The story, on the surface, is sweet. It's a very Female Empowerment story and the music isn't that bad. (I know, I know... If you never hear "Let it Go" again, it'll be too soon).
But what about the underlying issues that are never addressed? (WARNING: if you haven't seen the movie - spoilers abound below)
Elsa accidentally strikes an exuberant Anna in the head with her magical snow powers prompting the King and Queen to seek help from the trolls (incidentally, the only area NOT affected by Elsa's later fit of eternal winter). Once the head Troll, or Troll King fixes Anna's injury, the King and Queen's response is to isolate Elsa, fire a bunch of hard working Palace staff, lock the gates and never explain the situation to Anna. So both girls get punished for an innocent accident. One who doesn't even remember why and one who was the cause, but was actually trying to save her sister who was moving way too fast for Elsa to keep up with. So the message? "being different is bad and you should be isolated from the normal people"
As Elsa grows, so does her power. In response, what does the King do? Tells her to wear gloves. So, if we hide the problem it will go away. Conceal, don't feel. Elsa is not encouraged to learn control over her powers, but to conceal them. Yeah. I don't see that being a problem later on. The message? "Being different is bad and you need to hide it"
As in almost all Disney movies, the King and Queen die, leaving Anna and Elsa parentless, with the skeleton staff left on board and a set of powers that have been left unchecked for the past - oh, let's say 10 years.
Three years pass and Elsa has come of age, which means she can now take the Throne of Arendale (a Norwegian village, evidently), as it's rightful Queen.
The day is emotional at best. And let's remember, Elsa has been given exactly Zero - Z-E-R-O - hours of training to control her abilities. Anna has been so starved for attention that she literally falls for the first guy she meets who shows her any affection. There's a message for our girls - cute princes are just waiting for you to fall into their traps -- I mean LAPS. Yeah. Laps.
So, of course, Anna and Hans want to become engaged. (Nah. There can't be any ulterior motives on one or both parties, now can there?!)
When Anna goes to her sister, Queen Elsa to receive her blessing, Elsa does what any responsible adult would do and refuses to offer her blessing since Anna literally JUST met this guy. Anna gets mad, Elsa gets mad, and Elsa releases a spiked wall of ice, revealing her powers (betcha didn't see that coming!). So now, of course, all the townspeople and the visiting dignitaries are terrified of Queen Elsa. Who does the only logical thing - isolates herself in an ice palace on the North Mountain. But not before setting off an eternal winter (Anna's words, not mine. Though how they know it's eternal after only a day or so, beats me). The message? "Being different is bad AND scary. You need to be isolated from all the normal people."
Anna pursues her sister into the snow (hilarity ensues) and she meets Kristoff and his reindeer, Sven. Even Kristoff is incredulous that Anna wanted to marry a guy she'd just met ("what's his last name?", "Of the Seven isles")
They find Elsa, who sets a giant snow monster on them - because when you have powers like Elsa's, you're evil, too. So you set mean creatures after your sister.
The Duke of Weaseltown (pronounced WESS-el-ton) sends his henchmen on a search for Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. Of course, he wants her killed.
Anna and Kristoff cavort with a friendly snowman named Olaf, who likes warm hugs and dreams of summer, when he'll be a.... Happy Snowman!
Anna and Elsa argue, Elsa strikes Anna with her powers again, but this time in the heart. Kristoff takes her to the trolls, who then try to marry they two of them together (because you're nothing if you're not married). They return to Arendale, defeated. Elsa gets captured and brought back to Arendale, where she causes a major snowstorm. Hans (Of The Seven Isles) attempts to kill Elsa, Anna steps in, freezes into a block of ice, breaks Hans's sword and Anna thaws because of her act of true love.
The message - not only boys can be heroes. And an act of true love can come from your sister just as readily. This message, I like.
But what really bothers me still, is the isolation Anna and Elsa were put through. Why lock the gates? Why isolate Anna? Why not teach Elsa to control her powers? Why make "different" synonymous with "bad"?
Your thoughts?
