Review: Frozen

BY HANNAH RAMESAR

In a year of weak animated features such as Planes and Free Birds, Frozen manages to break away from the pack by stunning audiences around the globe. Loosely based on the novel The Snow Queen, Frozen is credited with being the coolest comedy-adventure to hit the big screen this holiday season.

A prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter and so the film follows a fearless princess, Anna (Kristen Bell), on her journey to find her sister Elsa (Idina Menzel), the Snow Queen, in order to put an end to her icy spell. On her journey to save the kingdom, Anna teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his sidekick reindeer Sven. Together they encounter mystical trolls, a delightfully funny snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad), and magic at virtually every turn.

The film successfully combines modern animation with the retro feel of a Disney classic, making it one of the better princess flicks produced in years. The depth of the animation with the character designs, background settings and effects, are also impressive- a rarity for a film that isn’t 3D. However, the movie doesn’t just stop there, Frozen is a flick that is conceptually pleasing as well as visually dazzling.

The films core is centered on the reparation of a relationship between two sisters, one capable of manipulating ice and snow, the other a mortal incapable of writing her sister off as a monster.  Their story is one that shows the importance and significance of family. Despite the upcoming engagement or other standard princess stereotypes that are in the film, Frozen takes clear steps to ensure the story keeps the focus on the two sisters. Anna is instantly likeable and is not in desperate need of being saved by some prince from a distant land. While she does hope to find her special someone, her feelings are put on the backburner as she is determined to be there for her sister, amidst a time of crisis.

Underlying messages for the audience and overall praise toward the genius behind the film set aside, creators gave audiences a treat by creating Olaf. He is a charming, naïve, hapless, mound of a snowman whose charming lines contrasted the “intense” moments of the film. With his childlike personas that open the door to laughter, Olaf is a breath of fresh air that creates a lighter mood geared towards younger audiences.

On a whole, Frozen is a brilliant animation that is filled with the old-school Disney charm that everyone knows and loves. It is a solid family film that has been released just in time for the holidays.