Beyond the walls of Arendelle – review of the DVD release of the movie “Frozen 2”

Seven years ago, the world – especially the children’s part – went crazy about the sisters Anna and Elsa. The result of this love (and the launch of a powerful promotional machine) was record box office profits and a predictable follow-up. How was the return to the frosty land? And is it worth reaching for a physical edition of this animation?

I must admit that I am writing about this installment of the Arendelle story from a slightly different perspective. I watched the first part a few years after the premiere to see what Disney offers children – especially girls. I watched the second movie in the cinema, and my four-year-old daughter was sitting in the armchair next to it. Then there was rolling the soundtrack, combing the braids and reruns of the first film and short films. And how could I not reach for Frozen 2 on DVD with such a small-big fan at home?

Disney and the continuation matter

When I sat down to write this review, I had a fairly well-defined plan and elements that I had to mention. Once I opened my new document, one more thing occurred to me. Do you remember from your childhood how Disney approached the sequels of their animated hits?

All the great titles – The Little Mermaid , Aladdin , Pocahontas , even The Lion King – got second or even third parts. They were worse in almost every aspect: starting from the budget (and hence – the quality of the animation), through the less star cast, to the fact that they were immediately released on VHS or DVD instead of in cinemas. I do not mention the animated series about Timon and Pumbaa or the youth of Hercules, because they were probably drawn on napkins. At the same time, Mickey Mouse could be sure that parents would buy full-length sequels to gain another 80 minutes of peace, not necessarily paying attention to the quality of the work itself. Only the revolutionary Toy Story serieswith its sequel, it changed that. Someone smelled blood in the water, or rather money in the sequels. Due to this change, but also due to the cosmic box-office success of the first part, I was rather calm that Frozen 2 would not be a poorer little sister.

When we release the protagonists into the world

Już po pierwszych kilkunastu minutach widać, że Kraina lodu 2 stworzona była, by przebić film z 2013 roku nie tylko rozmachem, ale i animacyjnymi innowacjami czy ładunkiem emocjonalnym. Ponadto ten film miał być — takie przynajmniej odnoszę wrażenie — Krainą lodu podkręconą do jedenastki na dziesięciostopniowej skali. Zamiast jednej, przemawiającej do serc dzieci i dorosłych, inspirującej piosenki w stylu Mam tę moc, we have two. Elsa is still looking for her place, but already far beyond the borders of her kingdom. Anna, Kristof, and even Olaf remain just as touching, but their best-known traits are also a bit too exaggerated – Anna’s talkativeness, or her lover’s awkwardness and shyness. And even the villain, not obvious at first, reveals his face at the end of Act Two, very Prince Hans-like (Disney’s tendency to create these types of antagonists is a topic for another day).

Frozen 2correctly develops the main plot of sisterly love, although the side effects, both old and new, suffer a bit from it. It is a visually beautiful film, and this time the effects with snow, ice and frost are joined by the wind and water that move hundreds of trees – sometimes angry and sinister, sometimes calm and summoning. There are some original sequences, some more or less hit. To the former, I would include all the flashbacks (especially the one performed by Olaf!), To the latter – the hair-metal sheath of an otherwise good song sung by Kristof. It is pleasant to listen to the Polish cast in dialogues and songs. And – with some fascination – I say that for me Czesław Mozil as Olaf rules on both of these levels.

A picture as sharp as ice crystals?

It’s time to finally look at the content of the album that I hold in my hands, thanks to the Galapagos release. What quality can I serve my daughter at the second, seventh and fourteenth screenings of Frozen 2 ? On my 42-inch TV, the picture quality was fine from the distance of the couch on the other side of the living room, but a little less distance would have made the pixels clear. I think a Blu-Ray edition will be needed for a satisfactory screening. It is a pity to miss the richness of effects, the riot of colors and the animation gold of the forest hidden behind a magical fog and the water horse emerging from stormy waves.

One would like to learn about the backstage of its formation with all the animation of Frozen 2 . As a fan of such materials, I have already come to terms with the fact that Polish DVD releases are poor in the so-called behind the scenes . If there are any, they are rather intended for Blu-Ray. In the additions to Frozen 2, we only have trailers for two more Disney films: Onward animation and the acting version of Mulan . There are no unused scenes here, and I guess every few ended up in the trash.

The film, as a sequel to a story, passed the test in almost every respect. At the same time, he entered the trend where the biggest and highest earning titles are the second, third and so on. Maybe this is not the most optimistic vision for an adult cinema lover, but I – as a parent – perceive such productions as Frozen 2 as entertainment that I can serve my child without remorse that he will watch something of poor quality. However, for the next screenings, which will surely be many, we will buy a Blu-Ray edition.