Follow TV Tropes

Reviews WesternAnimation / Frozen 2013

Go To

Noah1 (It’s Ben 10)
06/25/2016 19:27:10 •••

Considering all the buzz, I'm glad I saw it

As someone who doesn't often get the opportunity to see movies when they come out in theaters, it poses a challenge when I have to tiptoe around the spoilers of one that piques my curiosity, such was the case for Disney's biggest hit, Frozen. When the opportunity to finally catch the movie presented itself, I was anxious: many loved it, many hated it, and many felt it was just okay, and I wanted to be on the side that loved it. I told myself that nothing gains such acclaim without good reason (Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey notwithstanding), and true to form, I really enjoyed it.

I'll get it out of the way that the beginning, particularly the Fridge Logic surrounding the decisions made by the trolls and the parents, is indeed the film's biggest flaw. Exposition is a tricky thing, y'know. Really, how forgiving you are of that flaw is a major factor in how likely you are to enjoy the movie. Another big factor is the songs, particularly "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman", "For the first Time In Forever", and "Let It Go". Looking back, they are a bit on the nose in what they're trying to convey to the viewer, so I can see how they'd be hit-or-miss (especially given the attention they've been getting), but the catchy melodies and talented singers make them some of my favorite Disney songs. Unfortunately, they factor into the film's flawed pacing; not even halfway in, and all the best songs are out the door! After that, all your left with is "In Summer" and "Fixer Upper", the latter of which, considering the above grievances, is another noted weak point.

The character dynamics were very well done. I understand Anna getting flak for being a carbon copy of Rapunzel and Elsa being eerily similar to Elphaba, but on their own, the two are enjoyable characters who have a great complement and contrast in their dynamic, and make a fantastic Moe Couplet in the end. Kristoff is a slobbish yet dependable and true ally who also makes a great foil to Anna. Olaf is a fresh take on the goofy sidekick; he's not an in-your-face Ink Suit for the celebrity of the week, and he actually contributes to the character and theme development. I can see how Hans being the twist villain would seem out-of-the-blue to some (you'd have to be pretty Genre Savvy to catch the Foreshadowing), but he does contribute well to the story's themes. Speaking of which, the movie's messages (Don't judge a book by its cover, what is True Love and where can it come from?) are also a very strong point.

While there might be some things that could have been improved somehow, I feel Frozen overall does well enough to have earned its spotlight. Every creative work has merit and flaw, both subjective and objective, and it all hinges on how that merit and flaw resonates with a viewer's individual tastes. As for me, it left me with that warm and fuzzy satisfaction I've come to expect from a good movie.

TheRealYuma Since: Feb, 2014
06/23/2016 00:00:00

Olaf isn\'t a fresh take at all. Unlike Donkey and other Comic Relief sidekicks, he actually makes almost no contribution to the movie other than being a character to be marketed towards small children. Donkey on the other hand helped Shrek get to Farquaad\'s castle, helped him get Princess Fiona out of the tower, he called Shrek out on his bullcrap which got the ogre out of his Heroic B.S.O.D., he even helped Shrek get to Farquaad\'s castle to stop the wedding, and that\'s in the first movie alone.

Actually, with Hans it\'s not about being Genre Savvy. The execution makes it feel like you have to over-analyze. However, there\'s more to the problem with him: he doesn\'t meet a fitting end. Getting locked in prison to be dealt with by his brothers is a small price to pay for two counts of regicide. Furthermore, it seems rather outlandish to say that the guy you first fall in love with will try to murder you. For all his sneaking and conniving, his ambition is low. His villainy comes into play far too late in the film. Then of course there\'s the fact that despite managing to fool Anna and the audience through song, that\'s really the only time he shows that master manipulation. What would have made him truly a great villain is one of two things: 1. An older gentleman with a youthful appearance who turns out to be a black widower murderer who cheated his way into the aristocracy. As it turns out, he used the \"love at first sight\" routine with all of his other wives before they \"died under mysterious circumstances,\" like Lord Barkis Bittern but more fleshed out as a character, but still a master manipulator as everyone bought the whole \"my wife is dead, now I\'ll never love again\" routine. 2. A young man but still a black widower murderer who cheated his way into the aristocracy. He still fools everyone with the \"my wife is dead, now I\'ll never love again\" routine, but instead of the gaps between murders being large, after each wife\'s death he moves to a different country or town, pretending to be so depressed that he must leave his home behind and start a new life. Both make being master manipulator a defining trait of his. Still, they really should have kept Elsa as the villain. After all, how fresh would a villain who is reformed by sisterly love be, hmm?

You\'d have to be very forgiving in order to overlook the movie\'s Fride Logic.

Tuckerscreator (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
06/23/2016 00:00:00

Olaf saved Anna's life and led the group to Elsa. Anyway, the review's point is that he contributed to the character theme, that is, personifying Anna and Elsa's lost childhood.

Furthermore, it seems rather outlandish to say that the guy you first fall in love with will try to murder you. In some places, 75% of murdered women are by their partner.

marcellX Since: Feb, 2011
06/23/2016 00:00:00

^ Apparently date rape and murder isn\'t a thing.

Valiona Since: Mar, 2011
06/23/2016 00:00:00

This is a good review that effectively evaluates the film\'s various aspects in an informative and accurate manner..

I can\'t say that I know all that much about Anna being like Rapunzel or Elsa being like Elphaba, since I haven\'t seen Tangled or Wicked, although I have heard the latter comparison once before. In any case, though, I liked both characters and thought they worked well for the film.

I also enjoyed all those songs, particularly Let It Go. Not only is it an excellent song on its own merits, it\'s apparently a large part of the reason why the film is the story it is, and why Elsa became the character she is.

TheRealYuma Since: Feb, 2014
06/25/2016 00:00:00

Tucker, Olaf didn't save her life actually. Olaf stalled her end. It was the act of true love that saved her life. "Their partner" and "the first guy they fell in love with" are two different things. It's also worthy to note that really never came up with Olaf. If it did then he would be more like the glue, the thing that keeps Anna going even when any other person would quit. He was almost always just comic relief.


Leave a Comment:

Top