Frozen II (Dir Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee, 1h 43m)

 

A sequel to Frozen, which rolled into cinemas in the winter of 2013, started a global merchandising phenomenon that may have raked in Disney up to an eyewatering $5 billion, and catapulted sisters Anna and Elsa to among the most beloved figures in the Disney canon, was, of course, inevitable. That Frozen II, far from being a cheap cashgrab close to the cavalcade of 90s straight-to-video releases, may actually be better than the original, is altogether less expected. Yet, in a grand sweeping adventure straight from the pages of Tolkien and CS Lewis, in which the bond is tested between Elsa, drawn to a mysterious forest and beyond by her own destiny, and Anna, who discovers resourcefulness of her own in combating the forces that both find there, is that best kind of sequel; one which surpasses the original in practically every way.

With Frozen II picking up three years after the original, with Elsa settling into governing the small kingdom of Arendelle and peace reigning, so everything seems idyllic. But through a neat opening scene with a younger Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) being told a story by their parents, of a magical forest that is locked away from the world after a fierce battle between the people of Arendelle and the Sami-esque Northuldra, so we begin to get a sense of a world beyond the kingdom. This quickly leads to a mysterious, siren-esque voice, which only Elsa can hear, beginning to trouble her, and through a series of events, the emergence of a threat to Arendelle and its people, forcing Elsa, Anna, Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Sven and a slowly maturing Olaf (Josh Gadd) to head north to investigate this mysterious and magical land.

What follows is an adventure in which Buck and Lee build on almost every element of the original film, with almost every single aspect improved over the original. Like it or not, when you compare the original Frozen's animation to the films buttressing it, Wreck It Ralph and Big Hero 6, it looks...crude, a backwards step to CG animation prior to even Tangled. Frozen II is nothing short of Disney's best animated work, proudly on display, from the colour pallet, dominated by autumnal browns and oranges as Elsa and company travel north, to the increased level in detail in character models.

By far the best moments though, are the ones with magical creatures, or magic is used, from a scene in which Elsa is forced to cross a storm-tossed ocean, to the looming, colossal and visually stunning forms of the giants that haunt the Forest. This goes without mentioning the very look and feel of the magic, the last of which uses,, as Alice in Wonderland used, way back in Disney's Silver Age, a black background against the flurrying sparks and dancing flames in two of Elsa's songs, that makes the colours, and indeed Elsa, stand out from the background impressively. Even the ice and snow that typify Frozen are given, particularly towards the finale, an increased level of detail, depth and solidity. This film looks stunning and is undoubtedly the new yardstick for Disney's animated works from hereon out.

What this lends Frozen II, what practically every improvement lends this film is nuance. The world of the sequel is, as becomes more apparent not only from its animation, but its songs, and plot, a little bit darker, and a little bit more complex. Elsa is forced to choose between her role as queen, and the call of adventure, captured nigh-perfectly in the barnstorming, Broadway-esque Into the Unknown, whilst Anna herself is torn between protecting the sister she almost lost once before, and doing the right thing for the greater good.

As the best sequels do, Frozen II raises the stakes, adds a new level of complexity to both sisters, and develops both our heroines throughout its story, through thematic highs and lows, as they battle, in their own way, to find the truth, and rescue both Arendelle and the forest of the Northuldra. Heck, the fact that this film manages to develop Olaf, the film's source of slapstick-which only goes up a notch in this film-into a childlike figure that's intrigued by the world around him, is impressive, giving the film a sense of growth and the passing of time, whilst Kristoff is a well-placed foil to both the snowman and his sidekick, Sven, as he attempts to finally propose to Anna.

This nuance can be seen in a story that seems to owe as much to the works of childrens' fantasy authors such as Tolkien and CS Lewis, particularly in the scenes involving the colossal earth giants, and the four magical elements that Elsa hopes to bring back into alignment, but also in its presentation and appearance. The world of Frozen II, with its cursed forest, increased focus on magic, and tale of treachery and wrongs being righted, in the best way possible feel like fairy stories, with a little darkness creeping in at the edges, to make the light moments feel all the lighter, and the darker-and it is surprising how dark it gets-all the more hopeless.

Moreover, for a studio that have practically codified the absent or dead parent as a necessity of storytelling, this film turns from a story about sisters, to a film about family; for much of the plot, the absent figures of Anna and Elsa's parents, barely a scene in the original film, are now expanded greatly, with their backstories entwining with much of the plot. This in itself is a neat little complication of the setting, and when the film finally plays its hand as to how everything inter-relates, in the film's showstopper musical number, this connection, this payoff, feels earned.

Elsa, almost certainly, is the narrative centre of the film, the mysterious voice (care of Norwegian vocalist Aurora) beckoning her on to the adventure she secretly craves, with Into the Unknown (reprised in wonderfully over the top fashion by Brandon Urie over the end credits) nailing the wanderlust perfectly, before, as she begins to understand the source of her magic, she sets out to the source of all knowledge in the high North. Elsa, thus, is almost pulled in two directions, between Northuldra, her increasing magical power, and her past, and the ruling of Arendelle, and her present, and family, culminating neatly in a musical scene that brings the two together, whilst using Menzel's considerable talent as a vocalist, whilst bringing the narrative arc of the free spirited Queen content with her powers that began in Frozen to a suitable conclusion.

Yet, it is surprisingly the figure of Anna that feels like it gets the most development, particularly in the film's darkest moments, as she battles both her own self worth, and the need to protect her sister. The first film undoubtedly belonged to Elsa as she came to terms with herself, her powers, and found peace with herself, and whilst there is a continuation of this, as the call of magic jostles with the call of duty in being Queen, it is Anna this sequel belongs to, certainly her character that goes through the most evolution, and out of Elsa's considerable shadow, as her search for the truth takes her from danger to danger, and it is in the finale of the film where her moment of self-actualisation kicks in, perfectly pitched. If the first film undoubtedly made Elsa a free-spirited agent, and (whisper it) feminist icon, then the sequel makes Anna, in her own right master of her own fate, in an equally impressive finale.

Over this film, we see both Anna and Elsa become adults, discover their own path through life and right the wrongs of previous generations, and bring the warring parties together, as only the bond between siblings can, and it is this bond between siblings, between relatives, between generations that this film captures perfectly, as both our heroines grow into their roles and find their place in the world. If the original's success is at least partly due to its strong message of sisterhood, then the sequel's successs will undoubtedly be at least partly due to its equally strong message of female empowerment, and self-acceptance.

Frozen II is that best form of sequel; more ambitious, more mature, more complex, and rather than this being a mere victory lap for the most valuable animated property in Disney's ever-growing arsenal, it feels like risks are taken and benefited from, on an altogether bigger scale, with animation to rival any of the greatest hits of a studio that, at least in their animated ventures, go from strength to strength, songs that show Lopez and Anderson-Lopez have not sat on their laurels, and their host of awards from the first film, with the trio of covers from indie stalwarts Weezer and Panic! At the Disco proving this second instalment a greater variety of genres than merely Broadway-aping.

But it is in the story, in continuing the adventures of Anna and Elsa that the film feels like it hits its biggest home run. A little more mature-certainly, Buck and Lee's film seems like it has at least one eye on the children who grew up with the original in the intervening six years-a little older-skewed, a little wiser, but both heroines are still unsure of themselves, and it is their journey to adulthood, to being, whilst sisters, their own people that the film's sweeping fantasy narrative captures perfectly. Rarely has Disney made a film like this, and rarer yet has it been in a world we already know and love. Frozen II is an unmitigated, unapologetic, unstoppable triumph.

Rating: Must See. Personal Recommendation.