The Princess and the Frog (2009)

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

8/10

Starring the voices of

Anika Noni Rose

Bruno Campos

Keith David

Michael-Leon Wooley

Jim Cummings

Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker

I have to say, I enjoyed this animation more than I expected to. What I did recall from seeing it when it was first released was how much I didn’t like it—but I must have been biased. My bias was probably toward wanting CGI instead of traditional animation. That said, this is one of the good animations I’ll gladly watch a second time. Their spin on The Frog Princess story is beautiful. Another wonderful thing about this flick is the setting. It’s set in New Orleans, and there are numerous Black folks everywhere, which is refreshing to see.

This animated musical fantasy romantic comedy is Disney's 49th animated feature film. It’s loosely based on the novel The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker (which itself is based on the Brothers Grimm’s The Frog Prince). When the voodoo man sings, you’ll listen because it’s just that good. It’s been a long time since a Disney musical caught my attention like this one did with its song, "I Got Friends on the Other Side." The movie also boasts a beautiful voice cast, with singer-actress Anika Noni Rose lending her voice to Tiana. The setting in New Orleans brings so much life to the film, and the predominantly Black cast adds a layer of representation that stands out.

The plot here involves many moving parts. There’s the Prince, who has been cut off by his parents because of his reckless living. He comes to New Orleans and meets the Shadow Man, who promises to help him get what he wants—more money. On the other hand, the Shadow Man strikes a deal with the Prince’s butler, who dreams of becoming a wealthy and influential prince. Their deal results in the Prince being turned into a frog while the butler uses the Prince’s blood to transform into his image and plans to marry a rich lady.

The rich lady in question, Lottie, is a childhood friend of Tiana. Tiana dreams of opening her own restaurant and has been working tirelessly to save money for it. Lottie’s father invites the Prince (who is really the butler) to their home, with Lottie planning to woo and marry him. Meanwhile, the real Prince—now a frog—escapes and finds his way to Tiana. She’s initially freaked out by a talking frog, but he convinces her that he’s the Prince and that a kiss from her will break the spell. However, when she kisses him, she turns into a frog too. Now the duo must find a way to return to their human forms, all while the Shadow Man hunts the Prince to get more of his blood to maintain the butler’s transformation.

The movie borrows some elements from All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989), and it’s pretty obvious. Remember when Charlie and Anne-Marie were about to be eaten by a crocodile but were saved when Charlie hit a high note? The crocodile couldn’t bear to eat anything that could sing like Charlie. Well, they lifted that idea here.

The movie was written and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. These two Disney veterans have worked on classics like The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Little Mermaid (1989), Aladdin (1992), Bolt (2008), Zootopia (2016), and many more.

The movie was a critical success and a mild box office hit, likely turning a profit with home video sales. It’s worth seeing—and definitely worth having the kids by your side when you do.