Frozen 2

Frozen 2 – When Elsa begins hearing a haunting siren song that no-one else can hear, she feels it calling to her from a long-forgotten enchanted land. Heading to discover its meaning, she is joined by Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven who all end up trapped within a magical forest which appears to have plenty of dangers but also several new allies. Seeking the truths of their family, Elsa and Anna finally begin to understand their place in the world but with the voice continuing to call to Elsa, will she be able to discover its meaning and why it has chosen her?

Frozen 2 (2019) – Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59942736

Rating: U

Running Length: 103 mins

Starring: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad

Genre: Animated, Musical, Action/Adventure

REVIEW: FROZEN 2

The long-awaited sequel to Disney’s 2013 smash hit ‘Frozen’ has finally arrived. With it comes much apprehension of whether a second movie can live up to the original. This time around, Elsa finds herself drawn to a hauntingly beautiful tune that only she can hear, sung from far away. The usual gang, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, tag along on her quest to discover more about herself and where her powers may have come from. Getting trapped within an enchanted forest forces them to confront not only Elsa and Anna’s past but also that of their parents.

Obviously keen to answer questions that were raised following the original’s release, Disney have gone all out to portray these characters (and especially Elsa) as fully rounded and ‘Frozen 2’ is certainly more mature with less fluff than its predecessor. In fact, certain parts are a little talky and heavy going for young kids but these moments add to the depth of the story rather than dragging. It has to be said that Disney have outdone themselves with the animation, the scene where Elsa fights the equine water spirit in particular is incredibly beautiful and dramatic.

Of course, no review of ‘Frozen 2’ would be complete without mention of the songs; main song ‘Into the Unkown’, sung by Elsa (Idina Menzel) is powerful and catchy but whether it will capture the world’s heart like ‘Let it Go’ did remains to be seen. The ‘side’ songs are great but not quite so memorable as those in ‘Frozen’. Regardless, ‘Frozen 2’ is a triumph of a movie and every bit the worthy successor to the original smash.

CONTENT: IS ‘FROZEN 2’ SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

A fight breaks out between two groups of people. They fight with swords and the voiceover describes it as a ‘brutal battle’ although nothing strong is seen. The loved one of a character falls from a cliff and it is implied that this kills them.

A town is badly damaged when magical elements rage around it. Wind blows people off their feet and the ground moves. People panic and flee the town although everyone gets out unharmed.

Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven all go to an enchanted forest. Once inside, they become trapped with no way of leaving. The scene becomes quite spooky but it is interspersed with humour and lighter moments. The characters are rarely seen to be afraid. Olaf sings a chirpy song but some of the imagery could be a little scary, including a shadow on the wall which has long grabbing fingers and dozens of glowing red eyes peering out of the darkness.

Earth giants roam around the forest at night. They are huge and made entirely of rock. The people who live in the forest are terrified of them and run to hide when they are near.

An ice sculpture which represents a memory shows a couple embracing at the time of their death, their voices can be heard as an echo urging each other to carry on despite the risks for the sake of their child. This child (who is now an adult) is visibly upset by this.

Elsa attempts to get across a large body of water but keeps getting pushed back by the waves. She fights against a water spirit which takes the form of a horse; it drags her under the water and tries to push her away. However Elsa is strong and survives the assault.

Two established characters die within a short amount of time. There are few light moments for around 10 minutes and one character sobs after one of them fades away in their arms. The nature of three emotionally heavy scenes one after the other may upset children, however circumstances change to make these events positive.

CAN I SEE A CLIP?

VERDICT: IS ‘FROZEN 2’ FOR KIDS?

‘Frozen 2’ sees Elsa and Anna on a new adventure and manages to be new as well as true to its origins, and you’re bound to be humming along to ‘Into the Unknown’ for months to come! It is definitely a more mature movie than ‘Frozen’.  We feel it is appropriate for all ages although we recommend parental supervision for under 6’s due to some of the heavier scenes.

• Violence: 1/5
• Emotional Distress: 2/5 (several poignant moments relating to family, love and death. The deaths of the two characters could be upsetting for some kids)
• Fear Factor: 2/5 (some spooky scenes)
• Sexual Content: 0/5
• Bad Language: 0/5
• Dialogue: 0/5
• Other Notes: Deals with themes of love, family, discovering the past, understanding where you come from, the draw of the unknown, finding out the truth, betrayal and supporting loved ones.

Words by Laura Record