Frozen II Movie Review - Almost as Enchanting as the Original

In Frozen II, three years have gone by since the events of the first film and all seems well in Arendelle. Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) is ready to propose to Anna (Kristen Bell) and Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) is ruling in style but she starts hearing a luring singing voice, a siren’s call from the North that draws her to a fog-shrouded forest where the spirits of earth, wind, fire and water live.

Is this where all the spirits live?Courtesy of Disney

She, Anna, Kristoff and snowman pal Olaf (Josh Gad) travel to the north where, after many adventures, the group learns the true origin of Elsa’s powers and the secret of Elsa and Anna’s parentage. Can they calm the angry forest spirits and save their kingdom?

Frozen II Trailer

Childhood Story

As kids, Anna and Elsa played with ice animals that Elsa created and listened to their father tell them a strange story about an enchanted forest protected by powerful spirits of earth, air, fire and water. The people there were befriended by the girls’ grandfather then king who built them a needed dam. Their dad the king, as a kid, saw the magic in the woods but suddenly his people and the locals were fighting to the death. Elsa and Anna’s grandfather was killed. A mystery person saved dad. He has no idea who.

Dad tells his girls about an enchanted forestCourtesy of Disney

Siren’s Call

Adult Elsa hears a beautiful voice calling her and, worrying about her sister wandering toward the sound, Anna walks away before Kristoff can propose. Elsa is lured to go “Into the Unknown” as she sings. The elemental spirits attack the kingdom with wind, fire and water. Elsa thinks she woke them but feels that the voice calling her is good, not evil. Trolls tell her that the spirits want her to right an old wrong done to them. Elsa will go to the north. Anna, Kristoff and Olaf insist on going with her.

Into the unknownCourtesy of Disney

In the Forest

After going through a fog, the group enters the enchanted forest where charming beings live and seem to tease and play with our heroes. Elsa sees several frozen statues, one of her dad as a child in the arms of a young woman. Suddenly the local citizens appear along with soldiers from Arendelle who have been trapped inside the foggy forest for thirty years!

Elsa and friends enter forest fogCourtesy of Disney

Leading the soldiers is Mattias (Sterling K. Brown).

The sisters with MattiasCourtesy of Disney

Olaf catches them all up by telling them a quickie version of the happenings in the original “Frozen” film.

The forest people listen as Olaf catches them upCourtesy of Disney

Fire Attack

Elsa meets a cute, tiny fire creature and has to put out various attacking flames with her icy powers. Later she and Anna learn that their mom was one of the local forest people. She is the girl who saved their dad! Elsa learns that there is a 5th elemental spirit that will serve as a bridge between the rest. The sisters follow giants made of stone while Kristoff sings of being lost and alone. The girls find the wrecked ship their parents were supposed to have been drowned at sea inside.

A tiny fire creatureCourtesy of Disney

Across the Dark Sea

Elsa follows a map found inside the ship hoping to track where her parents ended up. She doesn’t want Anna and her friends to follow. Too dangerous. Elsa pushes them away and they end up in a cave while she tries to freeze the Dark Sea so she can cross it. She is aided by a beautiful water horse and ends up riding it to a land of frozen rivers...glaciers where she challenges the voice to “show yourself”.

A water horse appears to ElsaCourtesy of Disney

The True Past

Elsa is shown visions of the true past and learns that her grandfather thought the people of the forest with their magical elemental spirits were too powerful and must be controlled. He ended up killing their leader. Anna learns the truth as well. She is separated from Kristoff and Olaf is getting weaker. He blows away as snowflakes and she sadly escapes the cave alone. She realizes that the spirits never wanted the dam. She has to destroy it. she enlists the stone giants to throw huge boulders at it.

The spirits charm Olaf who gets weakerCourtesy of Disney

Outcome?

Anna senses that Elsa must be dead. It’s up to her to do the right thing. Will she and Kristoff ever be reunited? Is Olaf really dead? Will the sisters find each other? Will breaking the dam be the right thing for both this kingdom and Arendelle and what is the true destiny for the two loving sisters?

The sisters as kids with their momCourtesy of Disney

Wrapping Up

Frozen II contains some eye-popping animated effects scenes that are just beautiful.

Frozen magic!Courtesy of Disney

The songs are nice if not chart toppers and there is enough comic relief during the desperate quest adventures to bring balance to the tale. Most of the humor is provided by Olaf or Kristoff and reindeer Sven who tries to assist his master in his many thwarted attempts to propose to Anna.

Kristoff and Sven with a herd of reindeerCourtesy of Disney

The story presents a very worthy mystery that, when solved, reveals the true history of the sisters and the secret of Elsa’s amazing powers but there are so many developments and necessary information that must be crowded into the film that it all may be too much especially for younger audience members to follow.

The amazing spirit powersCourtesy of Disney

There is certainly enough worthy music, beautifully-executed animated adventure scenes and loving family and friends emotional challenges to hold the interest of newbies and original “Frozen” fans as well. We can give this one four stars.

Frozen II Movie Rating: 

Courtesy of Disney

See Frozen II in theaters now!

Are You a Fan?

Have you been anxiously waiting for this second Frozen adventure? How would you like to see Anna and Elsa end up? Which is your fave character? Do you hope there is a special song as good as “Let It Go”. Or.... could you just not get into any of it? Comment and/or write a note on your Kidzworld profile page.

By: Lynn Barker