What am I not getting about Frozen?

[canyoncam]

I just do not get all the hype. I do not have kids but love Disney. I finally got a chance to watch this movie last week(without kids time for movies is put at bottom of schedule) With all the craziness of the M&G in parks and redoing the Norway ride I was expecting spectacular! But while the message portrayed in the end is good (opening your heart to love) before I saw the movie I really only heard talk of Elsa's song about being herself. That bothers me because I feel some kids don't associate that with the final message.

And the characters just did not endear me..... well, Olaf was an exception.

 

[jo_de_vil]

I am with you on this one, I am also a mega Disney fan. For me it doesn't have a proper villain, and I am all about the Villains. It is a nice adaptation of the Snow Queen, and Olaf is great but I don't get the hype either. But if they want to spend all that time standing in a queue then good on them! You will find me in the shorter lines for the rides. LOL

 

[canyoncam]

I am with you on this one, You will find me in the shorter lines for the rides. LOL

Thanks for letting me know I'm not a total freak! And I am all for the shorter ride lines

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Don't love it like most do, but I get it. I'm in my 30s, when I was growing up I was spoiled by 4 straight years of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Finding Nemo and Little Mermaid. Kids of this generation haven't had that huge classic Disney musical phenomenon, so I get why they gravitate towards it so much.

 

[LoodlesNoodles]

Whilst I 'get it' - it's an enjoyable film with some stunning animation (during Let It Go when Elsa is building her castle in the mountains - my jaw is just on the floor.). I still don't quite care for it.
I like Anna as a character, she feels real and developed and I love that she falls for the bad guy. But Elsa doesn't feel developed to me.

The songs were all okay - and ultimately are what changed my mind from 'I hate this' to 'actually kind of like it'. It felt like a stage musical for the first half and then like they just forgot about the music for the second half!

Give me my precious Tangled over Frozen any day!!

 

[LoodlesNoodles]

when I was growing up I was spoiled by 4 straight years of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Finding Nemo and Little Mermaid.

...Finding Nemo? Do you mean Lion King?

 

[alicat8]

Kristoff has passed Prince Eric for me. <3
I also wasn't a huge fan of the songs the first time I saw it, but after hearing them 75,000 times (I have a 2 year old and the soundtrack...) they've really come to be some of my favorites!

 

[dbramer]

It is definitely a different kind of Disney story. Usually, there is a strong heroine and wicked villain. The heroine is helped along by a strong male character and cannot overcome the villain without their help (continuing the long standing tradition of literature to reinforce that women need men to be successful). The women overcome adversity in the end on their own without the assistance of a male character. Very empowering stuff. Kristoff helps, but not to the extent that he overpowers the female heroine. As for the production, I think the animation was top-notch and the acting was far above Disney movies of late. The dialogue is real and well-written and you can really relate to the characters, they all are very "human." The message is also great.

I did not see it until it hit Blu-ray and my DD (4) got hooked on it. Now I like it because of her reactions to it. She cannot watch it enough and even acts out "Let It Go" when she hears it. She also knows all the songs by heart.

 

[Jeff in BigD]

We saw it a few weeks after it had opened & the hype-machine was set to eleven. Friends were calling this the best princess movie in decades & the best Disney movie since Lion King. Needless to say, the bar was set pretty darned high.

My takeaway was that it was like watching a mash-up of Ice Age & Wicked. We walked out going "uh, did we see the same movie as our friends?!"

We didn't hate it, but we were very underwhelmed. We enjoyed The Princess & the Frog & Tangled a lot more.

 

[canyoncam]

I like Anna as a character, she feels real and developed and I love that she falls for the bad guy. But Elsa doesn't feel developed to me.

It felt like a stage musical for the first half and then like they just forgot about the music for the second half!

Give me my precious Tangled over Frozen any day!!

Yes! This! Exactly how I felt.

