In Defense of Frozen

For 5 years, Frozen has been the subject of much debate about it’s quality. People either love this film and hail it as one of the highlights of the new Disney Renaissance or they slam it as being overrated and over exposed. I’m of the former as I believe Frozen is one of Disney’s best work in recent memory. I feel as though 5 years is long enough to accuse this film of being mediocre in contrast to the movies that came before or since it’s release. 

The first (and most agreeable) aspect that this film get’s right is the animation. This film has some of the best looking snow in the history of animation. It feels smooth, squishy, cold and soft, not to mention it flows naturally as snow should. The character designs make this film feel like a Disney Renaissance film brought into the 3rd dimension. The characters maintain the signature Disney style while moving naturally in their respective environment. The fur on Sven especially looks great and shows how far the company had come from their first foray into 3-D animated fur with Dinosaur (or if you want to get technical, Chicken Little). Of course, the biggest highlight of the animation in this film is the use of Elsa’s powers. With every flick of her wrist, her powers are shown as magical and full of wonder. The added bonus of making her powers appear as snowflakes just adds to the wonderful texture of the animation.

Speaking of characters, they are all very memorable in their own right. Each character is developed throughout the film and has a defined personality. Anna is the naive yet bubbly princess full of optimism and courage. Kristoff is the brave and funny hunk and, together with his best friend Sven, brings the some of the film’s funniest moments. Olaf is naive, like Anna, but his naivety adds to his more comedic moments. He’s even a vital part in the third act of the movie, showing that despite being made of snow, he has a warm heart. Then you have Hans, who’s got all the makings of a good prince: charm, likability, a great voice, a handsome face and he wins the heart of Anna within minutes. And then it’s revealed that it was all a front for his grand master plan to take over the kingdom of Arendelle. This is the point where people start calling out Disney for doing “twist villains” as after Hans, the next two movies (yes, 2) the company produced had twist villains. Yet the thing people seem to have a hard time grasping is that in the context of the film, it works. The film establishes and goes out of it’s way to make Hans look like the hero and by the time the third act rolls in, he pulls the rug out from not just Anna, but from the audience.

Ultimately though, this film is very much Elsa’s movie as the plot revolves, is ignited and finished by her. Unlike most Disney heroes/heroines, Elsa is one of tragedy from the get go. After striking her sister on accident with her powers, Elsa is forced to suppress her powers and distance herself from Anna, who by the way, was established as being like a best friend to her. Elsa never had a normal childhood nor did she have a great relationship with her sister because for over a decade she had to avoid her. Imagine this for a second; you hurt your sister when you were kids and were forced to keep your distance for your entire childhood from them. Sounds kinda depressing doesn’t it? And that’s what makes it feel so powerful when Elsa finally accepts who she is and let’s her powers go. Okay, I’ve stalled long enough, let’s talk about the songs.

Right out of the gate, this film starts off strong with the opening number, Frozen Heart. The male choir is booming and on point, the animation syncs up neatly, and Kristoff and Sven helping the ice pickers is just adorable. Lyrically it spells out the message of the film, which plays out in the third act. Do You Want to Build a Snowman is a cute song that becomes somber by the end and is a neat method to transition thru the years Anna had to endure being avoided by Elsa. For the First Time In Forever is very much like Out There from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and When Will My Life Begin from Tangled, in its upbeat tone and its lyrics showing Anna’s happiness to finally be outside and seeing the world. Anna’s duet with Hans, Love Is an Open Door, is a wonderful ditty, with the two characters seemingly having perfect chemistry (all part of Hans’ plan). Olaf even gets a number, In Summer. It’s a funny song that showcases Olaf’s naivety as well as being a nice little intermission from the main conflict. Fixer Upper is a nice little song, giving the rock trolls a number of their own and show casing the animation on  them. That said, it’s not as memorable as the other songs, especially when you compare it to the Oscar winning song, Let it Go. Elsa’s power ballad is a masterclass in terms of score and lyrics. Its about freedom and self acceptance and the relief of feeling pressure by everyone around you. It’s a song that starts of subtle but then explodes with positive sounding music by the second chorus. Many people have covered this song on numerous occasions, but Idina Menzel truly makes the song stand out.

Speaking of voice acting, this film has some really talented actors behind the characters. Kristen Bell just feels like the right choice for Anna, bringing out her bubbly nature and showing her bravery through all the hardships. Jonathan Groff sinks into the roll of Kristoff very well, bringing out his charm, humor and every man persona. Josh Gad makes Olaf his own in this film, selling the character’s naivety and bringing out his heart when it’s needed. Santino Fontana makes Hans feel like the charming princesses of most Disney classics and on a dime makes for a convincing villain. And then there’s Idina Menzel as Elsa. Now I have not seen Wicked, but her performance as Elsa makes me envy those diehard fans of the famous play. Menzel perfectly captures Elsa’s vulnerability and engaging personality. She has excellent chemistry with Anna and, as stated before, Menzel makes Elsa’s power ballad from all other covers since the films release.

Overall, this every time I watch this film, I love it more and more. The plot is well structured with enough time spent developing the characters and setting the conflict. It’s also really funny, with many of the jokes landing particularly from Kristoff and Olaf. The characters are well developed and have defined personalities, the animation is gorgeous and the songs are all upbeat and, save for Fixer Upper, unforgettable. And to the people who claim it’s overrated, please stop. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “X is overrated” is a dumb argument. If something is good, it should be praised and celebrated. It’s fine if you disagree, but instead of saying “This movie’s overrated IMO,” why not give your two cents and engage in a friendly debate with people who enjoy the film? You’re basically saying this film shouldn’t have gotten positive reviews because you didn’t like it. And that’s just selfish. Thanks so much for reading and I’ll see you soon.