Frozen II

2019 has seen a number of seemingly-sure fire sequels disappoint and underperform.  Sure, we've had our exceptions like John Wick: Chapter 3 and Toy Story 4.  But, we've had just as many examples of films not living up to their predecessors at the box office like Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Terminator: Dark Fate, and The Secret Life of Pets 2.  All came into theaters with a wave of hype, and all of them dropped off the public radar rather quickly.

Now here is Frozen II, the sequel to the 2013 animated mega-hit.  Yes, six years is a long time to wait for a sequel, but I don't think people will mind when they see this.  Not only do I think this will be a huge hit with audiences, I think it deserves to be.  This is a much better film in my mind than the first.  It's funnier, more thrilling, a little more emotional, and just more fun to watch.  The only drawback is that the songs, while still good, are nowhere near as memorable as before.  But then, I imagine that the people who were forced to listen to "Let it Go" on a continuous loop will probably see this as a blessing.  The movie itself even takes a small moment to address that particular song's overuse at one point.  Regardless, this is the strongest animated sequel that Disney themselves (not counting Pixar) has put out in a very long time.

Co-director and writer Jennifer Lee (who was the lead mind behind the first) has used this sequel as an opportunity to not only open up her characters and take them in new directions, but also open up the world that they live in.  We are reunited with Queen Elsa and Princess Anna, who are once again voiced by Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell respectively, and at first things seem to be pretty much how we left them.  There is a sense of change in the air, however.  Olaf the Snowman (Josh Gad) is starting to notice this, and wonders if anything will remain the same.  As for Anna's romantic interest Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), he is hoping to finally propose to her, but can't find the right moment to do it.  But the biggest change is yet to come, and it may be tied into the family past of the two young heroines.

As much as the film is focused on change, it's just as much about the past and expanding upon the ideas set up previously, including possibly explaining Elsa's magical ice abilities.  I normally hate when sequels try to go back and give an origin to past events, as it often feels like the film is over-explaining.  However, directors Lee and Chris Buck handle it expertly.  It never feels like the movie is filling in gaps, but rather creating new opportunities for storytelling in future sequels.  Elsa is called forth on this adventure by a mysterious siren-like voice that only she can hear.  The other main characters join her on her quest, and it is eventually revealed that the answers behind the call may be tied into the past of Elsa's kingdom.  There is an enchanted forest far beyond the kingdom that once was open to all people, but is now closed off by a magical mist.  What awaits within are two tribes of people who have been at war, a lot of magical creatures like giant rock monsters and stallions made of water, and a lot of ties to the past of the queen and princess.

Frozen II fulfills all the requirements of a Disney sequel.  There are a lot of new characters introduced who are certain to be heavily merchandised this holiday season, like a cute little lizard who follows Elsa around like it knows its purpose in life is to be dragged around as a plush toy by the kids who see this movie.  There are new outfits for Elsa and Anna to wear, which are sure to be grabbed off the store shelves by young girls.  But, this movie goes far beyond marketing strategy, and actually tells a compelling story.  As much as I enjoyed Frozen, one of my main issues with it is that it seemed to kind of meander during the mid-section of the film.  Once Elsa ran off into isolation, the movie kind of dragged its feet for a good portion, letting the comic relief characters take over.  This sequel is much more focused on the plot and the relationships between the main characters.  There is much more a sense of a quest and a bond between our heroes, which lead to some surprisingly emotional moments.

And this is a very emotional film, which I think sets it apart from the other animated sequels we got this year, like the previously mentioned The Secret Life of Pets 2 or The Angry Birds Movie 2.  Those movies mostly existed to repeat a previously successful financial formula to diminished results.  This movie actually builds upon the characters, strengthens their bonds, and gives them a new purpose.  It also feels like a natural progression from the first.  It never feels like a flat-out cash grab, because it actually wants to expand upon the first.  I actually wanted to see more of some of the ideas this movie introduced, such as the two warring tribes that have been trapped in the enchanted forest for decades.  The movie kind of touches upon what they feel about all this, but it never quite goes deep enough.

So, even if you don't walk out of Frozen 2 humming the songs, I think a lot of families are certain to be satisfied with this.  We get sequels that are as much fun if not more so than before, and we sometimes even get sequels that expand upon and deepen the ideas introduced before.  It's very seldom that we get both in the same film.

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