Michael Olderr, Staff Writer

After 6 years since the release of the original, Disney has released Frozen II, the sequel to their blockbuster hit, Frozen. This story acts as a continuation of the world that was created in the first one. And while it has more than its fair share of ups and downs, there is something truly magical to be found in it because it tells a much-needed story about the unknown and accepting yourself.

The story of Frozen II is very interesting and much needed today. However, at the start of the movie, there’s no time to state where each character is in terms of their development. This makes it hard to determine how much they actually change by the end of the movie, or if they change at all. And since this movie is supposed to be a grand character journey, this lack of character attention makes it a letdown. 

Frozen II also uses a lot of common sequel-movie tropes and tries to compact too many things into one movie. Its many side characters are not used to their full potential, and their only purpose is to give some cringeworthy exposition. The movie could have been better if they had just spent a little more time with them, as it would have flushed out the conflict and the mystery that it sets up. Some of the dialogue also comes off pretty corny, and it seems to be used as thinly veiled foreshadowing. Overall, the story that the movie is trying to tell is too big for its hour and a half runtime.

  On the animation side of things, this movie is absolutely phenomenal–some scenes are going to go down in history and will be talked about for years to come. It’s also amazing just how lifelike it can actually be, but at the same time coincide completely with the film’s other cartoonish features.

Musically, Frozen II surpasses its predecessor. Granted there is no song thatʻs quite an earworm like “Let It Go,” but some come really close. As a collective, the songs in this movie surpass its predecessors: every song is much more powerful and heartfelt than the entirety of the original movie’s soundtrack.  Frozen II also flips the “Disney princess” trope on its head. Elsaʻs journey, in particular, is a highlight. Her growth that she started when she sang “Let it Go” reaches its natural conclusion, one that equally as beautiful as it is cinematic.

This movie is problematic in the sense that it does not succeed in everything that it tries to do. However, what makes it a masterpiece is that it’s also a movie that will make you burst into tears; it is a whole new adventure that is thrilling and a treat for all your senses. Now, if it was only a half an hour longer…