Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jw-AeaU5WI
There was a time I thought I'd never get to see Frozen. It was far too busy to see over Christmas and when the festive period ended I refused to go near it due to my assumption it was a Christmas film. Luckily I was told that Frozen actually takes place in summer, it's just a bit cold, so I eventually in it's sixth week of release got to see it. And thank god I did.
I expected more Tangled which is actually a fair expectation in itself. It was the film (other than The Princess and the Frog which I thought was really good) that marked Walt Disney's return to form. Sure the songs weren't quite as catchy as the golden early 90s Disney films and at times the emotion felt forced but it had a lot of heart and was as fun as Aladdin, The Little Mermaid or Beauty and The Beast ever were- or at least very close.
Frozen is where Disney shifts into gear and goes big- Broadway style songs and an emotional punch that matches the opening of Up. Both films had me in tears 10 minutes in and for an animated film to do that in such a short space of time is an incredible feat.
And yes I'm a sap but I love it. If a film can connect with you in such a way it causes emotion it's a sign it's done a great job.
Frozen is everything you want from a classic Disney film. As well as heaving heart it's also an overall well crafted movie. The characters are likeable, the action pieces are big with the animation used being pretty jaw dropping at times. Being a family film there needs to be a comedy-aside and it comes in the form of Olaf the snowman. As well as getting laughs he plays an actual role in the story as opposed to being just there so the over-excitable children get something to keep their attention.
The thing that came to mind even in the early stages of the film was that it bared a striking resemblance to Wicked. The stories and general tone are different but at it's core it's about two sisters going on separate journeys, one being outcast as evil with the other a little naive about life. The other thing the two have in common is the quality of the music and overall score. It's strong female vocals all round with songs that stick with hours after leaving the cinema. I thought it was interesting that the woman who voices Anna in the film actually played Elphaba in Wicked at one point so it's clear where Frozen got some of it's inspiration on.
So it's animated Wicked in the cold with a shed load of Disney magic and heart. If that sounds appealing to you than we've found you're perfect film.
There is the argument that a film aimed primarily at children can't really stand up in the world of film compared to films that deal with the worlds harder subjects. 'Kiddy films' just can't provoke an emotional response in an adult world. At this argument I present the words 'Do you want to build a snowman?' to which you will see any fully grown man who has watched the film grow at least a small lump in his throat.
Flawless.
10/10
