I am, for the most part, skeptical of sequels, especially those of blockbuster kid movies.  In my opinion, many of them aren’t as interested in telling a story as they are in the gargantuan merchandising that may result if the movie succeeds:  An elaborate toy commercial.

“Frozen” was such a classic, and I am pretty sure my daughter watched it close to 20 times before the age of 4.  The songs, the plot, and the overall product was awesome.  At that point, I wish most movies wouldn’t have a sequel. 

However, Frozen II has come along, once again with Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Princess Anna (Kristen Bell) at the helm of the story. This time we find the village of Arendelle in danger as a result of an age-old conflict between the Arendelle people and their “friends” to the north, the Northuldra tribe.

As we are presented with the background story, and then with the “rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say, we see that the history of Arendelle may not have always involved peace. Elsa and Anna set about righting the wrongs of their ancestors, finding out things about themselves and their family along the way. 

Once again, we learn that the sisters can do it themselves, and don’t need any man to help them.  I was pleased to see that the script allowed for Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) to ride in at one point and save the day. 

Thank you, Disney.  It’s my opinion that women still want a knight in shining armor once in awhile, whether they are lady action heroes or not.  Silly Olaf (Josh Gad) continues to bring the majority of laughs to the movie, and there is a pretty good supporting cast to back the sisters.  

There is more action and peril in this movie than matters of the heart, which is to be expected now that Elsa’s secret is out and she has been accepted by her people. The songs are pretty good, and attempt to be blockbuster hits, but of course don’t measure up to the original. And no one expects them to, I hope.  

Frozen ll isn’t the classic that its predecessor was, but we still care about the characters and want to check in on them. The story moves along pretty well, with some muddy areas in the plot and a few characters that aren’t given enough to do. For instance, why the heck was the little fire producing salamander in there? My guess is because he will make a great toy. Oh well.

Your kids will want to see it on the big screen and you will be invested in it enough to be comfortable for 1 hour and 42 minutes. Most theater goers will leave without total closure and most will likely leave with an expectation for Frozen 3.  

Why not?

Frozen ll opens today in theaters and is rated PG.