What am I not getting about Frozen?

[SweaterInJune]

While I enjoyed Frozen quite a lot, it doesn't hold a candle to Tangled, of even Princess and the Frog. The animation is beautiful, the performances inspired, and the soundtrack catchy; however, the story doesn't work well. I like it anyway...but it is not the best.

Then again, I enjoyed The Lion King, but it was not as good as. Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin...imo... It always bothered me that it goths most praise of that golden age of Disney animation.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

While I enjoyed Frozen quite a lot, it doesn't hold a candle to Tangled, of even Princess and the Frog. The animation is beautiful, the performances inspired, and the soundtrack catchy; however, the story doesn't work well. I like it anyway...but it is not the best.

Then again, I enjoyed The Lion King, but it was not as good as. Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin...imo... It always bothered me that it goths most praise of that golden age of Disney animation.

Hah! It's kind of funny that I couldn't disagree with you more about Frozen (I think it was fantastic and the story is one of the best ever) but I couldn't agree more about Beast and Aladdin being far better than Lion King. I also don't get how it is the one everyone talks about when talking about the second golden age. Lion King was very good, but not the best. But, best isn't what really matters I guess, it is that the movie captures the heart of a generation. I guess Lion King did , it did for my daughter, and Frozen now has for a whole generation.

 

[MyNameStitch]

While it's a very unique film full of appreciated refreshing elements from what Disney usually does I, also a childless adult Disney fan nor my mother understand the hype either. The animation is beautiful, the soundtrack wonderful and the depth of the story's intended direction is reaching but the plot is very flawed in ways which bug me.
I'd personally found the characters to be underdeveloped and there is a pretty significant plot flaw that I picked up upon my first watch in the theater.

The film is lacking in backstory and connection between some elements.
To have this one character be the only one with special abilities is a key element that needed to be explained. Unless she'd actually been cursed in infancy and the father not wanting to shame her further fibbed to the troll when he answered the question that she was born with it. It would certainly make more sense that way.

Further more that ritual which took Anna's memory of her sister's ability was a significant occurrence which connected the three protagonists (the sisters and Kristoff). There were at least five stepping stone occurrences which begged for a revelation of that ritual:
*The beginning of the sisters' adulthood when Anna got upset at Elsa for always shutting her out.
*When Elsa's powers are revealed to the entire kingdom and Anna tells Hans upon his questioning it that she didn't know.
*Hans asks about the white lock in Anna's hair and she answers that she was born with it.
*Kristoff telling Anna that he'd once seen his troll family perform a healing (which was her's).
*Anna remembering Olaf from her childhood.
I'd waited for all these jigsawed events to come together but they never did. These things bug me even though I do enjoy the film, I even have the blu-ray combo.
For my mother Olaf is the only reason worth watching it.

So I wouldn't call this one of Disney's most well done films and thus do feel it somewhat overrated. I can name several Disney films which are far better developed such as Tangled, Brave, Princess and the Frog and Meet the Robinsons(and the Meet the Robinsons trailer was a huge turn off for me but as with most I can say the same about, it surprised me).

For me it doesn't have a proper villain

I've got to disagree. Actually I believe a number of the most recent Disney villains have returned to being three dimensional as back in the days of Lion King and The Little Mermaid. I found that making the prince the villain by itself let alone his subtly to be not only brilliant but realistic.

 

[MmmSuite]

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.

I have two boys 1st and 2nd grade who are nuts for it.

I think the hype ruined it for a lot of people. I'm so grateful I saw it early on.

I know so many people who like it were gaga over Elsa...but Anna is amazing to me! Awkward! Quirky! Excitable! And no matter what sticks by her sister. She makes a huge mistake picking a love interest. She is so so relatable. Not to mention she sacrifices herself to save her sister.

Anna is the reason I love the movie!

 

[iheartglaciers]

I have two boys 1st and 2nd grade who are nuts for it. I think the hype ruined it for a lot of people. I'm so grateful I saw it early on. I know so many people who like it were gaga over Elsa...but Anna is amazing to me! Awkward! Quirky! Excitable! And no matter what sticks by her sister. She makes a huge mistake picking a love interest. She is so so relatable. Not to mention she sacrifices herself to save her sister. Anna is the reason I love the movie!

