The Princess and the Frog (2009); animated family film review

Poster artwork for the comedy romance family animated film The Princess and the Frog.

Fairytale Frogs by Linh

The Princess and The Frog is the animated family film from Disney that moves away from the computer generated imagery and 3D technology of recent films such as Up and WALL-E. Disney returns to its traditional story-telling of fairytales and dreams come true in hand-drawn visuals in 2D format with a contemporary re-telling of the classic children's story.

AMOROUS AMPHIBIAN: Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) is taken aback by a talking frog (Bruno Campos) in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

The Princess and the Frog is loosely based on the classic German fairytale The Frog King by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, which was later translated into English and renamed The Frog Prince. In Disney's updated version, the story is set in the mid 1920s New Orleans with an attractive and determined young African-American woman named Tiana who only dreams of saving enough money to open her own restaurant. Tiana's childhood friend Charlotte offers her a catering job for a social function at her mansion where Prince Naveen of the fictional country Maldonia, would be in attendance. At the party, Tiana meets the realtors who were going to sell her the property for her new restaurant, but they reject her offer. In dismay, Tiana accidentally creates a mess and ruins her dress, so Charlotte lends her a beautiful gown and tiara for the rest of the day. While Charlotte waltzes away to seek out the prince, Tiana is startled by a talking frog who claims to be Prince Naveen and is under the spell of a voodoo witchdoctor.

LOCKED LIPS: Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) agrees to kiss the frog (Bruno Campos) in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

The storyline may follow the traditional path of poor girl meets prince, falls in love, gets married and live happily ever after, but there is a twist to this Disney tale. There is also a touch of feminism and underlying race relations in this version; where a young African-American woman who is hardworking, intelligent and independent, develops an interracial romance with the Eurasian prince, who happens to be a slack and gullible lad of luxury. The setting of the tale in New Orleans allows for a fabulous jazz-inspired soundtrack and the new characters in the film add to the fun and adventure along the way.

TONGUE TIED: Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) and Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) discover they have poor tongue co-ordination in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

The voice cast is fantastic with Anika Noni Rose beautifully creating a highly spirited and strong-willed woman in Tiana; Bruno Campos shows off a smooth and seductive voice as Prince Naveen; talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey provides the comforting and reassuring presence as Tiana's mother Eudora; Keith David gives his character, the evil Dr Facilier who turned Prince Naveen into a frog, the right amount of charm and nastiness; Michael-Leon Wooley is hilarious and affable as the trumpet-playing and jazz-loving alligator named Louis (after jazz musician Louis Armstrong); voice artist Jim Cummings gives light and laughter to the ebullient and lovable firefly Ray.

JUST JAZZ: Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley) shows off his jazz skills on his trumpet with backing vocals from Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) and Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos)  in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

Directors Ron Clements and John Musker have directed together on previous Disney animated features including Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, and brings the same amount of humour, fun and wonderment in their collaboration forThe Princess and the Frog.

BURNING BOTTOM: Ray (Jim Cummings) shows that his bright side is his best side in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

Composer Randy Newman's toe-tapping jazzy musical scores is a treat and the drawings of the bayou scenes are reminiscent of Disney's Bambi with a sense of nostalgia when animation was more about characterisations and story-telling than whiz-bang visual effects. Unlike other more recent animated films with more mature messages and themes, this film evokes some messages that are pure and simple: never judge by appearances because things may not be as they seem, and never let go of a dream even if things look grim. The Princess and The Frog is a moving, funny and captivating animated film that's a little whimsical with some magic moments to entertain children and the young at heart.

MALEVOLENT MAGICIAN: Dr. Facilier (Keith David) plays with voodoo magic in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.

Directors: Ron Clements and John Musker

Writers: Ron Clements, John Musker, Rob Edwards, Don Hall, Greg Erb, Jason Oremland

Voice Cast: Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Oprah Winfrey, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Cody, Jenifer Lewis, John Goodman, Terrence Howard, Elizabeth M. Dampier, Breanna Brooks

Producers: John Lasseter, Craig Sost, Paul D. Lanum, Peter Del Vecho

Original Music Composer: Randy Newman

Film Editor: Jeff Draheim

Production: James Aaron Finch (Production Designer), Ian Gooding (Art Director)

Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

FAMILY AND FRIENDS: Big Daddy (John Goodman), Tiana's mother Eudora (Oprah Winfrey) and Tiana's friend Charlotte (Jennifer Cody) cheer on Tiana as she marries her prince before opening her new restaurant  in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Image: Walt Disney Pictures.