Frozen II

FROZEN II

Directors : Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee

Year : 2019

Genre : Animation

Rating : **1/2

Having held the title of the highest grossing animated movie of all time for well over 6 years, the pressure to make a sequel to the Disney smash hit 'Frozen' must have been intense. With directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee once again at the helm as well as the returning vocal talents of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad, all the elements were in place to make a movie just as good as its billion-dollar grossing predecessor. Alas, as is the case with the majority of sequels, 'Frozen II' doesn't quite capture the magic or wonder of its original but is still worth a watch thanks to its absolutely dazzling animation and a couple of wonderfully staged musical set pieces.

Set a few years after the events of the first film, 'Frozen II' sees Queen Elsa (Menzel), Anna (Bell), Olaf (Gad) and Kristof (Groff) leaving their home to placate the magical forces which threaten the safety of Arendelle. Traversing the enchanted forests that border her domain, Elsa discovers a whole host of new and interesting characters who share her talents and on the way, discovers the truth behind her amazing powers as well as the secrets about her parents and her kingdom.

Just like the first film, 'Frozen II' looks incredible and the computer graphics used to bring the animation to life, particularly the many snow and ice effects, are simply amazing. More than a few times, I found myself gasping with awe and amazement and all credit must be given to massively talented artists who managed to create such visual wonders. From the backgrounds to the fantastic character designs, 'Frozen II' is consistently beautiful to look at and while it may not be without its flaws, what cannot be denied is just how gorgeous the overall movie looks. However, this is where the similarities with the first film end because in terms of story, songs and emotion, 'Frozen II' falls short.

As anyone with children will know, the soundtrack to the first film has been the bug-bear of many of an adult life as the unmistakable wailings of 'Do You Wanna Build A Snowman?, 'Love Is An Open Door' and of course, 'Let It Go' are now staples of kids parties the world over. Gratefully, it is unlikely that the songs from 'Frozen II' will follow suit. Not to say that they are bad per se, some of them - most notably the Oscar-nominated 'Into The Unknown' - are really good tunes and are accentuated by both the aforementioned visual work and Menzel's astonishing voice. But I can't imagine that the likes of an unmemorable REO Speedwagon-inflected ballad will have the same impact as the defiant glory of 'Let It Go' any time soon. In fact, it's hard to imagine anything about 'Frozen II' being anything like the cultural phenomenon the original was. It's plot lacks the astounding epicness and scale, the characters aren't as funny or as developed and overall, it just feels very average indeed - something which can definitely not be said for the 2013 movie.

'Frozen II' is not a terrible movie and I'm sure that children will be suitably entertained and wowed in equal measure. However, unlike the first film which managed to somehow appeal to audiences of all ages through it's story and it's relatable themes, adults will most likely be bored by this beautiful but surprisingly forgettable fantasy.