I love Anna too! I don't have kids, but am a big Disney fan. I thought the songs were great (though not all of them--but I LOVE the songs in the first half) and the story was fun and different. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the songwriters were the ones behind one of my favorite Broadway musicals, Avenue Q. So that was kind of cool too.

 

[NeuroCindy]

I love Frozen but every single time I see it, it annoys me that rather than help her control her powers and learn about them, they tell her not to do it and she stays alone in her room. What kind of coping skills are those!?

 

[Tootsie Plunkette]

I had a negative reaction to the trailer, but when I heard that Idina Menzel (or was that Adele Dazeem?) was one of the voice artists I knew I'd have to see it, so I finally did, but on TV. And I thought it was fine, but not wonderful. Perhaps if I'd seen it in a theater I might have been more impressed. Count me as one who doesn't quite get the overwhelming positive response - and corresponding marketing efforts!

 

[MyNameStitch]

I love Frozen but every single time I see it, it annoys me that rather than help her control her powers and learn about them, they tell her not to do it and she stays alone in her room. What kind of coping skills are those!?

Excellent catch. This is a valid point. There is a negative message in the way the parents chose to isolate Elsa and encourage her to conceal her gift instead of trying to figure out how to control it. It's no wonder it took her so long to learn the reversal!

There is video which although a humorous parody designed to make fun of this concept expresses very well the problem with it. I recommend it.
Search 'How Frozen Should Have Ended' on youtube and look for the one by the account called How It Should Have Ended.
It won't allow me to give the link as my post count is under ten.

 

[Sdotva]

LOL, it's kind of strange because it's not the best plot/songs/characters ever, but people go ape for it!

 

[buckeyeprincess24]

I love Frozen, but I'm not obsessed over it. Some songs are catchy, but Let it Go makes me want to slam my head against a wall after hearing it everywhere. I don't understand the hype. Sure, it's got two princesses, catchy music, and a powerful message, but why the hype? Maybe that's because I'm not seeing it from a four year old's POV.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I love Frozen but every single time I see it, it annoys me that rather than help her control her powers and learn about them, they tell her not to do it and she stays alone in her room. What kind of coping skills are those!?

Excellent catch. This is a valid point. There is a negative message in the way the parents chose to isolate Elsa and encourage her to conceal her gift instead of trying to figure out how to control it. It's no wonder it took her so long to learn the reversal!

There is video which although a humorous parody designed to make fun of this concept expresses very well the problem with it. I recommend it.
Search 'How Frozen Should Have Ended' on youtube and look for the one by the account called How It Should Have Ended.
It won't allow me to give the link as my post count is under ten.

I don't think people are being fair to the parents. This was a tough no win situation. How many people have a child who can, intentionally or accidentally, kill people instantly, from a distance, and in large numbers? How do you teach this child to control and use this power without killing a half dozen servants, her sister, maybe the whole family, maybe half the town?! This is very dangerous stuff. And they aren't experts. What would happen if Elsa killed someone in town or a servant? The whole country would react the way the Duke reacted and would demand the "monster" be killed. It is easy to say they should have taught her to control her power, but at the time they didn't know how or if it was even possible.

They weren't evil, they just faced a really tough problem. They should have done something, and they did make a wrong choice, but they loved her and cared about her and tried. Maybe the trip was to help.

I love Frozen, but I'm not obsessed over it. Some songs are catchy, but Let it Go makes me want to slam my head against a wall after hearing it everywhere. I don't understand the hype. Sure, it's got two princesses, catchy music, and a powerful message, but why the hype? Maybe that's because I'm not seeing it from a four year old's POV.

It isn't just 4 year olds! And you are probably underestimating the power of the positive messages in Frozen. They are unique and popular will all ages.

How about the fact that Frozen is the most popular interest listed by adults looking for love on match.com: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...king-love-online-alongside-selfies-Zumba.html

 

[nighttowll]

I know what you mean. My mother thinks this is the best Disney movie ever! And I don't get it at all. I don't hate the movie. I actually really enjoyed it the first time I saw it at the Imax in 3D. The Let It Go scene was amazing in 3D. But overall, the movie was just ok to me, nothing special. At home on dvd it is just so-so.

I'm a 90's kid, so nothing is ever going to compete with the Little Mermaid, the Lion King, Aladdin, etc. And to compare this to those is an insult in my opinion.

However, I do get to some extent why it is so popular.

