I want to start by saying that at my big age, I cried in this movie. Not just a sniffle either, but BIG tears. Frozen 2 continues the adventures of Elsa (Idina Menzel), Anna (Kristen Bell), and everyone’s favorite talking snowman (Sorry, Frosty), Olaf (Josh Gad). The movie, in true Disney fashion, is packed with adventure, excitement, laughter, and love. The sequel to Disney’s 2013 hit takes us to the Enchanted Forest and shows us more of the history of Arendelle, gives us answers about how Elsa and Anna’s parents passed, and why Elsa has powers.
The movie opens with a scene from the past of a young Anna and Elsa and their parents, King Agnar and Queen Iduna. They tell them a story about the Enchanted Forest, a magical and wondrous place where something terrible happened. Later on in the movie, Elsa hears an eerie voice calling out to her, which she assumes is coming from the Enchanted Forest. Grandpappy, one of the boulder trolls, warns Elsa and Anna that they must right the past, or else there would be no future for Arendelle. So, Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven journey to the forest to discover the people of the forest, and Arendelle has been stuck there for over 30 years.
Elsa and Anna continue in the forest to find a mythical river that is said to hold all explanations from the past when they eventually stumble upon their parents’ wrecked ship that was assumed to have gone down in the sea. The girls found a map aboard the ship that leads them to the mythical river, but Elsa sends Anna away, telling her it is too dangerous for her to join and then continue the journey alone. When Elsa reaches the river, she uncovers the past but dies in trying to do so. Her last act was sending a message to Anna; for her to undo the past.
Once Anna undid the past, Elsa came back to life stronger than ever, and the fog that once trapped people in the forest disappeared. Elsa became the protector of the Enchanted Forest, Anna became Queen of Arendelle and Kristoff, and Anna got married *insert my big girl tears*.
Frozen 2 introduced a lot of new characters that added to the storyline and the impact it had. A standout character for me was Yelena, the leader of the Enchanted Forest tribe. She is so protective of her family and community while also being soft and understanding. She is such an embodiment of what women are and what they should strive to be; influential and caring leaders.
Frozen 2, in my opinion, is the better Frozen. It is an amazing addition to the franchise, and between the almost mature comedy of Olaf and girl power Queens Elsa and Anna bring, you can’t help but leave in tears.