We’ve been listening to the Frozen 2 audio book for a while now. A very long while… Thanks Big W for that!

So after listening to it 4 times three days before we went to watch the actual movie I started panicking about how scary it would be.

Little did I know that it would be more scary than I had imagined. I’ve asked a couple of people online about how scary it was and was told it wasn’t. Without spoiling the movie, you cannot tell me that Elsa dying, Olaf dying and Anna sitting in a dark cave alone with Olaf’s “corpse” is not scary…

That’s not a spoiler!!! I promise!!

It all is resolved or maybe it’s just an imagined scenario, you’re going to have to wait and see…

Anyway, that scene exists and it is traumatising, for me. Unfortunately it’s not the only one like that. It’s partly the plot, partly the heavy dark colours as opposed to Frozen 1’s light and summery colours. I kept asking my 4.9 year old whether she needed to sit on my lap but was brushed off.

So it turns out, it was just me and the two moms sitting on either side of me who found it scary, maybe “dark” is a better word than scary. And our daughters loved it. LOVED it.

So let’s get to the review, without any serious spoilers, I’m going to set out the basics of the plot, the highlights, lowlights, bad parts and then what age is suitable.

Just a warning: there are about 40 outfit changes so you may find your child asking for all the dresses…

And one last thing, just before we hit the review. Be warned, you will get a song stuck in your head again. The Frozen 2 equivalent of “Let it Go” is called “Into the Unknown” and it’ll get you…. My husband and I are both stuck with it in our heads!

Frozen 2

Everyone is back, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf too. Even the guy with the trading post (Oaken) makes a cameo. And it’s the same cast, with the same voices. It’s just that the characters are a little older – you’ll notice their faces look a little different.

The focus of this movie is the girl’s history, the source of Elsa’s power and how her power interacts with the four spirits – earth, wind, fire and water.

The Plot

Frozen 2 is set 3 years after the first movie. Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf are all happily living at the palace. They’ve become a family unit, the gates are open and everyone is happy.

As with most new kids movies, there is a Main Plot that is the focus but then some of the characters have their own subplots. In this, Olaf and Christoph have the main subplots. I will just say that even in the main plot, there is a central idea and then a whole bunch of other plots. It can be a little confusing to understand enough to write about it but it make perfect sense when you’re watching it.

Aside from the scary bits, Frozen 2 is great!! Anna is as much a star as Elsa is. There is a great ending for Anna. I suppose there is for Elsa too. And Kristof, what a man. At one point he rides up to Anna and instead of chastising her for being reckless he just says “what do you need”. What a man!!! Olaf is still cute and funny and there is a cute new little character that is introduced who just loves Elsa.

The Main Plot

The main plot revolves around a noise that Elsa keeps hearing. For some reason she’s the only one that can hear it. In an attempt to understand why the voice is trying to reach her, Elsa sends out a powerful blast that turns the spirits against Arendelle. All the people are forced to flee Arendelle. Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf set out to work out what is going on.

At first they venture into a forest where they meet two groups from the past who have been stuck in the forest for 30 years. Talking to these people Anna and Elsa find out that there is a 5th spirit who will unite people with the magical spirits.

Elsa, Anna and Olaf set out to find the 5th spirit or maybe she’s looking for the bridge, I’m a little confused about what she’s looking for at this point. Any way, the three of them set out for the North in search of Ahtohallan.

Elsa sets off with Anna and Olaf but realises that she has to go on alone for a bit and sends Anna and Olaf back to the forest. Whilst on their individual journeys, the girls unlock the secrets of her family. This helps them understand where they have come from and what needs to be done in order to put the spirits at peace and ensure that Arendelle is safe.

The Sub Plots

I’ve been debating whether to include this or whether it is a spoiler but I think because you find out within the first two scenes I will include it. Poor Kristoff spends the entire movie trying to propose to Anna and it is one of the main sub plots in the movie. It’s also the easiest line to follow throughout.

The other main subplot is focused at Olaf growing up and struggling with the concept of ageing. Part of him wants to grow up so that he understands things but part of him is desperate for things to stay the same.

Highlights: The Good

The Moral of the Story

There are so many different things I’ve heard about the Moral of the Movie. I’ve heard people saying its about not knowing what to do so doing what you can in a given situation. I’ve heard its about growing up and change.

