DVD Review - Frozen

DVD Review - Frozen

Suitable for Everyone

Last year, there was no way to avoid the hype surrounding Disney's latest animated offering, Frozen. Critics were falling over themselves to proclaim it the best that Disney has produced since The Little Mermaid/Beauty and the Beast/Aladdin/The Lion King (whichever is your favourite, take your pick), which is some damn high praise as those are some of the greatest and most beloved children's films of all time. Hell, for me The Lion King is one of the greatest films of all time full stop. I missed it when it first came out in the cinema, but I've finally had the chance to see if it lives up to its promise now that it's out on DVD. It would so easy to get fed up with hearing how amazing it is, that your view would be coloured firmly in the anti-Frozen corner before the disc had even started playing, so it was with a certain trepidation that my wife and I sat down to watch it.

Quite simply, Frozen is absolutely stunning.

The last time I had this feeling about a children's film was when I saw The Lion King for the first time, and I can only imagine that's the same feeling that children all over the world have been experiencing since they first saw this. We've had some brilliant animated films in the last 20 years (think how much of a game changer Toy Story, Shrek and Wall-E have been), but something about Frozen made me get that special feeling inside that I haven't had for two decades. It nails that perfect Disney charm in a way that no other company can do, populated with a perfect cast, catchy show-stopping tunes and stunning visuals.

The story itself is a re-imagining of Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen, which I have to admit I really don't know anything about. Nor do I need to now, to be honest, because it wouldn't be able to replace the story here. It's the tale of two sisters, Elsa the elder, and Anna the younger, princesses in the kingdom of Arendelle. Elsa has magical powers to create ice and snow which she struggles to control, and when Anna's life is put is threatened, all memory of them have to be wiped from her memory. The king and queen lock the gates to the kingdom so that no-one can discover Elsa's magic until it can be more tightly controlled. Where the sisters used to play, now Elsa refuses to come out of her room to see Anna.

Years later, after their parents death, Elsa's coronation as queen is due to take place. When Anna falls in love at the afterparty, Elsa's anger at her sudden betrothal to a man she has barely known five minutes (Hans) leads to her revealing her powers, freezing the whole kingdom and most of the surrounding mountains in the process. Elsa flees, setting up her own ice palace far away, but when Anna tries to get her to return with the help of ice merchant Kristoff, his reindeer Sven and snowman-come-to-life Olaf, Elsa isn't willing to come home, and Anna must find a way to convince her to come home and rid the kingdom of the ice and snow that now engulfs it.

Right from the beginning there are plenty of heart-wrenching moments (think Mufasa's death in The Lion King and you're getting close), and the characters are so wonderfully realised that it's impossible not to get emotionally caught up in their tale. All the voice cast are wonderful, but it's Kristen Bell as Anna and Idina Menzel as Anna and Elsa who really stand out. I never knew Kristen Bell could sing so well (Idina Menzel I knew could), but they're perfect as the sisters who so want to be as close as they used to be, but can't find a way. The combination of Kristoff and Sven is great to see, and there's plenty to boo at when one character turns out to not be who we thought they were.

There's only one character for me that doesn't work brilliantly, and unfortunately that's Olaf. He's good, with some very funny bits, but he just isn't quite on the same level as other Disney companions like Timon and Pumbaa, Flounder or Genie. Nothing at all against Josh Gad who provides his voice, but I feel as though unlike those mentioned above you could take him out and it wouldn't affect the film at all, bar one key scene towards the end. Still, it's a very minor flaw in the grand scheme of things, and doesn't detract from the overall quality.

The music really is fantastic (you'll probably be quite familiar with 'Let It Go' by now), reminding me of the Tangled soundtrack, of which I'm a big fan. Recently, there's been a different feel to Disney soundtracks than their traditional songs, but it works really well here, even if there are only two songs that will probably stand the test of time (compared to the four or five that are on most of the biggest Disney film soundtracks). The animation too is breathtaking, particularly when Elsa uses her ice powers to build her palace. Every part of the production is of the highest levels, and it's no wonder the film garnered as much praise as it did.

I'm not lying when I say that I had a feeling inside me after watching it that I haven't felt for 20 years. It's the feeling that you've seen something you'll be telling people about for years to come, and that will be cropping up on 'best of' lists for decades. It's something incredibly special, where practically everything comes together perfectly, and creates something magical in the way that only Disney can. It's imperative that you see this as soon as possible, no matter how old you are, because it's brilliant enough to make you feel like a child again, discovering a film that will stay with you for life. Bravo Disney, bravo.

10/10