There is something really traumatic about being disappointed in a
Disney film, (and with great self-control, I
will not even mention the zombie hoards of B-movie sequels). How sad, that the same
people whose sprinkled fairy dust over the imaginations of our
childhoods, now only live on to provide the latest pink fodder to
decorate children's backpacks.
We weren't expecting too much, let's be honest, of Frozen,
after the teaser involving a wordless competition between a snowman
and a reindeer for a carrot. And being “loosely based” on Hans
Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen (a detailed tale intended for a
sort of Christian parable for children) there was little hope that
any of the original masterpiece would survive the Disney makeover. As an
aspiring writer I have been formulating my conclusive idea of what a
story should be, and primarily it should be a story. I do not
mean that tales without much plot development, because a story
can develop in its characters, in its telling even, but a story
needs a good storyline.
The two goals established (namely retrieving the sister and removing
the winter's curse), were so simply accomplished (and the curse's
removal so abruptly and conveniently dealt with) that it
needed several villains in the guises of a tricksy but completely
underdeveloped evil motivations to get in the way and keep the film
from being a ten-minute epic. There was also a mountain of snow man
who swatted them and sent them down PlayStation snow slopes. And a
misdirect so successfully diverted attention that the 'true love' of
the story was entirely devoid of chemistry for more than half of the
film.
As for the music, it was as if the songs and the storyline were
developed entirely independent of each other. Some were good,
certainly, and brilliantly performed - Kristen Bell and Idina
Menzel's talent work wonders for each song that features them. There
was nevertheless a feeling that many a song was forced, protruding
from the action like a hair out of place, and left me feeling like
the musical director was trying to prolong the cheery or comic moment
with pathetic success. Music should be the emotional communication of
a mood or feeling when words would no longer supply. The glaring
exception is Idina Menzel performing “Let it Go” - a thrilling,
spine-tingling piece of music, doing everything a good song should.
On the whole, however, I would not say that I didn't properly enjoy
it. Disney's characters are a gimmick (and one on which they thrive)
that successfully win your love, heroes and heroines alike are both
noble and admirable but still capable of human faults, and their
sidekicks are dear and hilarious. (Something should be said to
Americans though, about their idea of foreigners with predictable
names like Olaf and Sven, and poor German accents).
Refreshingly, the cannon of true love's kiss was utterly thwarted,
this once, by the correct definition of true love, “when you put
someone else's needs before your own,” and an act of sisterly love
and of great sacrifice works the most powerful magic. To see Disney
shed their impossibly idealistic (but never unentertaining)
portrayals of romance, makes a welcome change, and we can enjoy the
fun of their mocking in 'Love is an Open Door', instead of trying to
believe in it.
If a good tale is like a perfect stew, think of Frozen as
watery concept in which has been poured nothing more than plot
thickener, but you have so many vivacious characters around the
dinner table, that you don't notice how much your dish is without
substance, and you go away having thoroughly enjoyed your evening.
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