, I mean the sole essence of his character is internally exercised in unexpected ingenious ways, with his naturally-developing mentality weltering his innocent close-minded perspective on the surrounding environments and his internal mortality, hopelessly resisting a philosophically-intellectual regard to his life and the inevitable ending of things. This existential character expansion coincides with the smoothly-animated fantasy elements to create a newfound deeper perspective on this mystically enchanting world, which is just what any successor sequel needs.
But animated spectacle assets alone, Frozen 2 is quite astoundingly impeccable: beams of light being enchantedly morphed every frame, the malleability of water and ice working with Elsa’s powers to create incomprehensibly cinematic movements of plot and…..snow, as well as the tragic battle of betrayal between the ancient forest-dwelling tribes and royal army creating not only grippingly concrete context to the film’s enigmas but provide a more humane understanding of the sisters’ goals and motivations. This subsequently makes Kristoff’s frantic engagement-orientated desires for Anna feel more bitterly sacrificial and emotionally-tolling, viewing basic human tendencies and desires under a consequential scope of fantasy hazards.
But ask any Frozen-lover for the highlight of these winter-themed achievements, you’d sooner spot a rabbit in a snowstorm before you find an answer differing from the songs, and Frozen 2 not only takes carefully-stepped influence as a successor but leaps bounds forward. While previous smash hits like Let It Go still remain essential masterpieces as reflections of the fragility of the human condition and the essentiality of selflessness to this day, Frozen 2’s singles empathetically and sensitively confront conundrums of hardships and self-doubt even more electrifyingly, with beautifully-constructed lyrics and vocal performers like Kristen Bell giving the performance of their lives, so much so that I only had my face in my palm for around half of these future classics.
While it was easy to presume Frozen 2 would become embedded in a berg of stubborn rehash to reel in drooling long-awaiting fans, I can collectedly announce this new franchise has kicked off into a narrative and animated-spectacle wormhole of infinite potential, to which it seems to be holding nothing back to achieve. Be its remarkable cinematic feats with eccentric but credible technological effects, delicate character chemistry to keep your intrigue on its feet for 2 hours, as well as ironically morphing the icy charm of its predecessor into an even more high-stake journey of self-discovery, Frozen 2 is an absolute triumph and a must-see for all ages.
That was a joke. Not a very good film. Would recommend something else.