It is definitely a different kind of Disney story. Usually, there is a strong heroine and wicked villain. The heroine is helped along by a strong male character and cannot overcome the villain without their help (continuing the long standing tradition of literature to reinforce that women need men to be successful). The women overcome adversity in the end on their own without the assistance of a male character. Very empowering stuff. Kristoff helps, but not to the extent that he overpowers the female heroine. As for the production, I think the animation was top-notch and the acting was far above Disney movies of late. The dialogue is real and well-written and you can really relate to the characters, they all are very "human." The message is also great.

I can see you point. Really agree about the different part though and I guess that is what gets me.

We saw it a few weeks after it had opened & the hype-machine was set to eleven. Friends were calling this the best princess movie in decades & the best Disney movie since Lion King. Needless to say, the bar was set pretty darned high.

My takeaway was that it was like watching a mash-up of Ice Age & Wicked. We walked out going "uh, did we see the same movie as our friends?!"

We didn't hate it, but we were very underwhelmed. We enjoyed The Princess & the Frog & Tangled a lot more.

Yep. Again the hype deal. I actually borrowed this movie from a friends teenage daughter and had too be careful because it is her FAVORITE movie, as I imagine it is lots of girls FAVORITE. After watching it I just really wondered how it could be.

Personally I did like Tangled and MY FAVORITE all time is The Fox and The Hound so maybe there is just something wrong with me. As a little girl I never was into princesses.

 

[Disneychick75]

Glad to know I have company. Frozen was ok. I'd give it a 2.5, maybe a 3. I agree with LoodlesNoodles that while Ana is a realized character, Elsa is flat and undeveloped. She freezes things when she touches and this makes her lock herself up even though she can wear gloves and everything is ok? Her character seems like it was an afterthought even though it's her difference that is the basis for the story.

 

[supernova]

I've been taking this opinion from the start. The movie just didn't look good in the trailers, and it was worse trying to sit through the full film.

But I have come to realize that the only people helping this movie continue to make this movie money are little girls and their moms. I don't know a single boy who WANTS to see this movie once, much less twice.

And it's not even the movie that the little girls like. I think it's that silly Broadway show that they wrote the for chick from Wicked that helped make this movie passable for the kids. I would almost bet that most kids would want to leave the theater right after the song.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

No movie is loved by everyone. And that is ok.

Hype can ruin an otherwise good movie for me. Fortunately I saw Frozen opening day. It was very good. But I also discovered something unique, and a number of other fans have confirmed this; that it took at least 2 and sometimes 3 showings before I absolutely loved it! There have been other movies that were supposed to be great and I was underwhelmed. I wish I hadn't heard about them first.

I think the animation is fantastic, but that isn't what makes a movie such a cultural phenomenon. There are several aspects to this story that are unique and very good. If they connect strongly with the viewer, than it will be one of the greatest movies ever. It is to me. If they don't connect, than the movie may just be good, ok, or even lousy. That is up to each person. Sisterhood, the villain being fear, the hero using sacrificial love, the twist on true love's kiss, empowerment to be yourself, but also love others. These things are unique in Disney movies and FANTASTIC messages.

I think Elsa and Anna are both very well written. They both behave consistently with their personalities throughout the movie and their interactions with each other and others are consistent with these personality types.

My one suggestion. Sit and think about how awful this movie is, how terrible. Then stop, and watch it again with an open mind. Possibly even a third. Look for the themes and ignore aspects you dislike. Don't dwell on them. Then consider if it is a better movie.

If you do all that and still think it is just OK, that is fine. Even if you HATE it, that is ok, too. It is just a movie. However, be prepared for a new generation - and some of us oldies, too - to consider this the greatest Disney movie ever in about 5 to 10 years. That will make some "mad", but I think it will happen. There are millions of people worldwide that went gaga over this movie. They will grow up calling it the greatest just like Lion King kids did.

 

[jo_de_vil]

Give me my precious Tangled over Frozen any day!!

