REVIEW - FROZEN
Frozen was beautiful in so many ways - visually, aurally and plot-wise (the story was so heartwarming!). I knew little to nothing about this film prior to seeing it but kind of enjoyed watching it from that perspective. Disney finally seems to have caught up with the times and has come to understand that the traditional fairytale princess story is a tired formula, and that people are ready for more diverse and interesting stories. Instead of the traditional exploration of the development of a romantic relationship between a man and a woman (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast et cetera) Frozen, like Brave, departs from this once-popular custom. Where Brave is a mother-daughter film, Frozen is about the relationship between two sisters. Elsa and Anna are inseparable during their childhood until an accident resulting from Elsa's mysterious magical ice powers forces them apart. Throughout their teenage years the girls grow further and further apart - the majority of the film explores their coming of age and renewing their relationship. The story begins with Elsa's coronation as Queen of Arendelle and quickly escalates into an epic adventure.
Frozen features musical style songs. This kind of music, which has the potential to be extremely corny, was actually highly enjoyable. Idina Menzel positively shines as Elsa, and the lyrics of the song are quirky, humorous and full of heart. Contrary to my expectations, the music ended up being one of my favourite parts of the film. I don't really have words to describe how beautiful the animation in Frozen was technically, suffice to say that it was a delight. As a Disney film, the style was not realistic anatomically but the environments looked as though you could walk into them - the lighting was very realistic, the detail and colours were beautiful, the smoothness of each characters movements.. I do not know enough animator jargon to explain exactly what made it so beautiful but I can say that the artists did an amazing job. The dialogue too was highly commendable. In some cases, media designed for children is dumbed down. The conversation is simplified and therefore often boring for anyone over the age of six to engage with. I am a staunch believer in the idea that we should not treat children as though they are idiots, but trust that they can rise to the challenge of more complicated words and ideas and should instead strive to be there to help them understand if things become difficult. Frozen seemed to embrace this attitude. The dialogue was clever and engaging throughout and did wonders to deepen the viewer's understanding of the characters. It was funny, without seeming lame. Quirky, without seeming pretentious. A brilliantly written script!
The plot of Frozen is loosely based on an old Hans Christian Andersen fairytale titled The Snow Queen. At first I was surprised to hear this, but a quick bit of research revealed that The Snow Queen could, at best, be labelled inspiration for Frozen - it certainly is not similar enough to be called an adaptation. Although Frozen was enjoyable the moral of the film is somewhat confused. Elsa and Anna represent restraint and recklessness respectively, and the driving theme of the film is learning to balance the two. However, while Elsa learns that too much restraint is bad and that trusting (and loving) people is an essential element of life, Anna does not seem to change. Early in the film she is reprimanded by Elsa for her reckless attitude but does not learn moderation as Elsa does - instead maintaining her optimistic-to-the-point-of- naivety attitude throughout the film. This could be interpreted as the film endorsing Anna's way of life over Elsa's however this idea does not fit in continuity with the rest of the film. Elsa and Anna undergo a life-changing adventure together - it does not make sense that Anna would take away nothing from this experience.
The magic in Frozen was visually awesome - it looked great and anyone that says otherwise must have had their eyes shut while watching the film. However, how the magic works, where it comes from, what it is - nothing is really explained. There are hints that perhaps magic is a part of the royal bloodline, which would explain why Elsa is the only known person in the world to have magical powers, but this is never confirmed. It is just as likely that magic was once rife but was viewed superstitiously and therefore suppressed and hidden. Or that Elsa is the first person ever to manifest these powers. We just do not know from watching the film.
Overall Frozen is a very pleasant film to watch. Funny, heartwarming and full of attitude it was a memorable experience. However, certain elements of the plot and story lacked the depth necessary for it to live on as a Disney classic.
Frozen features musical style songs. This kind of music, which has the potential to be extremely corny, was actually highly enjoyable. Idina Menzel positively shines as Elsa, and the lyrics of the song are quirky, humorous and full of heart. Contrary to my expectations, the music ended up being one of my favourite parts of the film. I don't really have words to describe how beautiful the animation in Frozen was technically, suffice to say that it was a delight. As a Disney film, the style was not realistic anatomically but the environments looked as though you could walk into them - the lighting was very realistic, the detail and colours were beautiful, the smoothness of each characters movements.. I do not know enough animator jargon to explain exactly what made it so beautiful but I can say that the artists did an amazing job. The dialogue too was highly commendable. In some cases, media designed for children is dumbed down. The conversation is simplified and therefore often boring for anyone over the age of six to engage with. I am a staunch believer in the idea that we should not treat children as though they are idiots, but trust that they can rise to the challenge of more complicated words and ideas and should instead strive to be there to help them understand if things become difficult. Frozen seemed to embrace this attitude. The dialogue was clever and engaging throughout and did wonders to deepen the viewer's understanding of the characters. It was funny, without seeming lame. Quirky, without seeming pretentious. A brilliantly written script!
The plot of Frozen is loosely based on an old Hans Christian Andersen fairytale titled The Snow Queen. At first I was surprised to hear this, but a quick bit of research revealed that The Snow Queen could, at best, be labelled inspiration for Frozen - it certainly is not similar enough to be called an adaptation. Although Frozen was enjoyable the moral of the film is somewhat confused. Elsa and Anna represent restraint and recklessness respectively, and the driving theme of the film is learning to balance the two. However, while Elsa learns that too much restraint is bad and that trusting (and loving) people is an essential element of life, Anna does not seem to change. Early in the film she is reprimanded by Elsa for her reckless attitude but does not learn moderation as Elsa does - instead maintaining her optimistic-to-the-point-of- naivety attitude throughout the film. This could be interpreted as the film endorsing Anna's way of life over Elsa's however this idea does not fit in continuity with the rest of the film. Elsa and Anna undergo a life-changing adventure together - it does not make sense that Anna would take away nothing from this experience.
The magic in Frozen was visually awesome - it looked great and anyone that says otherwise must have had their eyes shut while watching the film. However, how the magic works, where it comes from, what it is - nothing is really explained. There are hints that perhaps magic is a part of the royal bloodline, which would explain why Elsa is the only known person in the world to have magical powers, but this is never confirmed. It is just as likely that magic was once rife but was viewed superstitiously and therefore suppressed and hidden. Or that Elsa is the first person ever to manifest these powers. We just do not know from watching the film.
Overall Frozen is a very pleasant film to watch. Funny, heartwarming and full of attitude it was a memorable experience. However, certain elements of the plot and story lacked the depth necessary for it to live on as a Disney classic.
