Princess Anna rides off with the Kristoff and his trusty reindeer Sven and snowman Olaf.
Courtesy of Disney Productions
For students stressed about finals and the culmination of a semester, Disney’s new movie “Frozen” provides a much-needed escape.
The movie tracks the story of princesses Anna and Elsa, who live in the kingdom of Arendelle. Princess Elsa possesses the power to turn things to ice. As she grows, this power becomes unwieldy and potentially dangerous, causing Elsa to shut herself off from those around her.
When the spunky and young Anna takes it upon herself to reach out to Elsa, things go horribly wrong, causing Elsa to run away. Anna pursues her with the help of the rugged Kristoff, his trusty reindeer Sven and a charming snowman named Olaf.
The group sets out through the icy cold to find and redeem the lost and lonely Elsa. Through blizzards and wolf chases, the group trudges on with peppy musical numbers and humorous dialogue carrying the story.
Many will see comparisons with Disney’s last big hit, “Tangled.” In some ways, “Frozen” falls short of that. Some of the musical numbers verge on cliché and seem a bit forced. Viewers may find them reminiscent of “High School Musical” or “Les Miserables,” with characters spontaneously launching from speech to song.
There aren’t too many grand plot twists to keep one guessing, either.
However, in terms of message and theme, “Frozen” outdoes “Tangled” handily. Anna finds herself longing for love and acceptance. Both princesses provide characters with which viewers can identify. Both find love in ways they didn’t anticipate. Together, they breech stereotypes that love is boiled down to “at first sight” and instead learn the value of a love that looks to others first.
The movie refreshingly avoids the archetype of a man riding in to save the princess in distress. The princesses in this story are the heroines through and through. “Frozen” accomplishes this without making the viewer feel like it’s pushing an agenda.
So if you’re buried with paperwork and studying, take two hours to enjoy a movie that will make you feel like a kid again and have you leaving the theater a little lighter than you felt when you entered. This movie reminds us that there is magic in this world and that our dreams are sometimes just one “act of love” away.
Rating 4 out of 4 J-Dubs
Run time: 108 minutes
MPAA rating: PG