The crown princess of the small northern kingdom of Elsa was born with an extraordinary gift: the ability to control ice and cold. For years, the girl happily built ice castles for her younger sister, Anna, in the middle of the ballroom, until one day an errant ice shard nearly kills the little girl. Terrified, the parents seek help from a troll wizard, who revives Anna, erasing all memories of her sister’s magic in the process. After this incident, the king forbids the princess from practicing witchcraft and orders her to stay away from Anna and other people. By the time Elsa reaches adulthood, her parents have died at sea, and the princess is crowned queen. However, the stress of the coronation and the ball after years of virtual imprisonment proves too much for Elsa. She snaps, uses magic, and, unable to control herself, freezes the entire kingdom before fleeing high into the mountains, where she builds an ice fortress for herself. Stunned, Anna sets off after her sister, hoping to persuade her to unfreeze the country. Accompanying her are her new friends: the handsome mountain man Kristoff and Olaf, a snowman brought to life by Elsa’s magic. Meanwhile, the foreigners who gathered for the coronation decide to get rid of both girls and seize the kingdom.
Initially, Disney wanted to adapt “The Snow Queen” closely to the text, but they felt that the main villain was too sinister for a children’s cartoon.
Has Disney benefited from the purchase of Pixar? So far, yes. While the previously invincible super-studio has been churning out sequels and prequels in recent years, squandering the talents of its animators on repeating the past, Walt Disney Pictures, revived from its slumber, is once again regularly releasing worthy and original cartoons: “Tangled,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” and now “Frozen,” a musical inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen.” At first glance, it may seem that screenwriter and director Jennifer Lee has left no stone unturned from the original tale, but at its core, “Frozen” is also a story about familial affection and a brave young heroine who, without any superhero abilities, saves her sister and kingdom with the power of her love. At the same time, Anna, unlike Pixar’s Merida from “Brave,” is not an obnoxiously feminist heroine. She doesn’t carry a bow, she sincerely wants to get married, and her behavior is reminiscent of Jennifer Lawrence – she speaks out of turn, doesn’t “filter her words,” struggles to fit into formal rituals, but doesn’t lose her composure even when she gets into trouble. This combination of optimism, lovability, awkwardness, and vulnerability makes Anna perhaps the most charming of all Disney princesses. Disney had already tried to create a similar heroine in “Tangled,” but they went too far with the comedic “craziness.” Unlike her counterpart, Anna has it all together – which, of course, is very important when you need to save a kingdom, not just sneak into a party.
The songwriters for the film, husband and wife Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, are known in America for their satirical musicals for adults, “Avenue Q” and “The Book of Mormon.”
Characters and Storyline
Almost all the other characters in “Frozen” are on par with Anna. Elsa, balancing on the edge of villainy and heartbreaking loneliness, the hilarious snowman Olaf, the quirky but wise trolls, the foreign prince who is not as simple as he seems at first… Only Kristoff did not reach the high bar set for himself by Jennifer Lee. The main character of “Frozen” turned out to be bland – although not as bland as the early Disney princes. He loses only in comparison to the studio’s latest achievements – Flynn Rider and Ralph. Which, however, is not surprising – although he plays an important role in the narrative, Kristoff is not a central character, but an appendage to Anna.
What Makes “Frozen” Great?
What else is good about “Frozen”? A captivating and dramatic plot, successful jokes, and excellent graphics and animation. You can watch the cartoon without sound, simply admiring the snowy and icy beauties that Elsa erects. True, “Frozen” is not as inventive as “Wreck-It Ralph,” but there was a much richer source material there, and it can be said that Lee squeezed everything possible out of a rather simple fairy tale. So, the only serious criticism of the film is for its musical numbers. Almost all of them are a solid “C,” professional but not memorable. The only standout is the powerful “Let It Go,” which is worth hearing performed by Idina Menzel, who voices Elsa (regardless of who sings this song in the Russian dub). It’s a superb combination of music, lyrics, artistry, and vocals.