When I watched Frozen II for the first time there were some things I liked about it but ultimately I found it confusing and not as enjoyable as the first one. The Academy apparently agreed with my initial assumption and didn’t award the film an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Movie but after a year and three viewings I’ve reached a different conclusion; Frozen II is better than Frozen.

I’ve started coming to this realization after my second viewing earlier this year which opened my eyes to the story and left me dazzled by the complexity/darkness of the film’s plot. This wasn’t your typical Disney princess story or a typical Disney movie in general? There were no arched eyebrow-ed antagonists or cackling broads to combat. In fact, there wasn’t really a villain at all.

It was a story of personal transformation, of righting the wrongs of the past, and truth. It’s a beautiful story and a powerful conclusion to a story that already pushed the boundaries with Frozen.