Frozen (2013)

Written by Jennifer Lee

Directed by Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee

So, I know the hip, cool thing to do is hate Frozen. That it’s overblown. That the things it’s praised for aren’t original. That it’s over-saturated every arm of the Walt Disney Company.

Well, I’ve never been hip or cool.

Elsa and Anna

I admit, I love Frozen. I have since the first time I saw it, and I still do. Is it a bit over-saturated? Sure. I could agree with that. But taken as a film, out of context from the marketing behemoth it’s created, it is a genuinely very well made film.

Inspired by, but not necessarily based on, Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen (SERIOUSLY DISNEY WHERE ARE MY ROYALTIES), the film focuses on the frozen relationship between two sisters, one of whom was mysteriously born with the power to create snow and ice. The film deviates heavily from its source, most importantly by not casting Elsa as the villain. Indeed, the film seemingly answers (but not really) the question of who the villain of the film is. There are a few candidates, but each one has motive for their actions. Those motives might not always be the best, but they align perfectly with the characters.

Look at this gorgeous art!

One of my favorite aspects of the film is the art direction. It’s a gorgeous film, particularly the way the artists are able to animate light through ice; there’s a depth within the ice, and the colors and lights shown through it are astounding. The color gamut of the film is, to me, incredibly pleasing, with beautiful shades of many colors jumping off the screen.

Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff

I do have a random question, in that how does Elsa’s powers allow her to make non-snow objects? For example, Olaf’s arms and nose? Or even her own dress? I do wish the film had explained this a bit more, as it’s very interesting.

Finally, the music. Yes, everyone is sick of the songs, but I love them (except for “Fixer Upper” (there seems to be a thing about mid-film musical numbers that aren’t really great)). “Let It Go” is another instant-classic Disney song, but each of the songs continues to hold its own weight and propel its section of the film forward.

Love it or hate it, it’s obvious that Disney scored a home-run with this film. Yes, people forget about previous examples when discussing how groundbreaking the film is. Yes, it’s (still) everywhere. That’s how things in popular culture work. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by the backlash against it, because that’s also how pop culture works. I predict, however, in a few years, everyone will forget how cool it is to dislike the film, and it’ll be fondly remembered for many more years after.

FINAL GRADE: A