It's been about 6 years since the release of Frozen, and a sequel has been anticipated ever since. Year after year, it seemed as if a sequel wasn't happening, but part two would make so much money Disney would be stupid NOT to make a sequel. When I watched the trailer, I was a little apprehensive.
Only because sequels in Disney films usually are never as good as the first. For example, The Jungle Book 2, Cinderella II, Cars 2, Incredibles 2... I could go on. Very rarely do I enjoy the sequel more than the first film, but Frozen 2, exceeded all my expectations.
The film starts off Arendelle, except it's six years later. What I liked about the movie was that the timeline is actually realistic, so in our universe and Frozen's universe, the same amount of time has passed since the events that occurred in the first film. Very quickly we realize something is off, and Elsa feels a call to investigate what exactly the problem is. In short, Arendelle's army instigated a fight against the natives of the enchanted forests, the Northuldra people. The spirits of the enchanted did not take kindly to this and created a mist so strong it locked everyone in for 30 years.
Along with that, we also get a backstory for how Elsa and Anna's parents meet, which is such a sweet story. As well as an explanation for how Elsa got her powers. Basically her mom is magical, and her powers passed on to the firstborn.
I won't spoil too much, but this film definitely tugs on the heartstrings. Anything the first film left out, the sequel wrapped up all the loose ends.
If you thought Olaf was funny in the first Frozen, he's even funnier in this one, which I didn't even know was possible. He has an equally goofy as well as a cynical sense of humor, and he was for sure one of my favorite characters in the film to watch.
The character development is also quite impressive. Elsa and Anna each have their own personal revelations, as well as outfit and hair changes that were absolutely stunning. Something I appreciated was that Anna wasn't out-shadowed by Elsa.
In the first film, Anna came across as naive and that Elsa always had to save her. However, in the sequel, Elsa and Anna have the independence to stand their own ground but still support one another. They can work together but still achieve their own personal goals.
All in all, the film was anything but a fan service, and I highly recommend seeing it this holiday season.
