Disney’s
latest animated tale, "Frozen," ironically enough, is likely to give
viewers of all ages a warm feeling inside — largely because that’s the only
ironic thing about it.
Unlike the
last movie to come out of the Walt Disney Animation Studios, the hip-to-be-pixelated
"Wreck-It Ralph," the computer-animated "Frozen" carries on
some of Disney’s oldest traditions. It’s a classic fairy tale, with princesses
and castles, heroes and villains, an enchanted object, beautiful animation and
characters who break out into song.
In the
kingdom of Arendelle, the daughters of the king and queen, Anna and Elsa, play
in the castle. Anna urges Elsa to use her powers to make ice and snow so they
can sled and slide and make a snowman. But when the play gets a bit rough and
Anna gets knocked unconscious, the king and queen make a life-altering
decision: They will keep the sisters separated and — thanks to some magical
rock creatures — wipe away Anna’s memory of Elsa’s powers.
Years
later, upon the death of the king and queen, Elsa (voiced by "Wicked"
star Idina Menzel) is set to be crowned Arendelle’s new queen — but she’s
fearful of unleashing her powers and having her subjects turn against her. Anna
(voiced by Kristen Bell) is eager for company and urges Elsa to open the castle
to visitors. Sure enough, at the very first gala event, Anna falls in love with
the charming prince Hans (voiced by Santino Fontana). But Elsa, wary of new
people in the castle, refuses to give Anna her blessing to marry — and, in a
moment of anger, unleashes her frozen fury.
Elsa
exiles herself to the mountains, feeling free to use her powers to create her
own icy kingdom. Alas, she also plunges Arendelle in perpetual winter. Anna
vows to find Elsa and persuade her to return Arendelle’s summer weather. She
receives reluctant help from Kristoff (voiced by "Glee’s" Jonathan
Groff), an ice vendor, and Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad), the snowman the sisters
built when they were kids — and who, thanks to Elsa’s powers, is suddenly alive
and talking.
Oh, and
singing. "Frozen" benefits from a gorgeous song score written by
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who collaborated on Disney’s 2011
"Winnie the Pooh" revival. (Robert Lopez’s credits also include the
puppet musical "Avenue Q" and working with the "South Park"
guys on "The Book of Mormon.") Their songs range from the plaintive
"Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" to Olaf’s funny solo "In
Summer" and Elsa’s moving declaration of independence, "Let It
Go" — and trust me, come the Oscar ceremony, you’ll want to hear Menzel’s
heart-stopping version over the radio-ready Demi Lovato cover.
Directors
Chris Buck ("Tarzan," "Surf’s Up") and Jennifer Lee (who
wrote the screenplay, adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Snow
Queen") match the Lopezes’ work with a well-paced story and some of the
most gorgeous animation Disney has produced in ages. The ice castles and snow
monsters created by a wave of Elsa’s hands are particularly detailed and
beautifully rendered.
The voice
cast is impressive, a lineup of Broadway stars such as Menzel, Groff, Fontana
and Gad. The happy surprise is Bell, best known for her TV roles
("Veronica Mars" and "House of Lies" among them), who
reveals a strong singing voice.
But for
all of the nods "Frozen" makes to Disney tradition, the story is a
refreshing break from the past. There’s no evil queen here, just a
misunderstood and frightened princess saved not by a charming prince but by her
sister’s love and determination. That change, in the Disney kingdom, may be the
most magical thing of all.