Walt Disney Picture’s newest animated feature “Frozen” screens like a frenzied, albeit enjoyable run-on sentence with plenty of surprising twists and turns throughout the movie.
The story revolves around two princesses of the kingdom Arendelle. Princess Elsa (Idina Menzel, “Rent”), unlike her younger sister, Anna (Kristen Bell, “The Lifeguard”) is inexplicably born with the ability to produce and manipulate snow and ice through her fingertips.
As Elsa’s powers grow over the years, her parents become increasingly concerned of the potential danger she poses to others. They do what they think is best—confine Elsa and Anna to the castle and teach Elsa to control her powers by distancing herself emotionally and socially.
Meanwhile, peppy and inquisitive Anna grows up a stranger to her isolated sister, her personality defined by her curiosity in a sister she doesn’t know and an outside world she’s never seen.
As the two princesses age into adulthood, the disparity in their personalities as well as the disconnect between themselves and the world outside the castle lead to several points of conflict. Tensions culminate at Elsa’s highly-anticipated coronation ceremony where she is to accept the throne as Queen of Arendelle.
Disastrously, Elsa loses control of her powers. In a flurry of chaos, she flees from the town, threatening the stability of the entire kingdom. Anna goes after her, in an attempt to save her sister from herself and their kingdom from eternal winter.
Additional characters provide a comedic distraction from the central plot. A persistently optimistic snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad, “Jobs”) fantasizes about frolicking in summertime. Woodsman Kristoff (Jonathan Groff, “Boss”) accompanies Anna on her journey, stopping every now and then to converse with his best friend and trusted companion—his reindeer.
Following in the footsteps of movies like “Tangled” (2010), Disney continues to break the mold of its traditional princess tales by presenting and challenging the idea of “love at first sight”.
Chris Buck (“Surf’s Up”) and Jennifer Lee’s (“Wreck-It Ralph”) “Frozen” manages to form a compelling work despite its rambling, jumbled pieces. The accomplishment of the film was no small challenge, managing to incorporate elements from Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen”, musical numbers and contemporary storytelling into a timeless tale.
While “Frozen” is in some ways groundbreaking for Disney, the story is not unique among other recent films in terms of strong, spirited female leads (think Pixar’s “Brave” or “The Hunger Games”) and occasionally becomes consumed in its own rambling extravagance. However, young viewers will enjoy “Frozen” for an entertaining romp through a 3D winter wonderland.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
