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osprey_archerFrozen II disappointed me when I saw it in theaters, but I was hopeful that I would discover upon rewatch that it was simply a let-down compared to Frozen, as indeed what would not be? But unfortunately it turns out that even when you go in with your expectations suitably lowered, the movie is still a mess.
Visually the movie is stunning. I love the moment when Elsa answers the voices calling her and ice diamonds appear in the air, the enchanted autumn forest, the entire sequence when Elsa runs into the sea and tames a water horse. (Someone involved in this movie, Julie and I agreed, wanted to make a horse girl story.)
The problem lies in the parts where the characters talk. I think the filmmakers may have taken the criticism that Hans’s betrayal in Frozen comes out of nowhere a little too much to heart, because in this film, everything is set up. And then set up again. Kristoff repeatedly attempts to propose to Anna and fails, amid “comic” misunderstandings (which actually make them look way less well-suited to each other.) Anna repeatedly makes Elsa promise that she will never leave Anna behind, making it more or less a foregone conclusion that Elsa will leave Anna behind. And then, just in case we’re a bit slow on the uptake, Olaf sometimes outright states the themes. This is a movie about the inevitability of change!
For Pete’s sake, give the audience some room to breathe.
The movie is also attempting an anti-colonialist message, a la Pocahontas (another visually stunning but thematically messy movie!), and it just struggles. This is partly because there’s already so much going on in the movie - again, no room for any of the storylines to breathe - but also some of their choices just seem weird. For instance, it turns out that Anna and Elsa’s mother was one of the Northuldra, Arendelle’s native northern neighbors. Indeed, when there was a battle between the Northuldra and the Arendelle guard, she saved their father’s life and came back to Arendelle with him!
Except… she never once mentioned any of this to Anna and Elsa. It’s apparently as deep and dark a secret as Elsa’s ice powers. Even when the King tells young Anna and Elsa about the battle, the Queen who is standing right there says nothing at all. Anna and Elsa only learn they’re half-Northuldra when the Northuldra recognize their mother’s special shawl. Why? In a movie that is dedicated to over-explaining everything else, there’s no explanation for this. It’s just bizarre.
Visually the movie is stunning. I love the moment when Elsa answers the voices calling her and ice diamonds appear in the air, the enchanted autumn forest, the entire sequence when Elsa runs into the sea and tames a water horse. (Someone involved in this movie, Julie and I agreed, wanted to make a horse girl story.)
The problem lies in the parts where the characters talk. I think the filmmakers may have taken the criticism that Hans’s betrayal in Frozen comes out of nowhere a little too much to heart, because in this film, everything is set up. And then set up again. Kristoff repeatedly attempts to propose to Anna and fails, amid “comic” misunderstandings (which actually make them look way less well-suited to each other.) Anna repeatedly makes Elsa promise that she will never leave Anna behind, making it more or less a foregone conclusion that Elsa will leave Anna behind. And then, just in case we’re a bit slow on the uptake, Olaf sometimes outright states the themes. This is a movie about the inevitability of change!
For Pete’s sake, give the audience some room to breathe.
The movie is also attempting an anti-colonialist message, a la Pocahontas (another visually stunning but thematically messy movie!), and it just struggles. This is partly because there’s already so much going on in the movie - again, no room for any of the storylines to breathe - but also some of their choices just seem weird. For instance, it turns out that Anna and Elsa’s mother was one of the Northuldra, Arendelle’s native northern neighbors. Indeed, when there was a battle between the Northuldra and the Arendelle guard, she saved their father’s life and came back to Arendelle with him!
Except… she never once mentioned any of this to Anna and Elsa. It’s apparently as deep and dark a secret as Elsa’s ice powers. Even when the King tells young Anna and Elsa about the battle, the Queen who is standing right there says nothing at all. Anna and Elsa only learn they’re half-Northuldra when the Northuldra recognize their mother’s special shawl. Why? In a movie that is dedicated to over-explaining everything else, there’s no explanation for this. It’s just bizarre.
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