Frozen: Animals of Arendelle Lost & Found 2D review | News | Latest Updates
Animals of Arendelle: Lost & Found short is finally out on YouTube after months of waiting for another 2d short to be released since the release of Frozen: Winter Festival!!
My thoughts
I loveed the short so so much! Definitely better than the Winter Festival in my opinion. The character arcs, the references to the movies and shorts, the visuals the storytelling and even the potential hints to Frozen 3!
I love how this short picks up right from the moment we left off in Frozen, seeing the very next day! I think that's something really important to see especially when the plot focuses on the after effect of Elsa's enteral winter in the middle of Summer. It might seem obvious that it would have affected a lot of different things but who would have thought we would actually have a short that focused on the wildlife aspects of it. I know it's not much but it's nice to think they thought of that and wanted to explore that a little. After seeing baby animals in the castle, Olaf explains that Elsa's winter upset the natural balance of nature causing “starvation, loss of safe shelter, panic and a passive flight, fright or freeze response” for the animals. In Frozen we see Hans giving out blankets to the citizens and we see other citizens fighting over the logs used to make fire but we didn't see much of the effects of the surroundings because the story was focusing on the characters and their arcs as were the shorts and sequel.
After realising all this Elsa says her infamous line “It's all my fault”. I know many are tired of hearing this again but it does line up so well with Frozen Fever, and Olaf's Frozen Adventure because they all explored Elsa feeling guilty for being locked up for so long as well as the eternal winter she set off and her going lengths, with her newfound family to make things right. Frozen 2 is here she realised who she was which made her see herself differently and not as the girl with the curse who made many mistakes.
The way their first back to normal day was so not normal, every other 'firsts' since then are because it was their first time with Elsa's powers being revealed, since the gates opened, since the sisters reunited, since Elsa became Queen, etc. This time they helped restore the balance of nature. In Frozen: Winter Festival (2d short set 5 months after) they came up with a new way to celebrate their first day of winter. In Olaf's Frozen Adventure (5 months after) they found a new way to celebrate the holidays. And in (11 months after) Frozen Fever, Elsa found the perfect way to make up for all those years of missed moments on the 19th Birthday. These firsts give them a new tradition and a new way to celebrate.
I like how we got confirmation on Kristoff's home status while being an ice harvester with him having a fishing "fortress" (cabin actually) on the fjord. Seeing it abandoned and not in great shape, Elsa extends the cabin with her powers and I have to say it's so amazing to see more of her architecture skills right after she's just built a whole castle on a peak mountain (timeline wise). And the interior and exterior of the cabin is stunning with things built to help the animals grow and play and survive for both summer and winter types of animals. Though I feel like after all the animals are safe, the ice part of the cabin was taken down and his cabin was either restored to the way it was or rebuilt as a mini animal shelter in case animals are misplaced from their homes. It could be her second proclamation as Queen (her first being charging or something against the Duke of Weselton at the end of Frozen).
Frozen 2 references
I liked the little nods to the previous film features, such as Kristoff catching the animals similar to how he catches (will catch) the snowgies in the ice bowl in Frozen Fever and Elsa's magical sprinkle on the baby wolf similar to how she does (will do) the same to Bruni when she tamed him in Frozen 2. Speaking of Bruni, this adventure with animals could explain why she's so connected with Bruni and the Nøkk, with them being animal spirits.
As far as their attire goes, they look great however they're giving me autumn vibes than summer lol but maybe it's because it's Autumn is the next season after Summer and it's Autumn now in reality. But they were practical for helping the animals so I don't mind that too much. But since they traveled with a wagon, and did so again when going further, to the enchanted forest in Frozen 2, they probably thought similar fits would do great for a 'saving the forest' kind of adventure.
The end was a hilarious nod to Frozen 2's plot with Olaf saying they'll now live happily ever after as long as Elsa doesn't hear voices in her sleep calling to her through song. If this is indeed canon, then I really wonder why Olaf would have said this. It's probably just a nod to Frozen 2. I don't think it's strictly canon especially if you want it to be.
2d animation style
The colours, the lighting, and the design of the 2d animation is gorgeous and visually stunning. I really would encourage them to make more mini yet lore important adventures like these or maybe even a whole series like Tangled did with Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure. It's really fun to watch and it's beautiful to see Disney start to slowly embrace 2d style again.
Frozen 3 hints?
Now some say this plotline is a nod to Anna and Kristoff having children in Frozen 3/ 4 and I would agree. It helps the couple have some experience in raising younglings despite it being animals rather than children. Again I say, I don't want them to have children in Frozen 3 because I think that's too soon but I don't definitely think they are planning to make them parents at some point in the franchise.
The end credits reveal Marc Smith as the writer and was a credit on its own which must mean that Marc has an important role in the production of Frozen 3 and 4. Some say he's the director but I don't think that's confirmed just yet. But I'm aware he's the one who came up with the idea for Frozen 3 (and 4) as Jennifer Lee said herself in an article interview. But I'm excited to see what happens because this short was really good and so with more lore and context and thought imagine what he could pull off in a highly anticipated three-quel. There's also a Special Thanks that includes Jennifer Lee (Director of both movies), Peter Del Vecho (Producer of both movies) and a few others.
Conclusion
I really love it. I loved the storytelling and the continuity from Frozen and the nods to the shorts and the Sequel. I liked how the shorts focus on Elsa's guilt and her trying to fix a consequence of the events in Frozen and how the gang helps her with it too so she feels like and knows she's not alone anymore.
As much as I loved it, I don't think it was meant to be worth the years of waiting for something lore-ful like this. But I feel they are taking on board feedback and seem to be experimenting with these 2d shorts since this is better than the first 2d short. I hope they do more of these and give us crucial moments that we need to see and I think it's important for us to really understand the after effects of Frozen so that we understand the events of Frozen. And I feel like the after effects of Frozen 2, are more towards the characters and lore heavy enough for movies and I think that's what we will see in Frozen 3. We must understand the overall picture, understand the lore so far in order to understand Frozen 3 and 4.
Also a note that I don't mean to sound too positive but also fair enough not to look on the bad side either. This wasn't supposed to be a big thing but it's something nonetheless and the biggest thing we've got in a while. So I'd rather take it and be happy with what we've got and what we're getting than what not.
Coming up
Don't forget, we have another pre Frozen short featuring animals, coming up on October 24th Operation Puffins! This time it's with puffins and with the Duke of Weselton (original voice returning). So once that's out, I'll make a list in that review post of all the chronological canon material.
Thank you for reading! 😁❄️