For me, this movie is about doing what is right even when it’s hard. And it’s a great lesson. Even when there are obstacles, even when you feel alone, you keep going and you do the right thing. Even in the face of adversity or giant Earth Monsters.

The Music

You know how Frozen got the music right. The melodies were strong, the lyrics were right and they were just good songs! That makes it a hard act to follow. Let it go has been going strong for 6 years! Generations of children have belted it out.

Sometimes a sequel can try to hard to follow the formula (think about Mary Poppins 2 trying to replicate the beauty of the music from the original Mary Poppins. They tried too hard to copy it and just missed the mark, in my opinion.

Well thankfully, they got it right again. The songs are great and you can listen to them without the movie and on their own they tell a great story. If you’re not already singing Into The Unknown, you will be after you watch the movie. And for that reason, I’ve included the lyrics in below.

One of the funniest parts of the movie for adults is a great song sung by Kristoff. You’ll see why when you watch it. I can’t believe they left it in!

The Cinematography

They have really really upped the ante when it comes to the graphics. They are incredible! I think when it became evident that a sequel was necessary, they threw just a little more money at the production.

The quality of the graphics is insane and the different types of things they did in this movie really make it something to behold. It’s a lot more dramatic and a lot more quality.

The Bad

Scariness

You can’t ignore that there are scary parts of Frozen 2. The whole movie is based on going into the unknown and even as adults we have a fear of an unknown. This plays out in a number of ways and really pervades the movie.

Like any other movie there is a part where everything seems to be going wrong and everyone has to come back from it. But I feel like there are more than just the one scene, that there are in fact a few times where you wonder what your child is thinking and feeling and how they’ve interpreted something.

It doesn’t help that the graphics are really good. BUT don’t let this put you off, the movie is really really good. Just be mindful of this and make sure you’ve got your child close in the following parts:

• At the beginning of the part when the group ventures into the first and the wind starts to blow. Olaf calls her Gale.
• When Elsa runs into the sea.
• After the sea bit Elsa chases a vision and it doesn’t go well.

Duration

I couldn’t tell you off hand how long it is but it feels long. It feels as though there are possibly 2 songs too many and at least one or two scenarios that could have been cut out.

If you’re taking kids younger than 3.5 who aren’t enthralled by the movie, I think you will find that they are restless, if not even running around.

I’ve just googled it – Frozen 2 is 103 minutes long. It feels way longer than that!

Age Suitability

Frozen 2 is definitely aimed at the audience who watched Frozen when they were younger. Maybe the group that watched Frozen when they were 2 or 3 years old and now 6 years down the line they’re older and expect a little more from the movies.

My 7 year old son loved the movie but then again so did my Frozen obsessed 4 year old.

I would say that the age minimum is 4 years plus, from a perspective of what is scary and also following the plot. It all depends on your child though. We had 4 almost 5 year olds and three seemed fine but one was a little scared.

Even older kids seem to really enjoy it. I bet if you ask any 9 or 10 year old who has seen it if they enjoyed it, they will tell you that it’s better than the first.

Into the Unknown Lyrics

I feel obliged to share these lyrics with you, because it’s going to be stuck in your head before you know what’s going on. Even my son walks around making “The Sound.”

(Oh)I can hear you but I won’t
Some look for trouble while others don’t
There’s a thousand reasons I should go about my day
And ignore your whispers which I wish would go away, oh
Whoa

You’re not a voice, you’re just a ringing in my ear
And if I heard you, which I don’t, I’m spoken for I fear
Everyone I’ve ever loved is here within these walls
I’m sorry, secret siren, but I’m blocking out your calls
I’ve had my adventure, I don’t need something new
I’m afraid of what I’m risking if I follow youInto the unknown
Into the unknown
Into the unknown

What do you want? ‘Cause you’ve been keeping me awake
Are you here to distract me so I make a big mistake?
Or are you someone out there who’s a little bit like me?
Who knows deep down I’m not where I’m meant to be?
Every day’s a little harder as I feel your power grow
Don’t you know there’s part of me that longs to go Into the unknown?

Into the unknown
Into the unknown

Whoa Are you out there?

Do you know me?
Can you feel me?
Can you show me?

Where are you going? Don’t leave me alone
How do I follow you
Into the unknown?
Woo!