We take a look at the latest short film starring our favourite snowman Olaf as we bring you our Once Upon A Snowman review.
The previously untold origins of Olaf, the innocent and insightful, summer-loving snowman who melted hearts in the Academy Award-winning 2013 Disney animated feature, Frozen, and its acclaimed 2019 sequel, are revealed in the all-new Walt Disney Animation Studios animated short, Once Upon a Snowman.
The film follows Olaf’s first steps as he comes to life and searches for his identity in the snowy mountains outside Arendelle.
Once Upon a Snowman is directed by Trent Correy (animation supervisor, “Olaf” in Frozen 2) and Dan Abraham (veteran story artist who boarded Olaf’s “When I Am Older” musical sequence in Frozen 2).
Although landing on Disney Plus a little early to be considered a Christmas film this small Snowman adventure certainly feels like a holiday short.
Our story begins as Olaf is created and after suffering an identity crisis goes on a little mission to find a nose.
With the help of a kind Norwegian Olaf is guided on his quest in a short film that boils down to the core motto of finding yourself.
The question of who you are, what your purpose is and more is answered in such a short runtime.
Josh Gad has brought Olaf alive time and time again and this was the same voice actor who had me in stitches watching Frozen 2 in the cinema.
Olaf was the sole reason I watched any of the Frozen movies, I’m not usually a big animation fan but throw in some comedy and i’m hooked!
Once Upon A Snowman doesn’t feel rushed at any given time. The comedy is free flowing and there’s enough runtime to cram in some laugh out loud moments.
There’s a chase sequence especially that feels like it was taken straight out of a Looney Tunes sketch and with Olaf’s humour front and centre absolutely smashes it out of the park.
The short is fast-paced but shows endearing qualities from start to finish.
You can see the love and effort the animators have put into the character that when added with Gad’s vocal talent create something truly magical.
It’s all very playful and enjoyable and it’s a short for young and big kids alike.
I enjoyed how Once Upon A Snowman weaved in and around events that happened in the first movie leading up to the moment before Olaf is found in the woods in the first movie.
We Olaf in the foreground or background of the scenes that played out in the first movie and this short (albeit created much later) blended into those events seamlessly.
The short was written and directed by Trent Correy and Dan Abraham and from the second it begins to the serenade of ‘Let it Go’ the short does it’s own job of not letting go of our attention as we’re dragged into this joyous adventure with some familiar faces spotted along the way.
It’s a very tender short that encapsulates the love that we all have for arguably the most popular little snowman in the world.
Once Upon A Snowman is well worth your time so get yourselves over to Disney Plus today and check it out!
Once Upon A Snowman review by Sean Evans
Our Rating
Summary
Sit back relax and feel the outside world slip away as Olaf takes us on a heartwarming and hilarious journey of self discovery.
