The Princess and The Frog

I have to admit it's good to see the Mouse House back in the business of traditional animation, even if I'm a little long in the tooth to really appreciate it (and it's probably not all that traditional). It's pretty classic Disney: princesses and dresses, love through adversity and rags to riches, toe tapping musical numbers and wish fulfillment, talking animals, slightly offensive racial stereotypes and a lightly laboured moral message.

I was a little shaky on what the moral actually was, mind. To work hard at your dreams, but not too hard, to wish, but not too much. That even if you fail you can always to marry into royalty, threaten your landlord with giant reptiles and hope to come out on top when involved in some other suckers magical schemes. Heartwarming stuff.

It's essentially all a little light, but then it's clearly not aimed at hardened cynical film snobs such as myself. It's almost certainly doing it's job by being bright and breezy. There were a couple of nice touches to the usual formula, such as a leading lady who isn't an active damsel, the suprising decision they both make at the end (even if the consequences do not bare thinking about) and the dialogue is often strong, but I was a little surprised at how reserved it all seemed.

I would assume if their intent was to return to the heady days of Lion King and Aladdin, classics of my own personal youth, they would aim to storm barns and grandstand just a little. It all looks good, but rarely sparkles, the music is all strong (I see the hand of Randy Newman at hard at work), but never outstanding, there isn't a specific song you come out half humming or a character who's an instant icon. There is little in there that could be condemned, but I'm uncertain it will single-handedly revive the sleeping genre as one might wish.