It has been a long time since I watched an animated Disney musical. Naturally, when I was a kid a l ot of the films I would watch were ones like Dumbo, Mary Poppins, The Lion King, Aladdin, and all those Disney classics. I didn’t realize when I sat down to watch Disney Animation Studios’ latest princess adventure, Frozen, that it would also be a musical, something I’m not a fan of, but I also didn’t expect to walk out liking it as much as I did. Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee’s adventurous comedy is a great holiday family film and one that I think that masses will eat up.
On coronation day, Anna’s (Kristen Bell) reclusive and mysterious sister Elsa (Idina Menzel) is brought to the tipping point when her icy powers end up being revealed. After Elsa runs away and finally uses her powers she unknowingly freezes the entire kingdom of Arendelle in a winter that has no end in sight. Optimistic and bold, Anna takes off to find Elsa in hopes of convincing her to stop the winter. On the way she meets an ice trader named Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his trusty reindeer Sven, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad) and together they go after Elsa before the town attempts to kill her.
There are a few reasons I truly believe people should see Frozen and see it 3D. The first, and most important, is that the short film before the feature starts is AMAZING! It’s a clever Mickey Mouse short that adults are absolutely going to love and that kids will constantly be laughing at. It may be one of my favorite animated shorts that I’ve seen before a film and is such a nice throwback to the classic Mickey Mouse cartoons. The 3D in the short really pops too and is a crucial element its story.
Secondly, despite my displeasure for musicals, some of the numbers are actually pretty good and won’t make you want to gouge your eyes out. Idina Menzel steals the show with her voice but Kristen Bell and the rest of the cast hold their own and deliver some catchy tunes, some of which might become rather popular. There was one in particular that I thought could easily get the EDM remix treatment.
Thirdly, Frozen is a very funny movie. Yes, it has its romantic and conflicting moments but there is so much humor in the film that even those who try to resist will have trouble keeping back a stupid grin from time to time. The best laughs come when Olaf the snowman is introduced because he’s this lovable halfwit who wants to know what warmth feels like even though he doesn’t know the effect it’ll have on him. He’s also got a few hilarious quotes that I’d like to go back and remember.
As far as the story goes, the story is pretty simple and then Disney throws in a nice twist to keep the film engaging as having Elsa as the villain just seems too easy and pointless. I’m not going to ruin the twist but thankfully it’s there because Elsa would also end up being the nicest villain ever encountered in a Disney movie. Other than that twist, the movie ends the way one would suspect it to end but luckily with a bit more humor.
As a grown man I find it weird how much I actually enjoyed Frozen. It’s a very entertaining adventure comedy and one I suggest watching with your family, your partner, or a friend as it’ll certainly lower your guard if you do so. Fans of Disney musicals will not be disappointed and for those that aren’t a fan of those classics or fairytale stories, give Frozen a chance anyway, you will likely not be disappointed.
Rating: A heartwarming musical that’s chock full of laughs and fueled by the adventurous Disney magic (7/10)
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