Frozen II having hit theaters November 22nd was easily the top news amongst my friends and it didn’t take long for me to assemble a group to go. Disney’s trailer for the film gives essentially zero information about the plot, making it that much more exciting. I went in with high expectations, having hope for a possible queer love interest for Elsa. After Frozen was released in 2013 fans across the globe connected with the powerful representation of discovering yourself and doing it without a partner to carry you. While this portrayal of an independent Disney Princess is a necessary one, (especially for young girls) many, including myself, still hoped it might give the opportunity to incorporate an LGBT character into the Disney realm.  More than halfway through the movie it was clear that this story was not going to be a love story but a continuation of the journey Elsa and Anna take to discover themselves and their past. Disney became bombarded with questions following the first Frozen movie such as “How did Elsa get her powers?” “Why doesn’t Anna have powers?” “Who were Elsa’s parents?” and more. The sequel to Frozen expands on all these inquiries and we see yet again the independent snow queen who takes charge of herself to discover the “unknown.” I can’t say I wasn’t hoping for some LGBT representation, but I can’t say I’m too disappointed either. We see other types of love in the film that are just as crucial. The bond between Elsa and Anna is strengthened as well as Elsa’s love and confidence with herself. After finding out who she is and where she came from she finds a place where she feels she truly belongs, and overall, that’s the true happy ending we all want. 

Frozen is easily one of the movies of the decade, and ‘Let it Go’ was stuck in everyone’s head for years. The highly anticipated Frozen II continues the plot of Frozen but with a new twist. Here’s my opinion on Frozen II. 

The plot of Frozen II takes a completely different path than that of Frozen. Frozen II begins with the peace and prosperity of Arendelle that audiences were left with at the end of Frozen. This peace soon shifts, however when the balance of nature is broken and Arendelle is put at risk. Elsa and Anna must look into the past of Arendelle this time to uncover the truth and restore peace.  

When watching this movie, it felt similar and nostalgic in comparison to Frozen but also had a very unique plot allowing it to stand alone. The plot of Frozen II seemed to have a more mature plot than the original which I think is smart seeing as the audience of Frozen is older now. Because of this, Olaf was the star of the movie for me. He lightened the pretty heavy mood of some scenes with his clever comedy and joyful personality. Because this movie is a little more mature, I felt it touched on more meaningful messages than Frozen, something I appreciated. Messages about uncovering the truth in history, self-love, and acceptance, overcoming pain, and accepting fault are all present messages. I think this makes Frozen II slightly more meaningful than Frozen, something uncommon in sequels.

One of the most important elements that led to the popularity of Frozen was the catchy and fun music that was great for all ages to sing. Hits like ‘Let It Go’ and ‘Love Is an Open door’ are still popular six years later. In Frozen II, however, the music didn’t quite meet the mark that Frozen had set. Not only were there fewer songs, but I felt that the songs that were in the movie were much more difficult and complex. One of the most important songs in the movie, holding similar importance to ‘Let It Go’ is ‘Into The Unknown’. ‘Into the Unknown’ not only has more complex phrases but also has much harder notes to hit, making it more difficult to sing along to, especially for children. While the music was a bit of a letdown, the message of Frozen II seemed to outweigh the lack of catchy tunes.

Finally, the most important plot element from Frozen and Frozen II is the bond that Anna and Elsa hold as sisters. I feel that Frozen II did a great job of showing a continuation of this relationship in a different way. At the start of the film, there is a scene of Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven play charades. While small, this scene I think very accurately depicted the importance of quality family time and bonding. Along with that, throughout the film, Anna frequently checks up on Elsa and shows immense concern for her well-being. While seeming almost excessive at some points, this representation of concern is important in showing how much Anna and Elsa care about each other. One of my favorite things about Frozen II is the way it ends. In contrast to the original where Elsa saves Anna when she becomes frozen, in Frozen II Anna saves Elsa. This was extremely important to me because it shows how sisterhood or friendships or relationships, in general, are a two-way street and each person gives something to the other.  

While seeing Frozen II might seem childish to some people, I think it’s rather the opposite. It’s a heartwarming film about love and overcoming obstacles. While it might not be worth it to pay full theater price to see if (especially if you’re not the biggest fan of Disney movies in general), it’s definitely worth the watch.