The Princess and the Frog

Although The Princess and the Frog came out in 2009, this past week was the first time I had seen the film. Known Disney's introduction into having a black princess, the movie was immediately shrouded in controversy. Some thought the princess, Tiana, wasn't black enough while others though she was too black. Since its release nearly six years ago, more debate has surged with reviews, articles, and even entire books questioning the role race plays in the movie.

Obviously this aspect of race is vital to the discussion of The Princess and the Frog, however putting this issue aside, the movie just felt different than all the other Disney movies I've watched before. Maybe its because this was my first time seeing it, eliminating the possibility of having any nostalgia for film, or maybe it was the movie itself, but everything seemed flat and predictable. Don't get me wrong; I'm no idiot - all Disney movies are predictable for the most part - but it seemed like I could've written the script after everything was introduced in the first five minutes. Although hard-working and positive, Tiana, although the most charismatic character, still was a relatively static character. And even though Navine has a minor epiphany, he still is boring.

This isn't to say the movie was all bad. I really did appreciate Disney's attempt at giving the movie an actual setting, 1930s New Orleans, which is something that isn't characteristic of most of its films. I found that playing off this provided some of the most intriguing parts of the film. Although some people consider some of these parts to add to the race controversy, I thought it added a more genuine sense to the movie, such as the inclusion of Raymond, Louis, and Mama Odie.

All in all, The Princess and the Frog was good, but definitely not great.