The Renewal of a Phenomenon
After 2013’s Frozen became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, a genuine cultural phenomenon, the calls for a seemingly inevitable sequel began to grow. Fellow animation studios like Pixar and DreamWorks had been crafting successful follow-ups to their most popular animated films for years, but Disney had long resisted the urge to greenlight theatrical sequels for any of their 21st-century films, namely due to the mistakes of the past.
In the 90s and early 00s, Disney had actually been consistently churning out sequels to their successful animated titles, which were handled by the studio’s straight-to-video department, DisneyToon Studios. Produced inexpensively with less extravagant animation and simplistic narratives, hugely popular films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, The Jungle Book, Cinderella, and Bambi were given subpar sequels released directly to VHS and DVD.
While these releases often performed well, particularly around the holiday retail period, many animators and fans felt their existence ultimately cheapened the legacy of the original films. When Pixar executives Ed Catmull and John Lasseter took creative control of Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2006, they were concerned the cheap sequels were undercutting the value of the studio’s major releases. As such, Catmull and Lasseter cancelled all DisneyToon projects currently in development, including sequels to Dumbo, Chicken Little, The Aristocats, and Pinocchio, and the studio instead focused on spinoffs projects such as Tinker Bell and Planes.
Despite the unprecedented success of Frozen, Disney was still reluctant to leap into a sequel, with CEO Bob Iger refusing to simply mandate a follow-up and force the filmmakers to craft a story for financial reasons. However, the studio was happy to mine the brand for all it was worth, with a seemingly endless line of merchandise, theme park appearances, a Broadway musical adaptation, and two short animated films, Frozen Fever and Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, which were shown in theatres before the live-action remake of Cinderella and Pixar’s Coco respectively.
During the production of Frozen Fever in late 2014, directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee realised how much they had missed the characters and began initial story discussions for a sequel. It was during this preliminary planning stage that Buck and Lee agreed how they wanted the second film to end. They just needed to determine a satisfying journey to reach this intended conclusion. Buck and Lee were keenly aware fans of the original film were left with numerous unanswered questions the sequel must address, namely surrounding the mysterious origins of Elsa’s magical powers and where her parents, King Agnarr and Queen Iduna were heading when their ship tragically sank. With this intention in mind, the directors crafted an outline that explored Arendelle’s past and how the mistakes made by the town’s ancestors were affecting the future of the kingdom.
THE STORY
King Agnarr of Arendelle tells a story to his young daughters, Elsa and Anna, that their grandfather, King Runeard, had established a treaty with a neighbouring tribe of Northuldra by building a dam in their homeland, the Enchanted Forest. However, a fight occurs, resulting in Runeard's death and enraging the elemental spirits of Earth, Fire Water and Air, of the forest. The spirits disappear and a wall of mist traps everyone in the Enchanted Forest. Young Agnarr barely escapes due to the help of an unknown saviour.
Three years after her coronation, Elsa celebrates autumn in the kingdom with Anna, Olaf the snowman, Kristoff the ice harvester, and Kristoff's reindeer Sven. One night, when Elsa hears a mysterious voice calling out to her, she follows it and unintentionally awakens the elemental spirits, which forces everyone in the kingdom to evacuate. Grand Pabbie and the Rock Troll colony arrive and Pabbie informs them that they must set things right by discovering the truth about the past.
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As expected, Disney enlisted original cast members Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, and Josh Gad to reprise their roles of Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf respectively, with each receiving a major boost in their salaries from the first film. Emmy Award-winner Sterling K. Brown was cast as Mattias, while veteran actor Alfred Molina was chosen for the role of King Agnarr. After auditioning several actors, the filmmakers selected Evan Rachel Wood for the role of Queen Iduna after noting her warm, inviting voice echoed the voices of both Menzel and Bell.
MY VERDICT
Frozen 2 does not reach the grand heights of its predecessor, but it still stands as an entirely worthy follow-up that offers everything a sequel should. Frozen II expands on what came before, while still delivering everything that made the original such a success, namely stunning animation, plenty of fun, flashy musical numbers, and a handful of tear-inducing moments. Its narrative plays it all a little too safe, but when the storyline is so utterly entertaining, it’s easily permissible.
By ending the film the way they did, Frozen II succeeds as a necessary sequel by expanding on the origins of its tale and filling in the gaps its predecessor left behind. Even if this sequel was somewhat financially motivated, Lee’s screenplay refused to fall into the trap of just rehashing everything previously seen, delivering a new chapter that never once feels anything but a natural and earnest evolution and continuation.
While Disney remained coy on the budget of Frozen II (it was estimated to be between $150-$175 million), it’s clear from the utterly sensational animation they’ve invested more cash in crafting this sequel. Whether it’s the stunning water rendering or the gorgeous landscapes, the animation reaches new heights for the studio, offering a sumptuous treat that’s visually dazzling and downright beautiful to behold.
With a cavalcade of spectacular visuals, a wildly entertaining narrative, and all the uplifting moments Disney do so well, Frozen II is a terrific follow-up well worth the six - year wait. For all the anticipation and hype, this could have been a total disaster, so kudos has to be given to Lee and Buck for actually making this work. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll love revisiting the majesty of this unstoppable franchise. And just try to leave the cinema without wanting to belt out, “Show yourseeeeeeelf” On the other hand, while being only a little annoying in the first film, Olaf becomes a comedic gunpoint. By which I mean, he becomes filler to make the kids laugh and grind the story to a halt.
Is Frozen II a Disney Classic? This sequel easily could have been a total disaster, but Disney rightly refused to rush into producing a follow-up that existed as nothing more than a cash grab. Frozen II is a natural evolution of its predecessor, which deftly proved a sequel was entirely necessary. It’s been a year since this film was released and it’s still just as popular now as it was then, so I would definitely call this a Disney Classic.
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