1. Despite the hardcore fans out there, most of the Disney cartoons in the last few years have not gone over very well. Overall, they really weren't liked all that much. So in comparison, those made Frozen seem all that much better. For instance, if Frozen had followed Lion King, I'm not sure you would get the same response as having it follow a succession of "flops". (Please no flames. I'm not saying they were all bad movies, or there aren't people who love them, just that they weren't big blockbusters, universally loved. The general consensus was more negative or neutral than positive.) I think people wanted to like Frozen.

2. You have a movie themed toward both boys and girls with both boy and girl heroines, so that gives you a bigger target audience. You also have both animals and mythical sidekicks, so again wider appeal.

3. Snow / snowflakes. Who wouldn't want magic snow powers? Most people like snow and snowflakes, especially children. The snowflakes are my favorite part of the whole movie. They are what save the movie for me. I just love snow. It is so beautiful. It also has a magical quality to it, and also a festive feel to it. Plus it came out in the middle of an awful cold "frozen" winter where even places like Atlanta were seeing snow.

4. The timing of the movie. It came out before Christmas last year and with a lack of Christmas themed movies playing for families, this became a popular pick. I know that is the only reason we originally saw it. We normally try to find a holiday movie on at the theaters between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and while not really a holiday movie, the snow made us feel it fit the season. You know "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas."

5. The music, while I think Let It Go is the only truly great song. The other songs do all have a very High School Musical pop feel to them, that is very popular right now with kids.

6. All the twists at the end. The evil prince, the girl saving the day, the no true love kiss thing, the making fun of love at first sight without getting to know someone first. It wasn't the same old cookie cutter routine. People like that.

7. The clothes and beautiful landscapes. Little girls love to play dress up, and they all want to have those dresses, especially Elsa's. Heck I'd like to have it.

So, basically that is why I think it is so popular. I mean what little girl can resist sparkly snowflakes and pretty dresses? Who doesn't want their own talking snowman? and all the while you still get danger, adventure, monsters, villains, and a message at the end that most parents are glad to teach their children, especially their little girls.

 

[sharper_fin]

It's an OK film. On a par with, say Brother Bear. Certainly not on a level with Lion King, Sleeping Beauty.

What disappoints me is this whole "highest grossing Disney animation ever" thing. I've heard people repeat that back as "best rated" and simply "best film ever". All that it really means is that Frozen is a relatively successful film that's been released at a time when cinema tickets are relatively expensive!

 

[disneyjes]

I don't get it either. I love Frozen but it's not my favorite.

 

[ObiWan]

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.

You are not alone. The film is pretty lame. IMHO the story line would have been more appealing if Elsa had told Anna early on that they could not be together because of the powers, and then both defiantly decide that they will set off to find ways to cure Elsa and bring back summer. That would have been a better arch for both characters. It would have made a better concept for a ride too.

 

[Hoosier37]

I like Frozen. It was gorgeous in the theater in 3D. But I am so over it now, and honestly I think it was no better than Tangled. In fact, I would rather watch Tangled.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

More evidence on the continuing impact of Frozen, this one, from MTV, says it all:

http://www.mtv.com/news/2037254/fro...campaign=zergnet_358061&xrs=mtvnewszergnetext

Why 2015 Will Still Be The Year Of ‘Frozen’
One year later and we still can't build a snowman I mean let it go.

They list of 6 things including Frozen Fever attached to Cinderella, an unplanned but upcoming Princess induction ceremony, continuing Frozen on Ice expanded showings, and Let it Go on Glee!

 

[Bluegrrl]

I've been trying to figure out why, exactly, I have a problem with Frozen. This blog says it all for me. Be warned that it has some language that is not suitable for little eyes.

https://medium.com/@directordanic/the-problem-with-false-feminism-7c0bbc7252ef

 

[old lady]

I don't believe that Anna really fell for a bad guy.She didn't really know he was evil and she dump him when she found out what he was really like. Elsa is someone I felt sorry for because she was condemmed for being different.

 

[JasonMarsh]

My main thing is, who the heck is this girl with these magical powers? Where did she come from? Is she a natural born child of the king and queen, or was she "adopted"? Why does she have these particular powers, and why is she the only person in the kingdom with magic? What is her connection to the rock trolls? Too many unanswered questions, I couldn't completely get into the story.