On its release in 2013, Frozen quickly became one of the most lucrative animations ever released by Disney, raking in a gigantic $1.2 billion in box office alone. With a soundtrack packed of ear-worm worthy hits and a DVD on constant rotation in every home - some would say to the understandable despair of fed up parents - it was only a matter of time before a sequel was in the works.
Six years later, directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee return with Frozen 2, a sequel that’s markedly darker, more complex and undeniably more mature than its predecessor. Reprising a role which made her into an overnight global star, Jewish Broadway sensation Idina Menzel is once again joined by Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, The Good Place), Jonathan Groff (Glee, Mindhunter) and Josh Gad (Love & Other Drugs, Beauty and the Beast) as they lend their voices to an exciting new adventure.
Three years after the events of the first film, queen Elsa (Menzel at her brilliant best) is struggling to come to terms with her duties and still fears the destructive nature of her magical powers. Things are further complicated when Elsa becomes haunted by a sound only she can seem to hear. Unable to ignore this calling any longer, the young queen is compelled to leave her kingdom in search for some answers.
Unwilling to let her sister act alone, Anna (Bell), along with visibly besotted boyfriend Kristoff (Groff), Olaf the snowman (Gad) and Sven the reindeer all join the party as they venture into the enchanted forest to solve the mystery. What they discover along the way will eventually hold the answer to more than they’d bargained for.
With impeccably constructed gags (notably delivered with acerbic nous by Gad) and two impressive central performances courtesy of Menzel and Bell, Frozen 2 isn’t afraid to step into uncharted territory by broaching important social and political subjects along the way.
From the hugely uplifting Show Yourself, to the decidedly catchy Into The Unknown, husband and wife song-writing team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have given us a truly magnificent new soundtrack. And while there’s no denying that none of the new songs are ever likely to match the iconic staying power of Let It Go or Love Is An Open Door, Frozen 2 is still able to provide some impressive show-tunes that are sure to become Broadway standards in no time.
Despite a preposterously convoluted plot and perhaps one too many secondary characters, Buck and Lee have still manage a real tour de force by delivering a handsomely crafted and truly enchanting sequel to one of the most popular Disney animations of the last decade.
