FROZEN 2 TRAVELS INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH MIXED (BUT MOSTLY POSITIVE) RESULTS

In Frozen 2, things are pretty peachy in the kingdom of Arendelle. Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) is still getting used to being Queen, Princess Anna (Kristen Bell) is enjoying how normal and idyllic everything is while Olaf (Josh Gad) fears that nothing stays the same for very long, and Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) is tormenting himself over getting his proposal to Anna just right. Everything changes for the worst when Elsa engages in a duet with a strange voice that only she can hear, angering the elements (Water, Earth, Wind, and Fire....they each have their own personalities in the film. The fire spirit in particular is adorable as heck) which results with the citizens of Arendelle getting kicked out of their kingdom. The only way to make things right lies in a mysterious forest enshrouded in a thick mist. Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Kristoff will have to uncover the mystery that lies in the heart of the forest, and find a way to make things right.

Well, it's been six years since Frozen came out and took the world by storm, and now Frozen 2 sits poised to do it all over again. The whole cast is back for round 2, and is more than game for their beefed up roles (Olaf is also in much more of the film this time around, and is still entertaining....especially his recap of the first film. That said, he can be grating at times. Idina Menzel continues to absolutely own her role. Sterling K. Brown joins the cast in a small role as newcomer Destin Mattias, a member of the Arendelle royal guard. He's memorable and likable enough.).  Directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck return. Lee once again pens the script, but with assistance this outing from Allison Schroeder. The script is still mostly good, although Disney seems to be taking notes from Marvel. The songs this time around (once again by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez) are still mostly great, though the first film undeniably has the stronger soundtrack. The clear stand-out is 'Into the Unknown' (which is all but guaranteed to become the next big, inescapable earworm, just like 'Let It Go' before it.) , a playful and infectious song about the joy of venturing into new and possibly dangerous adventures. The visual sequence that accompanies it houses some of the first real WOW visuals in the movie. 'Some Things Never Change', and'When I Am Older'  are a bit lacking. 'Lost in the Woods' plays better on the soundtrack, as in the film it's mostly played for laughs when in reality the lyrics are fairly serious.

Frozen 2 falls into the same trap that most sequels fall into: It tries to be bigger, darker, and more mature. It mostly succeeds, but bigger does not always mean better. The film is slower than the first, and borders on being boring at times. Some might find themselves wishing Frozen 2 would just get on with it. It doesn't help that there is an expanded focus on backstory and exposition here, to a point where it almost overwhelms everything (For example: The first scene is a flashback to young Anna and Elsa, which then segues into ANOTHER flashback of their father when he was young). Yet another issue is that the characters are slowly separated as the film progresses onwards(Example: Kristoff appears in the first act and a half, only to disappear until the end of the final act. Sad to see a great character be mostly ignored), and while sisterhood still plays a key role here...this outing is more about the continuing adventure of self-discovery that Elsa is on. The film also features some heavy foreshadowing that all but telegraphs how things are going to play out, and is like being hit in the face with a brick (repeatedly).

One of the things about wanting to be darker and more mature, is that you have to commit. Each character does experience significant growth throughout the film (and the film is indeed quite dark and more mature), but Frozen 2 teases a much darker ending and almost completely goes for it, only to pull back at the very last second. That said, one of the sequel's largest positives is this: if you are looking for a spectacular wonderland for the eyes, you don't get much better than Frozen 2. The film is consistently stunning and gorgeous (Step aside Lion King 2019). There is always something to marvel at (so much wonderful, rich eye candy), and it's hard not to enjoy getting lost in the world the filmmakers create (especially in 3-D. There are plenty of screen-penetrating moments).

Frozen 2 is certainly not without some flaws, but still mostly succeeds despite itself (admittedly, some things don't exactly add up/make sense when you stop to really think about them. The film also recycles some elements/parts from the first Frozen) . It's a very entertaining, fun, visually dazzling film that has some memorable tunes and plays host to some great messages for the young and young-at-heart. It borders on being great, but doesn't quite get there. As far as sequels go, it's one of the better ones. In the end, there is plenty to enjoy here. Don't 'Let It Go', it's worth the trip 'Into the Unknown'.

3.5 STARS