With its rich plot, memorable characters, beautiful visuals and passionate music, Frozen II follows in the footsteps  of the original, which defined the childhood of our generation.

Frozen II accompanies Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and, of course, Olaf as they venture north from Arendelle and into the Enchanted Forest.

Early in the film, Elsa hears a voice calling out to her that leads her and the gang to the enchanted forest, home of the elemental spirits. This is the site where Elsa and Anna’s grandfather met with the natives, called the Northuldra, after gifting them with a dam. 

One key element of Frozen II is the way it depicts characters confronting their history. It reveals how the gift of the dam to the Northuldra wasn’t truly a gift; rather, it was a trick from Arendelle, attempting to weaken the native people by limiting their water supply in order to get them to depend on Arendelle. 

The only one who was aware of the trick was  King Runeard, Elsa and Anna’s grandfather. When the Northuldra people started doubting the helpfulness of the gift, the King ordered an attack. Since then, the natives and the army of Arendelle were stuck in the enchanted forest with no way out due to a spell cast by the elemental spirits. 

This aspect of the plot is important, as it recognizes the mistakes of the past. The film seems to comment on the history of the conquest of Native American land by white settlers. Elsa and Anna make an effort to repair the damage made and start anew by recognizing the mistakes of their ancestors. 

More interesting, at the beginning of the movie, the people of Arendelle are shown enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner, subtly recognizing the truth behind Thanksgiving and how the natives and the settlers may have enjoyed that one day together, but the atrocities of the settlers are still something that needs to be acknowledged. 

Another important aspect of the film is  the music. As a sequel to Frozen, the audience had high expectations for the music. Unfortunately, many were disappointed. While none of the songs are as powerful of an earworm as  Let it Go, the songs from Frozen II are deep and emotional. 

One example is The Next Right Thing. This song reflects the hopelessness Anna felt at a particularly low point and the strength needed to overcome it. The music strikes a chord with the audience and the lyrics reveal the emotions Anna is feeling quite well. It manages to make the audience understand exactly what she is going through, leaving viewers stunned and emotional. 

Another song many enjoyed was Lost in the Woods, sung by Kristoff. This song was in the form of an 80’s rock ballad, and many adults enjoyed it. It was a fun throwback, maybe a bit odd for the newer generations, but still enjoyable. Overall, the music is more diverse than in the first film and also struck chords with the listeners.

The animation is another strength of the movie. It is flawless and captivating. The movements are cohesive. One mesmerising scene is the one in which  Elsa tames the water spirit, which is in the form of a horse that appears while she swims through the Dark Sea. The movement is fast paced yet fluid. With no dialogue or lyrical music, the audience is on the edge of their seats. 

In comparison to the original, the animation of the characters has subtly changed as they grew older. It trades brighter colors for more earthy tones, and, at times, darker tones during suspenseful scenes. Overall, the animation is pleasant to look at as well as simply mesmerizing.

One of the most interesting details of this movie is the characterization of Olaf. It  shows him maturing. He begins to wonder how to deal with change. He finds solace in the fact that he’ll always have friends by his side, as Anna reminds him throughout the movie. 

The choice to present  Olaf’s character as a child struggling emotionally as he grows up is an amazing message to the young audience. It helps them cope with the struggles they are going through and reminds them that some things never change. Frozen II is a beautiful movie in terms of both visuals and heart. It pulls in the audience emotionally and teaches important life lessons as these characters confront their history and discover hidden truths about their past. It is a great movie to watch with friends and family, to cry and laugh with and to care about, no matter your age.  It is yet another memorable Disney movie.