FROZEN

Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs

GRADE: A +

Kristen Bell, Idinia Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana
Based on The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson 
Story by Jennifer Lee and Shane Morris
Screenplay by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck
Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
The era of the Disney Princess is back with a vengeance. My feelings about this are decidedly mixed: while I am a lifelong Disney fan and grew up on Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, I'm also an ardent feminist who believes that the role model of the demure young Princess waiting for true love's kiss to define her life and make her everything she can be is more than a bit archaic. In addition, it is my hard held belief that the Prince Charming archetype has caused as much damage in creating an unrealistic ideal of manhood as the Barbie Doll has done for women. So it was a mixture of anticipation and dread that I went into this latest entry in the genre, which, like Tangeled before it, combines the old fashioned fairy tale with modern computer animation.

Elsa, princess of Arendelle, possesses the ability to create ice and snow. One night while playing, she accidentally injures her younger sister Anna. The king and queen seek help from trolls, who heal Anna and remove her memories of her sister's magic. The royal couple decides to lock the family away in their castle until Elsa learns to control her powers. Afraid of hurting her sister again, Elsa spends most of her time alone in her room, causing a rift between the sisters as they grow up. When the girls are teenagers, their parents are lost at sea during a storm.

When Elsa comes of age, the kingdom prepares for her coronation. Among the guests is the Duke of Weselton, a tradesman seeking to exploit Arendelle for profit. Excited to be allowed out of the castle again, Anna explores the town and meets Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, and the two immediately develop a mutual attraction. Despite Elsa's fear, her coronation goes off without incident. During the reception, Hans proposes and Anna hastily accepts. However, Elsa refuses to grant her blessing and forbids their sudden marriage. The two sisters argue, culminating in Elsa's abilities being exposed to everyone as she is unable to control her emotions. Panicking, Elsa flees the palace, inadvertently unleashing eternal winter on the kingdom in the process.

High in the mountains far from Arendelle, she builds herself a solitary ice palace, and unknowingly brings to life her and Anna's childhood snowman, Olaf. Meanwhile, Anna sets out in search of her sister, determined to return her to Arendelle, end the winter, and mend their relationship. While getting supplies, she meets mountain man Kristoff and his reindeer Sven. She convinces him to guide her up the North Mountain.

Frozen strays so far from Hans Christian Anderson's story The Snow Queen that it makes The Little Mermaid look like a reverential adaptation. But Disney animation has never been about telling the most faithful story: it's been about telling the best one. And Frozen is up there with Disney at it's very best.
From the first song, "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" the audience is hooked. The relationship between the two sisters is both beautiful and tragic, and Anna's resentment and hurt grows at the apartment shunning of an older sister who only wants to protect her. Many of the films most touching moments plays out in song, as this is more of a full fledged musical than Disney has done in years. The songs, by husband and wife team Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, are glorious, right up there with the very best of Alan Mencken, and the voice cast, lead by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel, shines brightly in every single moment.

Yes, there are the requisite goofy, Happy Meal character sidekicks and conventions of the tried and true Disney formula, and they are all realized perfectly.  The snowman Olaf, who I feared may be a bit too annoying, is so kind hearted and lovable  impossible that it's impossible not to become a fan. and the action sequences are thrilling and visually stunning.

Frozen is a love story, without question, but it's a more complex love than the Disney films of old, and even pokes some good-natured fun at the old cliches of love at first sight. In the end, the best thing about the film is it's broad definition of love and the many forms it takes, and for that reason above all others (and there are many) Frozen ranks among my very favorite Disney fairy tales.

Frozen is rated PG for some action and mild rude humor.