A "Frozen" Review

I know that this is supposed to be a blog about books, but I did say I’d put a few movies in here.  It turns out the first review is about a movie.   After all, a movie is a story. 

Black Friday my husband and I went to see Frozen, Disney’s most recent animated movie. 

I heard on the radio that this movie was supposed to be the best Disney movie since The Lion King.  I was skeptical.  Very few movies can top the creativity, character development, and depth of The Lion King. 

I didn’t have very high expectations for Frozen.  It had been a year since I had seen a movie come out in the theaters I was willing to buy, and that movie wasn’t Disney.  (It’s Les Miserables, if you were wondering).

After seeing Frozen I’m disappointed it’s not going to be out on DVD until after Christmas, which means I can’t ask Santa for it.  I loved it and wouldn’t be surprised if it became a Disney classic. 

This is what made Frozen a movie I’d be willing to buy:
Warning: This has spoilers in it.  If you haven't watched the movie and don't want it to be spoiled then don't read this until you have watched the movie. 

1)   The two main characters, Elsa and Anna, each have a desire.  They both want to be free.  Elsa wants to be free of her fear of accidently hurting people.  Anna wants to be free of the castle.  Each of their decisions brings them closer to their desire. 

2)   There is a dynamic character.  Elsa, after realizing that her powers can harm people, hides from the world including her sister.  As the movie continues her fear and want of isolation continues to build.  When she realizes that her sister loves her enough to sacrifice her life for her Elsa changes.  She no longer fears hurting people.  She invites the world into her life, using her power to bring happiness to the people of her kingdom.

3)   There is no dues ex machine in Frozen.  The climax is earned.  There is no one that comes, waves a magic wand, kills the bad guy, and ends the everlasting winter.  It is the character’s decisions that create the climax.  Within a second Anna chooses to sacrifice herself in order to save her sister.  Elsa discovers the power love has over frozen hearts and frozen kingdoms.  She is the one who discovers the power of love and uses it to end the everlasting winter.

4)   Disney pulls all the stops.  There aren’t the normal fairy tale clichés in this movie.  Honestly, when the trolls mentioned that Anna could be saved by true loves kiss, I thought, “Of course, and it will follow the plot of Enchanted, the wrong person kisses her before she realizes she and Kristoff are the ones in love, not Anna and Hans.  I was taken by surprise.  There was no “true loves kiss” that saved her.  This perhaps sealed the deal on why I believe Frozen is one of the best Disney movies to be made in recent years.  Anna saved herself by her own actions.  She was not dependent on another person to save her, as what happens in nearly every other Disney princess movie.

5)   Sacrifice.  If there isn’t sacrifice in a story it doesn’t make a good, lasting story.  A character in the story, usually the main one, must choose between one of two things in order to make a story an audience will be able to connect with and love.  My husband and I recently watched Shrek 2.  Shrek is willing to sacrifice is ogre body in order to make Fiona happy.  Fiona, on the other hand, sacrifices her human body in order to make Shrek happy.  In Frozen it is Anna’s sacrifice that ultimately saves the kingdom and brings about the change in Elsa.  As mentioned before, Anna makes a split-second decision, her life, or her sisters?  She sacrifices her life in order to save her sister.  Even if she weren’t going to turn to ice, Hans’ sword would have killed her.  She knew that either way she would die.  This is what I believe makes the movie outstanding. 

Of course I can’t not say anything about the music.  The only thing my husband and I knew about the movie before seeing it was it was about two sisters and one turns the world into a frozen ice land.  “I hope this movie is a musical,” my husband said as we sat through the previews in the theater. 

I loved how it opened with a song.  I loved how the songs kept going, and especially how each song reflected the characters personalities.  “Love is Open Door,” reveals Anna’s fun-loving and adventurous nature.  “For the First Time in Forever,” lets us take a peak into who Elsa has become after years of isolation and fear.  “In Summer,” in which Olaf sings about a snowman in the summertime, introduces us to the innocent and fun-loving snowman.  My personal favorite, “Let it Go” takes viewers into the heart of Elsa.  She is free.  She can use her powers without hurting anyone.  She is happy and comes to terms with who she is and the fact that in order to protect those she loves she needs to live in isolation.  Of course, how can you not love Idina Menzel, and the piano music?

Frozen, though it doesn’t have the depth that The Lion King has, is definitely one of Disney’s best movies in recent years. 

Elsa and Anna from Frozen