January 1, 2020 – This animated sequel reminds me a bit of “Princess Mononoke” in that it is also a tale about facing danger because of nature being pushed out of balance by the actions of men. It is also a story about righting past wrongs and facing the painful truth of history.

The story begins with a flashback to the time when Elsa and Anna, as children, are told about an enchanted forest by their father, King Agnarr of Arendelle. A tribe of people known as the Northuldra were able to use the magic in the forest, which made them powerful. King Runeard, Elsa and Anna's grandfather, built a dam on the river in the forest and used it to forge a treaty with Northuldra. During the ceremony, a fight broke out between the king's guards the Northuldrans. King Agnarr, a child at the time, escaped alone with help from an unknown power.

Angered by the battle, the magical elements of earth, air, fire and water cause a magical wall of mist to descend over the enchanted forest, and none could enter or leave it after the battle, during which King Runeard was slain.

Years later, Queen Elsa of Arendelle begins to hear a far off voice singing to her, a voice nobody else can hear. She says nothing about this until strange events start happening in Arendelle. The elements of fire, water, earth and air begin attacking the capital city, so it must be abandoned. Elsa believes the answer to this problem, and the mysterious voice she hears, both can be found in the enchanted forest, and she is determined to go there.

Accompanied by her sister, Anna and their closest friends, the magical snowman Olaf, the heroic Kristoff and the reindeer Sven, Elsa sets off to the enchanted forest to see why the elements have turned against them. These characters and the actors who give voice to them, all return from the original film. The answer to this puzzle lies in the past. Elsa must find out what caused the battle between the forces of Northuldra and Arendelle and how to set things right.

Elsa's magical powers enable her to penetrate the barrier and get her and her friends into the forest. There she finds the remainder of the King's guards who have been trapped for years in the forest with an opposing group of Northuldrans. She forges a truce between the two warring factions and learns more about her own past, and what she must do to set things right.

This involves an epic journey to faraway lands where Elsa will learn the truth about what started the conflict and how to set things right with the elements. Elsa thinks she must make this journey alone, but her companions all have a role to play in this quest.

The story is frequently punctuated by songs, none of which seemed as memorable as the best song, “Let it Go,” in the original film. The same songwriting duo, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and the same composer, Christophe Beck, from the first film, returned for this one. The story works well enough and there is enough humor in it to go along with the more serious elements. The animation, by Walt Disney Animation studios, is beautiful. This film rates a C+.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

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