It's a gorgeous movie that starts out amazingly strong, but is crippled by overly-pop music and a third act that melts away all the interesting complexity that the first two acts delighted in.
A ★★★½ review of Frozen (2013)
Apparently we’re the last people ever on the planet to see “Frozen,” but we finally managed this evening. And the result? Mixed. The production values are gorgeous. Snow and ice have never looked so impressive. The voice artistry is all artistic and competent. The story starts off strong and complex, full of mixed motivations and and complexity of emotions. The traumatized (and oppressed/suppressed daughter, the happy-go-lucky but still oddly wou…
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My wife agrees on the music, I love overly pop but it is a accurate description. I won't argue about the third act. But the first two were so good, I just didn't notice until reflecting on it.
Agreed,
Although, I loved the music. (I'll deny I admitted that. :))
Well said, sir! I agree, particularly on how the modern "pop" music is going to be a detriment to the film in years to come. The best Disney music is timeless.
My three girls think it is the bestest movie ever in the history of the universe and everything seriously. I think they've seen it half a dozen times.
I kept hearing references to Frozen for weeks before I knew what it was. I don't expect that I will ever watch it. There are too any classics on TCM I'd rather devote time to watching (or rewatching).
The entire thing reeks of a " straight to Broadway" movie. Though my child agrees with yours +Dan Edwards
+Scott Randel Well, at least now I can go back and look at all those #Frozen memes without getting spoiled.
I watched it last night, too. I enjoyed some of the music, but there were some really weird parts (am I elated or gassy? Why is that in a song?!) that I think will ruin them for becoming classics, but I will also say that I opened up YouTube and listened to "Let it Go" several times after the movie.
I also agree that the movie lost it's umph towards the end. I'm glad it was (spoiler alert!) her sister that used true love to unfreeze Anna's heart, but I do think there should have been a bit of a learning curve to removing winter and even relearning it/learning to control it when Elsa escaped.
Overall, I liked it and I'll get around to buying the bluray one day, but I'm not that concerned about having it immediately.
+Alysha DeShaé Terry The dialog was very witty and contemporary — and, as such, felt more Dreamworks than Disney, with the same issue of shelf life.
Agree on the learning curve. It was sort of, "Oh, hey, running long, let's wrap this up in a neat bow."
SPOILERS
I was, honestly, not very happy over how Prince Hans turned out. Object lesson, maybe? Sure. But it felt like sloppy, simplistic storytelling, as if someone decided we needed a mustache-twirling bad guy who wasn't a cartoon like the Duke. It would have been much more interesting (as it was being set up early) if the question of what "true love" is and how love sometimes works out funny and sometimes involves painful choices and all that had been played out in that storyline, rather than conveniently shortcircuited by convenient betrayal.
I read all these comments with interest – but I gotta tell ya, I view this film through the eyes of my 3 girls (ages 2-9) and it's fantastic. Prince Hans caught them by surprise – GOOD! Hopefully some lame smooth talker won't do the same to them years down the road. Also – SISTERHOOD was big in the film and dealt with very well, a concept mine are definitely all dealing with. Also, the saving, sacrificial "act of true love" wasn't romantic – THANK YOU DISNEY!! That was a win in my book. The impact this film has had on them makes me a very happy dad. Win-Win.
+Charles Carrigan A worthwhile object lesson, but also something that simplified the dilemma set up in the plotline a lot.
And, yes, nice to see sisterhood get a call-out in a positive way. Indeed, it's refreshing to see a Disney orphan who isn't alone in the world.
And, yes, I liked that the "true love" turned out to be what it was. A very nice twist.
So it's certainly not without merit. And clearly it resonates with a lot of folks. Just not (in some key aspects) as much with me.