Frozen Review
By Rich Cline
Disney learns a lesson from Pixar's Brave, giving these orphaned princesses some feisty purpose that doesn't depend on a man. Everything else about this movie is fairly formulaic, including the requisite goofy sidekick character. But the frosty animation adds a stately, dramatic tone that's picked up by Broadway-style songs and just a hint of moral complexity in the story, which is based on Hans Christian Andersen's story The Snow Queen.
With her ability to freeze anything at a touch, young Queen Elsa (voiced by Menzel) has spent her life hidden away in the castle. No one can know her secret, including her restless little sister Anna (Bell), who meets her dream man in Hans (Fontana) on the day of Elsa's coronation. But Elsa's startled reaction to this news triggers an ice age in the kingdom, which sends Elsa fleeing to hide in the mountains. So Anna decides to track her down. She enlists help from local delivery boy Kristoff (Groff) and his pet reindeer, and as they head into the hills they encounter one of Elsa's newest creations: a singing, dancing, scatterbrained snowman named Olaf (Gad).
The winter wonderland setting gives the animators a lot to work with, and the imagery is spectacular. We actually shiver at the gleaming ice and snowy landscapes, which are so detailed that they make us want to see the film again. The characters are also sharply rendered, although they're designed without much subtlety, including the usual Disney physicality in the girls' big-eyed Barbie-like figures. But the plot keeps us off balance by, for example, giving Anna two eligible men to choose between. And also by making Elsa so internally conflicted about her unwanted powers.
With just enough interest to draw us in emotionally, we don't really mind the presence of a slapstick character like Olaf. And the fable's various messages come through clearly without ever becoming heavy-handed. It's great to see a big animated romp in which strong young women do everything on their own terms. And it's also nice to see a film that reminds us that what makes us different is something we should revel in rather than hide out of view.
Facts and Figures
Year: 2013
Genre: Animation
Run time: 102 mins
In Theaters: Wednesday 27th November 2013
Box Office USA: $400.7M
Box Office Worldwide: $1.3B
Budget: $150M
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures
Production compaines: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Reviews
Contactmusic.com: 4 / 5
Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
Fresh: 190 Rotten: 24
IMDB: 7.7 / 10
Cast & Crew
Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Producer: Peter Del Vecho
Screenwriter: Jennifer Lee
Starring: Kristen Bell as Anna (voice), Idina Menzel as Elsa (voice), Jonathan Groff as Kristoff (voice), Josh Gad as Olaf (voice), Santino Fontana as Hans (voice), Alan Tudyk as Duke (voice), Ciarán Hinds as Pabbie / Grandpa (voice), Chris Williams as Oaken (voice), Stephen J. Anderson as Kai (voice) (as Stephen John Anderson), Maia Wilson as Bulda (voice), Edie McClurg as Gerda (voice), Robert Pine as Bishop (voice), Maurice LaMarche as King (voice), Livvy Stubenrauch as Young Anna (voice), Eva Bella as Young Elsa (voice), Spencer Ganus as Teen Elsa (voice), Jesse Corti as Spanish Dignitary (voice), Jeffrey Marcus as German Dignitary (voice), Tucker Gilmore as Irish Dignitary (voice), Ava Acres as Additional Voices (voice), Stephen Apostolina as Additional Voices (voice), Annaleigh Ashford as Additional Voices (voice), Krik Baily as Additional Voices (voice), Jenica Bergere as Additional Voices (voice), Dave Boat as Additional Voices (voice), Paul Briggs as Additional Voices (voice), Tyree Brown as Additional Voices (voice), Woody Buck as Additional Voices (voice), June Christopher as Additional Voices (voice), Lewis Cleale as Additional Voices (voice), Wendy Cutler as Additional Voices (voice), Terri Douglas as Additional Voices (voice), Eddie Frierson as Additional Voices (voice), Jean Gilpin as Additional Voices (voice), Jackie Gonneau as Additional Voices (voice), Nicholas Guest as Additional Voices (voice), Bridget Hoffman as Additional Voices (voice), Nick Jameson as Additional Voices (voice), Daniel Kaz as Additional Voices (voice), John Lavelle as Additional Voices (voice), Jennifer Lee as Additional Voices (voice), Patricia Lentz as Additional Voices (voice) (as Pat Lentz), Annie Lopez as Additional Voices (voice), Katie Lowes as Additional Voices (voice), Mona Marshall as Additional Voices (voice), Dara McGarry as Additional Voices (voice), Scott Menville as Additional Voices (voice), Adam Overett as Additional Voices (voice), Paul Pape as Additional Voices (voice), Courtney Peldon as Additional Voices (voice), Jennifer Perry as Additional Voices (voice), Raymond S. Persi as Additional Voices (voice), Jean-Michel Richaud as Additional Voices (voice), Lynwood Robinson as Additional Voices (voice), Carter Sand as Additional Voices (voice), Jadon Sand as Additional Voices (voice), Katie Silverman as Additional Voices (voice), Pepper Sweeney as Additional Voices (voice), Fred Tatasciore as Additional Voices (voice)
Also starring: Ciaran Hinds
