Frozen II

Some bold choices distinguish the visually extravagant Frozen II from typical assembly-line animated sequels, even if it too often leaves you emotionally chilly.

The characters that enchanted moviegoers in the 2013 musical blockbuster again share the spotlight in this uneven second go-round. However, by focusing on internalized existential crises more than traditional good-versus-evil conflict, this follow-up risks testing the patience of younger viewers who remain its primary target demographic.

After a lengthy and somewhat awkward reintroduction, this installment begins its story a few years after Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) claimed the throne as the queen of Arendelle, having forged a close bond with younger sister Anna (Kristen Bell).

Their peaceful world is interrupted when voices call Elsa into a nearby forest, prompting a quest to learn more about her heritage and the source of her powers.  “The past is not what it seems,” she explains. “The truth must be found.”

Joined by snowman sidekick Olaf (Josh Gad), Anna’s goofy boyfriend Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and others, Elsa searches for answers that both illustrate their past but also impact their future. As much as reshaping life in their kingdom, the pilgrimage for the sisters is about exploring their relationships and identity.

The sumptuous animation features the same richly textured details and vibrant colors as the first film, which drew its primary inspiration from the venerable Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Snow Queen.”

Meanwhile, the musical numbers are diverting enough while lacking a definitive show-stopper. Elsa’s big ballad, “Show Yourself,” is a highlight, both lyrically and melodically.

Despite the new narrative direction, the material still feels overall more familiar than fresh, as it repackages many of the same themes into a darker and more mature journey that’s less cute and charming, and more reliant on Olaf for some intermittent comic relief.

Besides a few nods to cultural diversity, the screenplay by returning director Jennifer Lee adds a layer of empowered self-reliance for its already precocious and tough-minded protagonists. The film comes across more powerfully as a story of sisterhood than a rousing adventure.

Maybe Frozen II deserves credit for subverting genre expectations, and for ensuring that Elsa and Anna aren’t more complex and sophisticated than your usual Disney princesses. Yet by the end, audiences perhaps won’t share the characters’ sense of wonder and discovery. They might be ready to let it go.

Rated PG, 103 minutes.