The 'Frozen 2' reviews are in... and we can relax
After the Frozen II premiere in Los Angeles last week, encouraging tweets began to drop about the long-awaited to sequel from those in attendance.
Early signs pointed to a 'darker' and more mature follow up to Anna and Elsa's adventures from 2013.
Now the review embargo has been officially lifted, and it appears that everything is going to be OK, though it's perhaps not quite as well-rounded as the first movie from director Chris Buck.
Reckons Us Weekly: “Is it as spectacular as the original? No, but let it go. It's still a beautifully designed, sharply written and toe-tapping piece of family entertainment.”
Writes Uproxx: “What's smart about Frozen II is, instead of trying to just recapture its past glory, it decides to be interesting.”
Read more: What you need to know about Frozen II
Adds Indiewire: “No sequel is essential, but Frozen 2 makes the argument that, even in the fairy tale land of Disney, they can still be important.”
Per Variety: “In a world where old-timers accuse the youth of being oversensitive snowflakes, Frozen II shows what it means to have one's heart in the right place.”
Meanwhile the Daily Mirror reckons the movie “surpasses the first for fun and adventure”.
Not all are entirely convinced, of course.
Reckons The Hollywood Reporter: “Unfortunately, if you stop to notice you can readily sense the efforts of the many cooks in the kitchen, recommending a bit more sugar here, a pinch of spice over there, bake this a little longer, put some extra frosting on just for good measure.”
Adds Vanity Fair: “Unnecessary isn't always a bad thing; plenty of fun or otherwise enriching stuff doesn't need to exist. But a dire case of cynical sequelitis plagues Frozen 2.”
But ultimately, fans of the first movie will likely appreciate a return to Arendelle. And beyond.
Read more: The best Christmas films of the 21st century
In four stars from the Daily Telegraph, it reckons: “For all its feints and innovations, Frozen II knows its audience inside out, and wants to ensure every last subdivision leaves feeling both seen and satisfied.”
With Anna and Elsa heading north to try and discover the origins of Elsa's magic powers, and also find out more about their own heritage, the sisters – along with Kristoff, Olaf and Sven – embark on a magical and perilous adventure to save their kingdom.
Featuring the voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Sterling K. Brown, Evan Rachel Wood, Alfred Molina, Martha Plimpton, Rachel Matthews, and Jason Ritter, it lands in the UK on 22 November.
