Frozen
3.5/4
Starring (voices): Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk
Rated PG for Some Action and Mild Rude Humor
It's so refreshing to see another animated musical that's not a sequel or a reboot or based on a Broadway musical/play or what have you. Loosely based on "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson, "Frozen" exists on its own. And while a significant underpinning of the plot is inadequately handled, everything else is top notch.
Anna (Bell) and Elsa (Menzel) are sisters that are very close. Elsa has the ability to create snow and ice at will, but her ability can't be controlled. When she seriously injures Anna by accident, her mother and father decide to keep them hidden. Their close relationship ends, much to the heartbreak of them both. Years later, Elsa is crowned queen of Arendelle, and Anna finally gets the chance to go outside and meet people. As soon as she gets outside, she runs into Hans (Fontana), with whom she becomes instantly smitten. After one night of courtship, they plan to marry. Elsa doesn't approve, and this makes her lose control of her powers. Horrified and accused of witchcraft, she flees. What she doesn't know is that her actions have left Arendelle in an endless winter. Anna, realizing her mistake, sets off to find her and make her break the spell.
There's a lot going on in this film, and that's a good thing. There's never a dull moment here, and it makes up for a share of the film's flaws. "Frozen" has it all: laughter, adventure, family, and of course, romance. The "family" part is what the directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee concentrate on, and in part because the bond between sisters is rarely at the forefront of movies (even Disney ones), it gives the film an element of freshness.
The film features a standout cast, all of whom bury themselves into their characters. Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, and to a lesser extent Idina Menzel, are known names, but they're unrecognizable. All of them give terrific performances and are excellent singers. Bell and Menzel have chemistry together, which gives the film a dose of heart. Groff is a good hero and Gad is quite funny.
The songs, of which there are a few, are also a lot of fun, even if we can't understand all the lyrics. "Let it Go" and "For the First Time in Forever" are the standouts. None of them are going down as classics (certainly not like "Beauty and the Beast," "The Circle of Life" or "Hakuna Matata"), but they are catchy and enjoyable.
Unfortunately, the film has a few problems with its plot. There are one or two plotholes that are rather obvious (they occur in the beginning). But more egregious is what the film does with Elsa's powers. Any fantasy or sci-fi film has to establish a set of rules of what can and cannot happen. "Frozen" does this, but they're inconsistent. It's hard to understand what Elsa is capable of.
Nevertheless, this is a good time at the movies. I'm being more lenient with my rating because it takes chances, and that's something that I always encourage. It's always better to try and do more than to play safe and make it generic. If "Frozen" has some problems because of it, well, it's still very much worth your time. And the little cartoon before the movie is cute and inventive (if a little overlong).
Starring (voices): Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk
Rated PG for Some Action and Mild Rude Humor
It's so refreshing to see another animated musical that's not a sequel or a reboot or based on a Broadway musical/play or what have you. Loosely based on "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson, "Frozen" exists on its own. And while a significant underpinning of the plot is inadequately handled, everything else is top notch.
Anna (Bell) and Elsa (Menzel) are sisters that are very close. Elsa has the ability to create snow and ice at will, but her ability can't be controlled. When she seriously injures Anna by accident, her mother and father decide to keep them hidden. Their close relationship ends, much to the heartbreak of them both. Years later, Elsa is crowned queen of Arendelle, and Anna finally gets the chance to go outside and meet people. As soon as she gets outside, she runs into Hans (Fontana), with whom she becomes instantly smitten. After one night of courtship, they plan to marry. Elsa doesn't approve, and this makes her lose control of her powers. Horrified and accused of witchcraft, she flees. What she doesn't know is that her actions have left Arendelle in an endless winter. Anna, realizing her mistake, sets off to find her and make her break the spell.
There's a lot going on in this film, and that's a good thing. There's never a dull moment here, and it makes up for a share of the film's flaws. "Frozen" has it all: laughter, adventure, family, and of course, romance. The "family" part is what the directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee concentrate on, and in part because the bond between sisters is rarely at the forefront of movies (even Disney ones), it gives the film an element of freshness.
The film features a standout cast, all of whom bury themselves into their characters. Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, and to a lesser extent Idina Menzel, are known names, but they're unrecognizable. All of them give terrific performances and are excellent singers. Bell and Menzel have chemistry together, which gives the film a dose of heart. Groff is a good hero and Gad is quite funny.
The songs, of which there are a few, are also a lot of fun, even if we can't understand all the lyrics. "Let it Go" and "For the First Time in Forever" are the standouts. None of them are going down as classics (certainly not like "Beauty and the Beast," "The Circle of Life" or "Hakuna Matata"), but they are catchy and enjoyable.
Unfortunately, the film has a few problems with its plot. There are one or two plotholes that are rather obvious (they occur in the beginning). But more egregious is what the film does with Elsa's powers. Any fantasy or sci-fi film has to establish a set of rules of what can and cannot happen. "Frozen" does this, but they're inconsistent. It's hard to understand what Elsa is capable of.
Nevertheless, this is a good time at the movies. I'm being more lenient with my rating because it takes chances, and that's something that I always encourage. It's always better to try and do more than to play safe and make it generic. If "Frozen" has some problems because of it, well, it's still very much worth your time. And the little cartoon before the movie is cute and inventive (if a little overlong).
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