Movie Review : Frozen

I was somewhat excited to see this movie. I love Disney animation, and had heard this movie (through its pretty solid reviews) was a return to form to classic Disney with some modern zest added.

Does it live up to that ? I'll let you decide.

The Good

• Had some genuinely funny moments, in a whimsical sort of way. Some slapstick for all ages, some subtle jabs older audiences will like, and some satire, as many of the moments feel as if Disney is poking fun at itself and its history.
• The movie definitely has its own sense of identity, with very different pacing & character arcs one would expect from a Disney film. Points for eschewing tradition.
• The cast is for the most part well voiced.
• The reindeer character and another somewhat-spoilery character I won't mention are fairly cute and funny. The unmentioned character also has probably the best song in the movie.

The Bad

• The plot is... incomprehensible. I know it's a family animation film for all ages, but there are so many moments where anyone with the slightest common sense could either a) fix a problem, b) prevent a problem from happening, or c) realize that the decisions being made are contrary to the motivations of everyone involved. I'll include a few here!
• Why would a foreign prince be named regent over a land he has no attachment to? And why would the locals stand for such a regency? On that note, who was regent before Elsa was coronated, and why wouldn't they assume the regency?
• Why would Elsa's parents hide her when they knew she would become Queen one day, and would thus be woefully unprepared to assume the responsibility?
• Why wouldn't Elsa merely abdicate her throne to her sister so she could safely remain out of the limelight as she desires?
• Why would the Trolls remove Anna's memories from her, as it would obviously become a problem later on?

I could go on, but it's really not important. Plot continuity was not a major focus for this movie, and it may have been hampered by the fact that there were two directors on the project. It just bugs me, but it probably won't bug kids watching. More on the bad...

• The movie chugged along pretty fast, especially in the beginning, leading to a lot of emotionally-charged moments the movie hadn't really earned yet. Especially during the many, many, many songs, which while overall were well-performed, few were particularly memorable (not in a positive way, anyhow).

The Ugly

• Reindeer spit. Ugh. Just kidding; the art & animation were pretty easy on the eyes throughout.

The Verdict
If you're looking for the modern Mulan, or Lion King, or Beauty and the Beast, look elsewhere. This movie is fun -- especially for kids