Wintry Disney musical is fabulous celebration of sisterhood.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
When they're young, Elsa accidentally hits Anna with her freezing magic and ends up nearly killing her. Elsa and Anna's parents die in a shipwreck; the stormy sea/sinking boat and resulting mourning are briefly seen. Queen Elsa unleashes her magic on the kingdom and plunges it into eternal winter. Vicious wolves chase Anna and Kristoff on a sleigh. Elsa creates a very menacing snow monster and accidentally hurts Anna again. Men with guns and bows try to hurt Elsa. The queen is imprisoned and sentenced to be executed. Anna's heart begins to freeze, and it seems likely her whole body will turn to ice. A severe winter storm unleashed by Elsa's feelings could upset/alarm some younger kids.
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Nothing in the actual movie, but there are countless merchandise tie-ins with the movie, from apparel and figurines to costumes, accessories, books, make-up, and games.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Champagne is served at a royal reception.
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The trolls call Kristoff a "fixer upper" and recount some of his flaws (like being "smelly" and his unnatural attachment to his reindeer). The visiting dignitaries call the Queen Elsa a "monster," an "evil sorceress," a "traitor," "murderer," etc.
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Princess Anna thinks that she's fallen in love with Prince Hans in just a few hours (after some flirting and exchanging of favorite things) and ends up accepting his proposal. Then she spends time really getting to know Kristoff and actually falls in love. Two kisses at the end of the movie. Queen Elsa wears a tight sparkly dress with a high slit. The trolls want Anna and Kristoff to get married.
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Themes include compassion, courage, integrity, communication, and self-control. Positive messages about not being afraid of your power and talents, not letting people you love run away, and the importance of figuring out that love demands selflessness and generosity. The love and bonds of sisterhood are emphasized, and the idea of true love taking time to develop is stressed.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Anna is a brave, kind, and loving sister. She doesn't give up on her sister, even when everyone else deems her a danger to the kingdom. Elsa, in turn, finally discovers that her power doesn't have to be destructive; it can bring joy, too. Kristoff and Anna teach other that finding the person you love takes more than just one day -- it means overcoming obstacles and sticking by each other during tough times. Olaf is cheerful and loyal.
Educational Value
very little
While the movie wasn't created with educational intent, it offers lessons on the importance of family and loyalty, as well as the value of not jumping head first into a romantic relationship.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Frozen is a Disney animated musical that's likely to appeal to families with children of all ages. As in many Disney movies, the parents die, here leaving orphaned princesses who must find a way to survive. There are a few other violent scenes that involve men with weapons, snarling wolves, a scary snow monster, a severe storm, and a character who nearly freezes to death. A character falls in love -- twice -- and ends up sharing two kisses at the end of the story. Messages include unconditional love between sisters after a long estrangement, being true to yourself, recognizing your gifts, and not being afraid of your power. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
People. Really? This is a princess movie. It isn’t, in any way, shape, or form, 18+. It is a heartwarming, lovely, and modern Disney film. Which, may I say is about one of the only princess films that has a plot twist and doesn’t end with a true loves kiss. My 11 year old was 4 when this came out, and still knows all the lyrics by heart. She must have seen it 60+ times. LET YOUR KIDS BE EXPOSED TO THIS. There is no reason they can’t see it.
All kinds of witchcraft throughout. No one should watch this- ESPECIALLY KIDS.
What's the Story?
FROZEN very loosely borrows from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of The Snow Queen: In a Scandinavian-like kingdom, two young princesses frolic in the first snowfall. Elder sister Elsa has the magical power to conjure ice, so she creates a winter wonderland for her adoring little sister, Anna. But when Elsa accidentally hurts Anna with her magic, their royal parents decide to shutter Elsa away from the kingdom. The sisters grow up separate from society -- and each other ... a strategy that works until the king and queen die in a shipwreck and Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) must be crowned the new queen. During the coronation festivities, Anna (Kristen Bell) falls for visiting Prince Hans (Santino Fontana) who immediately proposes. But when they ask Elsa for her blessing, she scoffs, loses control of her powers, runs up a mountain, and sends the kingdom into an eternal winter. Feeling guilty, Anna sets out to find Elsa with the help of unlikely allies -- a loner ice harvester Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his loyal reindeer Sven, and a goofy, sentient snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad).
Make room for two more wonderful princesses in this perfect combination of the best Disney has to offer. Frozen has catchy, show-stopping musical numbers, empowering heroines who discover the strength within themselves, stunning animated visuals, and scene-stealing sidekicks. There are worthy messages about everything from sisterly unconditional love to being true to yourself to not getting engaged to someone you literally just met. In addition to the the pithy songs like "For the First Time in Forever," "Let It Go," "In Summer," and "Fixer Upper" -- fabulously composed by couple Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez -- the sweet themes of sisterhood and self-identity make for a delightful tale.
Musical theater stars Menzel, Groff, Fontana, and Gad provide an awesome lineup of singers who make Frozen sound like it's already headed for Broadway. The always adorable Bell doesn't disappoint as the plucky and industrious Anna, who refuses to let Elsa stay away and believe herself a monster. Groff is perfectly cast as Kristoff, who challenges and surprises Anna -- and in turn is challenged and surprised by the brave princess. Their romance is a refreshing counterpoint to Anna and Hans' (which, as it turns out, isn't the swoon-worthy love-at-first-sight connection that she imagined) without taking away from the central storyline about the lovely sisters who discover their power.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Frozen's message. What do Anna and Elsa learn over the course of the movie? Kids: How can you apply the movie's lessons to your own life?
What do you think of the act of love that saves the kingdom?
There's more music in Frozen than in recent Disney films. How does the soundtrack compare to other Disney movies?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
