Movie · 2019 · Family, Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy · 1h 43m · PG · English
Curator score: 3.2/10 (1.1M ratings)
The past is not what it seems.
Overview
Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf head far into the forest to learn the truth about an ancient mystery of their kingdom.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.2/10
IMDb: 6.8/10
Letterboxd: 3.16/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
Metacritic: 64
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck
Production
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Cast
Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Evan Rachel Wood, Sterling K. Brown, Alfred Molina, Rachel Matthews, Jason Ritter, Martha Plimpton, Ciarán Hinds, Jeremy Sisto, Stephen J. Anderson, Chris Williams, Maia Wilson, Paul Briggs, Hadley Gannaway, Mattea Conforti, Aurora Aksnes, Alan Tudyk
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A visually polished, emotionally earnest sequel with strong atmosphere and a few standout musical moments, but the story is overstuffed and less satisfying than the first film. It’s worth it for viewers who enjoy Disney fantasy worldbuilding, sibling dynamics, and lush animation more than tight plotting.
Best for
fans of Disney animated musicals
viewers who like mythic fantasy and elemental lore
families looking for a visually rich adventure
audiences who enjoyed the first film and want more of Elsa and Anna
Skip if
you want a lean, clearly explained plot
you dislike sequel lore expansion and vague mythology
you need memorable songs throughout
you prefer character-focused stories with strong ensemble use
Overview
Frozen II trades the first film’s clean fairy-tale structure for a more ambitious, mistier quest narrative. The animation is gorgeous, especially in the forest and water sequences, and the movie clearly wants to deepen the emotional bond between Elsa and Anna while giving Elsa a more mythic identity. That ambition gives it scale and mood, even when the plotting gets tangled.
Worth noting
The sequel’s biggest strength is its atmosphere: autumnal woods, enchanted spirits, and a sense of old history pressing in on the present. It also has a few strong musical peaks and enough humor to keep younger viewers engaged. But the story often feels like it is building toward something larger than it can fully deliver, and several supporting characters are underused.
Bottom line
As a family adventure, it is still easy to recommend in a qualified way. If you want spectacle, sisterly emotion, and Disney craftsmanship, it delivers. If you want the crisp storytelling and instantly iconic songs of the original, this one may feel more impressive than satisfying.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Lucy (2.5★) · 3317 likes
anna and elsa said girls with clinical depression get behind me
Cole Duffy (3.5★) · 2708 likes
Disney’s Annihilation.
Seriously.
elliebean (5★) · 2706 likes
olaf: anna i don’t feel so good
miranda💫 (5★) · 2565 likes
Elsa with her hair down...that’s cinema baby
James (Schaffrillas) (3★) · 2118 likes
Simultaneously feels bigger and smaller than the first film. I was really invested in the first hour and the mystery it was building up, but then the story kinda fizzled out into nothingness. Really wastes the vast majority of its characters, both old and new. Stakes feel relatively low due to the vagueness of the story. Songs ranged from pretty good to pretty forgettable; nothing awful tho.
I can't decide which one I like better; nothing in this movie angered… more