The cute little snowman, the goofy reindeer, the sweet love story and the ice and snow support the main characters as they find who they are. There are some cute scenes, funny lines and sweet moments and it was refreshing to see a film that featured a love between sisters. The animation was beautiful and the effects were great. And honestly, under it all is a valuable lesson, but it seems to get lost under the song.
The song...you know the one I mean, because it is THE song and really the only thing the movie is known for..."Let It Go", is catchy and fun and on the surface seems sweet. But what concerns me are the rest of the lyrics:
"No right, no wrong, no rules for me"
I believe there are rights and wrongs. Rules provide balance and order. To throw them all out because they were misused is dangerous. It feels a bit like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
"You'll never see me cry."
But showing emotion is an important part of the human experience!
"Here I'll stand, and here I'll stay"
Standing for what I believe in is great...but so is growing and learning and moving forward.
"I'm never going back; the past is in the past"
The past is in the past...but I am who I am because of the past. Sometimes going back (to those who hurt me, told me the lies I've come to believe) is an important part of moving forward.
"The cold never bothered me anyway."
Oh, sweetie! Everyone needs community, to belong, human touch, love. Being locked away, alone, with the cold isn't truly living!
You see, Queen Elsa has always know she was different, but at a young age she was told to hide who she really is and keep it to herself. She was taught (by very loving parents, who truly thought they were doing what was best for her) that who she was wasn't ok. One day the truth comes out, as it always does, and everyone fears her. She becomes afraid and flees town making things worse for herself and everyone else. She takes her stand on an icy mountain far away from everyone (insert song here) and fights to keep those who love her and accept her away.
Eventually her sister, Anna, is faced with a choice, save her own life or give up her life to save Elsa. She chooses to save Elsa and by doing so saves herself (it gets a bit complicated here) which shows her sister that love is greater than the cold, thus saving the town (the kids were really confused by now). The end credits roll and we were left scratching our heads.
I think the point was suppose to be that instead of hiding who she was, Elsa needed to embrace what made her different and learn to use it positively. Which is a great lesson for all of us...those things that we try to hide from everyone are an important part of what makes each of us unique. Some things are dangerous and harmful and need to be molded into positive tools, but hiding them is harmful too.
My concern with allowing my children to see the movie again, is that they will learn the song (because honestly, I've been humming it all day, it really is catchy) and miss the true lesson. The song is half truths and deceptions and they aren't old enough to separate the truth from the lie. For now, that is my job which means I am not purchasing "Frozen" for them. Instead, I am reminding them daily that they are loved and accepted, that they belong, that it is safe to feel whatever they are feeling, and that whatever the unique challenges they will face...they are definitely not alone!
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