Think back to the films Disney released in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, to movies like “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” and “Aladdin.” What comes to mind when you think of those films, assuming you liked them? Great stories, well-developed characters, memorable songs, and unrivaled hand-drawn animation.
Disney came close to recapturing that magic with “The Princess and the Frog” in 2009, but the movie didn’t make enough coin, which more or less hammered the last nail on the coffin of traditional animation. As good as “Wreck-It Ralph” was, it didn’t remind me of Disney’s classics, and the studio’s other 3D offerings, such as “Tangled,” were missing that special something.
Five minutes into seeing “Frozen,” I knew Disney had finally nailed it. Here’s a computer-animated movie with all of the magic of the studio’s classics from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
I’ll start with the story, which like all great Disney movies has an element of magic: Loosely based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” “Frozen” tells the coming of age stories of Elsa, princess of Arendelle, and her younger sister, Anna. Elsa was born with the ability to create ice and snow. One night, she accidentally freezes Anna while they’re playing, forcing her parents to separate them for the rest of their youth. Tragically, the king and queen later die, leaving the two girls alone in their massive castle. When the time for Elsa’s coronation arrives, dignitaries from around the world come to witness the young lady take the throne. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, Elsa’s hidden ability comes out, forcing her to run away. She takes refuge on a faraway mountain, unaware she’s trapped Arendelle in an eternal winter.
Anna, who never stopped loving her sister, sets out to find Elsa and save Arendelle.
Suffice it to say the story has everything that made Disney’s classics great: romance, humor, tragedy, suspense, and an ending that will warm your heart.
The characters will leave you smiling, too. Elsa and Anna are very well drawn, with Elsa being a tragic but not evil figure, and Anna being a naïve, star-crossed youth who nonetheless rises to the occasion when called upon to do so. Their love for each other is the key to the movie, and culminates in a moment of genuine surprise – a moment that would be heartbreaking if we didn’t know this was a Disney movie.
Another high point of “Frozen” is Olaf, a talking snowman who provides most of the movie’s laughs. “Some people are worth melting for,” he says as he stands with Anna beside a fireplace, his face slowly drooping. “Just not right now.” Great stuff.
For the music, Disney employed an orchestra and Broadway-style singing instead of techno-tracks and hip hop tunes, which fit the setting and the story to a “T.” Songs like “Do You Want to Build a Snowman,” “Love is an Open Door,” and “For the First Time in Forever,” can easily stand beside the best songs in any Disney offering.
Finally, the animation. Wow. The artists that worked on “Frozen” took full advantage of the wintry setting to create several jaw-dropping scenes, including one in which Elsa builds an ice castle at her mountain refuge. Disney’s animators also have mastered the art of 3D character animation. Humans no longer move stiffly, but fluidly, realistically, and with remarkable grace. That said, several scenes feature hilarious physical comedy that wouldn’t be possible in the real world, which is the joy of animation.
As much as “Frozen” reminds me of Disney’s renaissance classics, it has a more modern and mature sensibility than those films. There’s no villainous bad guy or evil sorceress pulling the strings; rather, the conflict is internal, and is resolved in a way that genuinely surprised me.
“Frozen” is easily one of modern Disney’s best movies. See it while it’s in theaters. Just remember to take a child along – if not a real one, then the one in you.
Four stars out of four. Rated PG for action and mild rude humor.