I have to agree I love Tangled, best Villain ever! I don't like Princesses but I love Rapunzel. In fact it doesn't have a character or song I don't like. But that is just my 2 pence worth.

 

[Disneychick75]

No movie is loved by everyone. And that is ok.

Hype can ruin an otherwise good movie for me. Fortunately I saw Frozen opening day. It was very good. But I also discovered something unique, and a number of other fans have confirmed this; that it took at least 2 and sometimes 3 showings before I absolutely loved it! There have been other movies that were supposed to be great and I was underwhelmed. I wish I hadn't heard about them first.

I think the animation is fantastic, but that isn't what makes a movie such a cultural phenomenon. There are several aspects to this story that are unique and very good. If they connect strongly with the viewer, than it will be one of the greatest movies ever. It is to me. If they don't connect, than the movie may just be good, ok, or even lousy. That is up to each person. Sisterhood, the villain being fear, the hero using sacrificial love, the twist on true love's kiss, empowerment to be yourself, but also love others. These things are unique in Disney movies and FANTASTIC messages.

I think Elsa and Anna are both very well written. They both behave consistently with their personalities throughout the movie and their interactions with each other and others are consistent with these personality types.

My one suggestion. Sit and think about how awful this movie is, how terrible. Then stop, and watch it again with an open mind. Possibly even a third. Look for the themes and ignore aspects you dislike. Don't dwell on them. Then consider if it is a better movie.

If you do all that and still think it is just OK, that is fine. Even if you HATE it, that is ok, too. It is just a movie. However, be prepared for a new generation - and some of us oldies, too - to consider this the greatest Disney movie ever in about 5 to 10 years. That will make some "mad", but I think it will happen. There are millions of people worldwide that went gaga over this movie. They will grow up calling it the greatest just like Lion King kids did.

I posted my opinion after having seen it several times. Don't hate it but it is my least favorite princess movie.

 

[canyoncam]

My one suggestion. Sit and think about how awful this movie is, how terrible. Then stop, and watch it again with an open mind. Possibly even a third. Look for the themes and ignore aspects you dislike. Don't dwell on them. Then consider if it is a better movie.

If you do all that and still think it is just OK, that is fine. Even if you HATE it, that is ok, too. It is just a movie. However, be prepared for a new generation - and some of us oldies, too - to consider this the greatest Disney movie ever in about 5 to 10 years. That will make some "mad", but I think it will happen. There are millions of people worldwide that went gaga over this movie. They will grow up calling it the greatest just like Lion King kids did.

I never meant to imply I thought it was BAD Nor did I want to put down anyone who does love it

I realize it is loved and just wanted to find out what made people love it. That could also help to understand an entire generation.

 

[HarkiQuinn]

I'm happy I saw this movie when it first came out, because if I had seen it with all of this hype, I would have been extremely disappointed.

As someone with no kids either, I think there is way too much hype. It was a good movie, but I wouldn't say it beats any of the Disney Renaissance movies.

 

[supernova]

Give me my precious Tangled over Frozen any day!!

Keep 'em both. And add Princess and the Frog to this list of schlock, while you're at it.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I posted my opinion after having seen it several times. Don't hate it but it is my least favorite princess movie.

That's ok. You gave it a reasonable try. Did you not like it's twist on princess movies?

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I never meant to imply I thought it was BAD Nor did I want to put down anyone who does love it

I realize it is loved and just wanted to find out what made people love it. That could also help to understand an entire generation.

I didn't take your post as negative in any way, just honest. It al depends on how those themes hit you. I love a sisters, don't marry just anyone, true love is sacrificing for others, girls + guys work on even footing and fall in love movie.

I also think everyone including Disney underestimated the power of a character who isn't evil but has self doubt and angst. How many millions of girls identify with Elsa's insecurities AND love her powers. This really, REALLY speaks to a lot of girls and women.

But again, it is ok if you aren't gaga about it. The only thing stopped me from going on about it was Maleficent. And I LOVE Tangled and Princess and the Frog.