With the success of Tangled came the short follow up Tangled Ever After, which premiered with the 3D re-release of Beauty and the Beast. After the gargantuan success of Frozen, it seemed like an inevitability that a short subject would follow shortly (pun intended). Debuting exclusively with Disney’s live action retelling of Cinderella on March 13th, Frozen Fever is the first in what I imagine will be many follow-up projects to Frozen.
Contrary to my initial expectations, Frozen Fever does not feature Elsa and Anna enjoying a night of boogie at one of Arendelle’s disco clubs. Instead the premise is sweet, with Elsa trying to give Anna her first real birthday party. However, while following a string throughout town from surprise to surprise it becomes very clear that Elsa has a cold, resulting in “snowgies” (snowballs with faces and little feet) running amok every time Elsa sneezes. Anna’s reaction reminds us all of what it means to love someone selflessly.
Frozen Fever features most of your favorite characters from the film, including Olaf, Kristoff and Sven. Most of the short’s 7 minute run time is musical, with a new song by Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez called “Making Today a Perfect Day.” It’s fun and catchy, but nowhere near as memorable as “Let it Go” or “For the First Time in Forever.” There are plenty of laughs to be had in this short, mostly provided by the adorable Snowgies and Olaf, who hinders more than he helps while Kristoff and Sven try to decorate for Anna’s birthday party. The Snowgies are so appealing that I imagine when merchandise hits store shelves, they will be as hard to find as an Elsa doll in 2013.
While Frozen Fever is cute and charming, its brevity will leave anyone clamoring for more Frozen feeling a little underwhelmed. In addition, the amount of reused animation and recycled gags make it feel a little cheaper than the average short from Walt Disney Animation Studios such as Paperman, Feast, or even Tangled Ever After. While Frozen fanatics might be dying to take a trip to the theater just for this, I don’t recommend it unless you are also interested in seeing Cinderella. While it is better than the main feature, the short length doesn’t make it worth the high price of admission alone.
I give Frozen Fever 4 out of 5 snowgie sneezes.