It’s officially release day of Disney’s newest darling, Frozen II. Last night, I went to one of the earliest screenings, and I got the details.
If you don’t want spoilers, turn away and slam this door!
IMAGE VIA VITAL THRILLS
Synopsis: Three years after the events of the first film, Elsa starts to hear a strange sound from the north calling her. Together with her sister Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven, they embark on a new journey beyond their homeland of Arendelle in order to discover the origin of Elsa’s magical powers and save their kingdom.
Consensus: Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell once again shine in this will-be Disney classic. Their voices bring to life the strong and powerful Queen Elsa, and the spunky and caring Princess Anna, while adding new layers to these beloved characters. Also returning on this magical adventure is Jonathan Groff as the adorably awkward Kristoff (and sometimes Sven the reindeer), as well as Josh Gad as the ever lovable snowman Olaf.
It’s been three years since the events of the first movie took place, and everyone seems to be settling into their roles in Arendelle. That is until only Elsa hears a voice from the north calling to her. While Elsa is dealing with this, Kristoff tries to keep proposing to the ever caring Anna, who seems oblivious to his attempts and focused on Elsa’s well being. It’s only when Elsa accidentally wakes up the spirits of the Enchanted Forest that the elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air start to cause the Arendellians (yes, that’s what the people of Arendelle are officially called) to flee the kingdom that the action starts up.
IMAGE VIA LAUGHING PALACE
Once in the forest, Elsa and Anna finds out that only Elsa can soothe the elemental spirits and help free the Northuldra (a fictional representation of the Sámi people) and Arendellian soldiers in the forest. There, Elsa learns that water has memory (as if Olaf hadn’t been saying that enough). She and Anna then discover that their mother was from the enchanted forest and rescued their father when they were children, thus making them a bridge between the Northuldra and Arendelle. From the wind spirit Gale to Bruni the fire salamander to the Nøkk, Elsa encounters and brings peace to the spirits, while learning that the past she thought she knew was not what it seemed, and that there may be a fifth spirit which serves as a bridge between the spirits and people.
When Anna and Elsa discover the ship their parents were on before they died, destroyed in an inlet, the sisters find the actual reason behind their parents’ trip. The trip was to go to the mythical Ahtohallan, a place Queen Iduna told her daughters about, and the place to find the origins behind Elsa’s powers. It is here that it hits Elsa that in order to find the voice and Ahtohallan, she must leave Anna and Olaf behind to protect them.
IMAGE VIA VIRAL MEDIA YOUTUBE
From here, Elsa encounters the water spirit, the Nøkk, who tries to drown her. When she finally tames the Nøkk, Elsa finally finds Ahtohallan, she has the revelation that the voice calling her was a past echo of her mother saving her father. Turns out the results of the spirits’ anger was over her grandfather’s killing of the unarmed Northuldra leader. From here, Elsa starts to become frozen, and then sends a snow statue showing what happened to Anna as her final action. Because of this, Olaf turns to flurries, and Anna finds what truly happens, and realizes that she must destroy their grandfather’s dam that put the events into motion years ago.
With the help of the Arendelle soldiers, Kristoff and the stone giants, the dam is destroyed, and the floods make a direct course to destroy Arendelle. Since the spirits seem to be appeased, a newly unfrozen Elsa rides off on the Nøkk in a desperate rush to save the kingdom. With this all done, Anna starts to head back to tell the kingdom what has happened. But off in the distance, she sees a newly transformed Elsa, which results in a tearjerking (and comical) reunion between the sisters and Kristoff. Olaf is brought back and Kristoff finally proposes after bungling it a few times. It is here that the decision is made that Elsa will stay in the forest as her role as the fifth spirit and part of the bridge between the spirits and the people, and Anna will become Queen and the other part of the bridge.
IMAGE VIA CLIP off YOUTUBE
While some fans may disagree with this, I honestly really liked the ending. Could they have changed some things in the movie? Of course. No film is perfect, not even either of the Frozen movies. But the ending of having the sisters go their own paths while still maintaining contact was the right way to go. And the way the film was darker and more mature than the first one put Frozen II on a whole different level. It wasn’t Hunchback of Notre Dame dark (nothing will ever come close), but it also wasn’t as light as the first installment was. And I think that by showing how to find the truth and fix the past’s mistakes, the movie has great lessons for all ages. It doesn’t hurt that the music is spectacular (“Show Yourself” is the perfect heir to “Let It Go”, and making “Lost in the Woods” a family friendly ’80s music video was genius!), the animation was just as magical, and the focus on finding who you are and where you belong will melt any frozen heart!
Now please excuse me while I go see this ice movie another 5 times.
Bookstr is community supported. If you enjoy Bookstr’s articles, quizzes, graphics and videos, please join our Patreon to support our writers and creators or donate to our Paypal and help Bookstr to keep supporting the book loving community.
Become a Patron!