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"Frozen II" - Post-Viewing Thoughts and Reflections
So I left the theater last night absolutely vibrating from the high of seeing this movie. It's not without it's flaws - and I have a couple of very specific criticisms - but I had such a good time watching it and I really liked what it had to say thematically. You can read my pre-viewing speculation here.
Also, I've been listening to both versions of "Into the Unknown" on a loop all day, and I may have already successfully run it into the ground for myself. Quite an accomplishment.
SPOILERS FOR FROZEN II BELOW
So, I get why they did it, but making Queen Iduna part of the Sámi stand-in Northuldra tribe felt like a very clumsy retcon (especially considering she's the whitest member of their tribe and it's ambiguous what she actually looked like in the flashbacks) but I get why they did it. I also shouldn't have been too surprised since one of the changes they made to the story of the first film in the Broadway musical adaption I saw last week was to explicitly identify Iduna as Sámi (or maybe as Northuldra? I honestly can't remember which). It makes the story work better, and I wouldn't consider it bad rep, but it just makes certain creative choices for the first movie look clumsier than they already did back in 2013.
My only other major criticism is that the ending felt kind of rushed. It almost felt like they had originally planned another transitional scene between the end of the action and the epilogue sequence but decided it wasn't necessary and excised it. I don't really have much else to say about this, since I don't have any issues with where any of the characters ended up (unlike some people I guess?).
But overall, I really adored the story this movie was telling and the arcs they decided to give the characters. As I was watching it, I was very much reminded of two other movies that I love that dealt with some similar themes and story, and utilized similar imagery: Thor: Ragnarok and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
I could dive into a much deeper analysis with this, but to keep it surface level, the "reveal" in Frozen II feels very similar to the one in Ragnarok, as it involves the main character learning about and grappling with the ugly truth of their family's legacy. The "heroine's journey" Elsa goes in is very similar to Rey's in The Last Jedi, and both characters seek to confront their pasts in special mystic locales with lots of reflective surfaces. I feel like the thematic similarities with both of these films run much deeper than that, but I'm not quite mentally up to parsing it all out right now. I'll just say that this added another level to my own personal enjoyment, as I love both of those movies and I was pleasantly surprised Frozen was willing to put their characters through similar growth arcs.
But yeah, the theme of growing older and things changing. It's a relatively simple one, but the way it's portrayed here really lands as someone in their twenties who underwent a lot of change a couple of years ago (and is bracing himself to go through another intense period of it soon probably). It's nice to think that at some point you'll be "settled" - and to a point I think this can be achieved - but the movie makes a point to show how just because things are relatively comfortable (particularly and explicitly for Anna and Olaf), things will always continue to change and the people around them will continue to grow - as will they.
Since it's been less than a day, I'm not sure how well the film will hold up on rewatch or as it ages. I liked Ralph Breaks the Internet just fine when I saw it but after letting it sit for a day I realized just how much I didn't like it and how badly it will inevitably (and rapidly) age. I don't think my feels on this movie will shift quite that dramatically, but I still don't know how I feel when comparing this movie to the first one, which I've had varying opinions on over the years, and which one I like better. I think the music in this one is largely an improvement at least? Nothing was an abomination like "Fixer Upper" so I'll hold onto that hot take at least.
But yes, I enjoyed this movie very much and I'm very glad I saw it on opening day with minimal spoilers. I particularly enjoyed the bizarre experience of watching the Kristoff number, which I know is 80s-inspired but honestly reminded me of an angsty shipping AMV more than anything.
Here's hoping wherever they take this franchise next, they continue to strive to be this bold and interesting. If for no other reason than I can tell my friends messages like "Hey remember a few weeks ago when I got too high and had an existential crisis while watching all those vine compilations? That's sort of Olaf's deal in Frozen II."
Also, I've been listening to both versions of "Into the Unknown" on a loop all day, and I may have already successfully run it into the ground for myself. Quite an accomplishment.
SPOILERS FOR FROZEN II BELOW
So, I get why they did it, but making Queen Iduna part of the Sámi stand-in Northuldra tribe felt like a very clumsy retcon (especially considering she's the whitest member of their tribe and it's ambiguous what she actually looked like in the flashbacks) but I get why they did it. I also shouldn't have been too surprised since one of the changes they made to the story of the first film in the Broadway musical adaption I saw last week was to explicitly identify Iduna as Sámi (or maybe as Northuldra? I honestly can't remember which). It makes the story work better, and I wouldn't consider it bad rep, but it just makes certain creative choices for the first movie look clumsier than they already did back in 2013.
My only other major criticism is that the ending felt kind of rushed. It almost felt like they had originally planned another transitional scene between the end of the action and the epilogue sequence but decided it wasn't necessary and excised it. I don't really have much else to say about this, since I don't have any issues with where any of the characters ended up (unlike some people I guess?).
But overall, I really adored the story this movie was telling and the arcs they decided to give the characters. As I was watching it, I was very much reminded of two other movies that I love that dealt with some similar themes and story, and utilized similar imagery: Thor: Ragnarok and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
I could dive into a much deeper analysis with this, but to keep it surface level, the "reveal" in Frozen II feels very similar to the one in Ragnarok, as it involves the main character learning about and grappling with the ugly truth of their family's legacy. The "heroine's journey" Elsa goes in is very similar to Rey's in The Last Jedi, and both characters seek to confront their pasts in special mystic locales with lots of reflective surfaces. I feel like the thematic similarities with both of these films run much deeper than that, but I'm not quite mentally up to parsing it all out right now. I'll just say that this added another level to my own personal enjoyment, as I love both of those movies and I was pleasantly surprised Frozen was willing to put their characters through similar growth arcs.
But yeah, the theme of growing older and things changing. It's a relatively simple one, but the way it's portrayed here really lands as someone in their twenties who underwent a lot of change a couple of years ago (and is bracing himself to go through another intense period of it soon probably). It's nice to think that at some point you'll be "settled" - and to a point I think this can be achieved - but the movie makes a point to show how just because things are relatively comfortable (particularly and explicitly for Anna and Olaf), things will always continue to change and the people around them will continue to grow - as will they.
Since it's been less than a day, I'm not sure how well the film will hold up on rewatch or as it ages. I liked Ralph Breaks the Internet just fine when I saw it but after letting it sit for a day I realized just how much I didn't like it and how badly it will inevitably (and rapidly) age. I don't think my feels on this movie will shift quite that dramatically, but I still don't know how I feel when comparing this movie to the first one, which I've had varying opinions on over the years, and which one I like better. I think the music in this one is largely an improvement at least? Nothing was an abomination like "Fixer Upper" so I'll hold onto that hot take at least.
But yes, I enjoyed this movie very much and I'm very glad I saw it on opening day with minimal spoilers. I particularly enjoyed the bizarre experience of watching the Kristoff number, which I know is 80s-inspired but honestly reminded me of an angsty shipping AMV more than anything.
Here's hoping wherever they take this franchise next, they continue to strive to be this bold and interesting. If for no other reason than I can tell my friends messages like "Hey remember a few weeks ago when I got too high and had an existential crisis while watching all those vine compilations? That's sort of Olaf's deal in Frozen II."