I don't know about the rest of you, but I had high expectations for this film what with it being referred to as "the greatest Disney film since The Lion King." - The Daily Beast. That's certainly saying something, so why wouldn't I have high expectations? Before I saw it, I hadn't heard a single bad word about it. EVERYONE absolutely loved it. Let It Go was being parodied and covered everyday. My Facebook account was going crazy with everyone saying what a good film it was. My family adores it. I love Disney, so why wouldn't I see it?
I was pretty excited to see it, actually. Really looking forward to it. I think that's the main reason I dislike it so much. I was expecting a really great film and I got Frozen. Frozen is pretty bad for a Disney movie. I mean, I know what Disney is capable of and Frozen isn't up to their standards.
And, though, logically, I know there must be at least one other person out there who doesn't like Frozen, it feels like I'm the only person in the world who missed what made it such an amazing movie. And it's not like I just don't like it. I have my reasons.
1. Plot, Plot, Plot
The plot in Frozen is weak, to say the least. It unfolds so clumsily, hopping from scene to scene as if the filmmakers forgot about the concept of transitions. Every scene is a movie is supposed to advance the plot in some way. If it doesn't advance the plot, it needs to be thrown out and Frozen had several scenes that could have been kept out. It was a sloppy movie and had random action sequences, not because it made sense with the plot, but because the movie needed some action.
2. Who's the Villain, Again?
Did anyone else notice Frozen had no villain song? Think about it. A Disney movie with no villain song! And, no Love is an Open Door does not count even though Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez say it's the villain song disguised as a love song. All that says to me is that "We didn't feel like writing another song so we're just going to put two songs into one." No way is Love is an Open Door a villain song. Even if there are different ways to interpret some of the lines. So, sorry kids. No bad guy song. I'm sorry, but squishing two songs together is just lazy. But, I guess, to be honest, there's no real villain in the movie anyway. And now you're all saying "Of course there is! Prince Hans is the villain, duh!" Um, okay. He's the villain for the last ten minutes of the movie but if was really a villain, there should have been some foreshadowing, some sort of hint, some kind of something leading up to this plot twist! At first, we're led to believe that Elsa's powers are the antagonist of the film, then we start thinking that maybe this goofy duke guy is our villain, but no, just a goofy duke. Then, surprise, it's Hans! At the end of the movie, we get our villain. But it didn't seem planned. It seemed like the movie makers realized they didn't have a villain and had to squeeze one in somewhere. And I'm sure it was the plan the whole time, but it just didn't look that way. It should have been more obvious to us viewers that something was up with Hans.
3. Kristoff
Kristoff is a nice enough character but completely unessential to the plot. Usually that means you need to get rid of the character. I mean, all he did was help Anna through a couple of situations, but, let's be honest, if he hadn't been there, she still would have been fine. He served no purpose other than to be the love interest. If they really wanted to keep him in the movie, they should have made his role significant to the over-all plot. As it is, he was just kind of there most of the time.
4. Could You Please Make it a Little More Obvious That Frozen is a Progressive Film?
Hopefully, you caught the sarcasm in that. Frozen is shoving in our faces how progressive they are, making almost no effort with the story and plot just to make sure we all get that they're saying "women don't need no man." Give your audience some credit. We get what you're saying without spelling it out for us. Tangled is a progressive film with a strong female character who can obviously take care of herself but the movie is so much better because they didn't shove it in our face.
5. The Music
Everyone is going absolutely crazy over the music in this film and it's not even that great! Compare the music with any other Disney film and hopefully you'll see what I mean. The music had less effort and just wasn't great. It was just basically pop and it wasn't memorable. Let it Go was the best song in the film, sure, but that's not saying much. Let it Go is overrated and doesn't hold a candle to other Disney songs. Are we really going to say Let it Go is up there with Part of Your World, I Just Can't Wait to Be King and A Whole New World?
6. What is up With Elsa?
The character of Elsa is just a big huge mess. I mean, what happened there? So she hurts her sister once when they are kids and the only solution is to lock herself in her room for ten years, completely ignoring her sister's existence? Anyone else think that was a bit dramatic? Her family could have worked on trying to control the power, but, no, they just lock their seven or eight year old daughter in her room and let her deal with it. And then, ten years later, she comes out for the coronation, and is absolutely no better at controlling her power. It's even worse than when she was young, so obviously, living inside her room and ignoring her sister isn't the solution (and where did these powers come from, anyway?) Then stuff happens and she has to run away and build herself an ice castle high up on a mountain. She must be really self absorbed because she didn't even realize she froze over the entire kingdom and when she did find out, she didn't care much. I thought the whole reason she was locking herself away from her sister is that she didn't want to hurt her, but she obviously doesn't mind casting her out into the cold, high up on a mountain where she is likely to freeze to death or sending her to live in a kingdom where she'll freeze to death. She also creates like a ten foot monster to throw her out which could easily have killed her. I don't get the thought process here.
7. Cliché Ending
This movie made me role my eyes at the ending. They were so busy trying not to be cliché and their ending couldn't have been any more cliché. What's more cliché than love being the answer? "Love" will control her power. Elsa literally laughs when she realizes love is the solution as if she's saying, "Duh! Of course it's love! How did I not figure that out?" Which means the whole movie didn't even need to exist. It took her ten years to find out love was the answer. And then it's just "Of course! I guess I didn't have to hide in my room and ignore my sister for ten years, or run away and build myself an ice castle." It's so annoyingly simple you wonder why it took them that long to get it. I guess everyone in the movie is just dumb. And then, get this, her entire life she hasn't had any control over these powers of hers and now that she realizes love is the answer (to what question, I'm not sure) she has perfect control. No practice necessary. Trying hard to control them her whole life with no success. Was she just an unloving person until the realization hit her? She didn't seem very unloving to me. I just don't get it.
Well, those are my main reasons for Frozen being a terrible Disney movie. And, like I said, I know most people don't feel this way, but I honestly can't stand to hear another person say how great it is without putting my opinion out there. It makes me want to tear my hair out to hear people calling it the greatest Disney movie ever. And I really haven't had an opportunity to share my distaste for the film because everyone I know loves it and no one wants to hear a film they love be criticized like this. But now I've done it and getting it off my chest feels nice.
The All Women's Talk website posted an article about why Frozen is the best Disney movie ever made and, I kid you not, these are the reasons:
1. There are tear jerking moments
2. The visuals are perfect
3. Olaf is hilarious
4. Anna is relatable
5. There is a lesson to be learned
6. The plot is engaging
7. The music is catchy
Really? Those sound like reasons you personally like the movie, not why it tops every other Disney movie ever made. If I hadn't said it wasn't talking about Frozen, would you even know? What Disney movie does that list not describe?
I could use this exact same list and apply it to any other Disney film. Watch. This is my argument for why The Lion King is the best Disney movie ever made.
1. There are tear jerking moments
2. The visuals are perfect
3. Timon and Pumbaa are hilarious
4. Simba is relatable
5. There is a lesson to be learned
6. The plot is engaging
7. The music is catchy
So how does this list, when applied to Frozen, make it better than other Disney movie? That's quite a claim, backed up very poorly.
But, anyway, you are free to think what you want, but don't call it the best Disney movie ever made unless you have better reasons why.
