Saturday, March 15, 2014

Frozen (2013)

Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana

Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

Synopsis: Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel star as sisters, Anna and Elsa, in this lively Walt Disney animated musical-comedy. Based off Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale, The Snow Queen, the film follows the journey of Anna and friends to find the recently estranged Elsa. Born with magical powers, Elsa inadvertently cast the entire kingdom in a perpetual winter and flees to the mountains. With the help of a bubbly snowman, a mountain man, and his pet reindeer, Anna and crew search for Elsa to persuade her to bring back summer.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4/5 Reels


Review:

Frozen is wonderfully family-friendly, with witty one-liners and songs that will stick in your mind. Buck and Lee did a great job creating a film endearing to both adult and children. The film leaves audiences with a heart-warming message of love: “An act of true love will melt an icy heart.”

The actors were brilliantly cast, as the voices match the characters perfectly. Anna’s sweetness comes through Kristen Bell’s melodic voice, while the deeper pitch of Idina Menzel conveys the maturity of Elsa.

The character of Olaf the snowman is the greatest source of comedy in the film. Although not a key component of the story, Olaf’s childlike naivety transforms simple comments into humorous one-liners, such as the observation that he lacks a skull. His sincerity and unrealistic optimism make him a character beloved by all ages.

The most obvious flaw in the film is the lack of details and nonlinear storyline. The audience is never told how or why Elsa acquired her magical powers; the only comment made is that she was born with the ability to create ice and snow. No explanation is given as to why a child born to non-magical parents with a non-magical sister would hold powers. Additionally, the winding turns of the storyline cause the film to lose any real plot. The audience is lead on a journey that does not truly make sense until the ending, where they are met with a surprise plot twist.

Overall, Frozen is a unique family film that highlights the sisters’ love rather than the typical Disney romance. Light-hearted and fun, the film is full of catchy songs and clever humor. As parents and children alike can appreciate the jokes, Frozen is sure to be a hit to all ages.






By: Lindsay Norton

{ 3 comments... read them below or Comment }

  1. Lindsay, this is a great post! I have seen Frozen (and heard children singing it everywhere) and loved it. There was so much hype about this movie that by the time I saw it I did not even notice what you pointed out about how we never find out how Elsa got her magical powers or why she was born with them! This is definitely something that should have been addressed in the movie.

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  2. Lindsay,

    I heard all of the excitement about this film and was anxious to watch it. I agree that the directors did a marvelous job in casting. The difference in the voices of the sisters, once older, really showed the contrast in their personalities and maturity. I'm not sure about your comment about the little sister not having powers. If I remember correctly, the little sister had her powers taken away by the trolls (grandpa) in order for her to live.

    I absolutely agree with you about Olaf. Until you mentioned it, I thought he was one of the main characters! He definitely brought a sweetness, innocence, and a sense of humor to the film. Though the plot line was a little difficult to follow, it really was a great film and a fun one to watch!

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  3. Lindsay,

    I really enjoyed reading your review on Frozen. The first time I saw it, I did not notice many of the little details, but as I watched the film another time with my family, it finally dawned on me when my Dad asked, "How did she get her powers?" It made me wonder, and think that they never really explained that at all. I'm glad that you noticed that and shared it with us.

    I also love that you pointed out that Frozen is not like other Disney movies focusing on true love. This movie showed us that true love does not have to be romantic. It really can come from a sister, brother, mother, or father. It was nice to see a movie that was not completely full of clichés.

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