Review of The Princess and the Frog (2009) by Ryangee — 27 Sep 2010

The previews of The Princess of The Frog indirectly promised a second coming of their famous two-dimensional musicals; Movies such as Lion King or Aladdin, that have been cherished in the hearts of adults and children alike. With this promise, Princess had big shoes to fill. But unfortunately, Disney's newest film is wearing a size too small, and those shoes aren't comfortable at all.

This altered story of the The Frog Prince is a film that tries way too hard to be like its predecessors. From the cliche moments, to the happily-ever-after ending (SPOILER), it's exactly like the old Disney animated movies. While these elements aren't necessarily bad, the movie just doesn't execute them well. The characters do not connect to the audience at all, there is no emotional-reality to them in any way whatsoever. In addition, the story and the plot are way too weak to be considered a "childhood" classic. The only aspect that I believe the movie excels in is the Disney soundtrack that fits well into this "magical kingdom." But even this redeeming aspect is flawed due to the excess of songs that the movie spurs out. In the end, its slow pace and lack of humor are just too hard to overlook.

Although I can be considered too old to watch animated movies and appreciate them, I find that to the contrary. Movies like Up and Ratatouille possess the ability to inspire all ages, no matter the target audience.