Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) is a 19 year old girl in 1920's New Orleans. Trying to to fulfill her late father's (Terrence Howard) dream of opening a restaurant with her mother (Oprah Winfrey), she spends most of her time working and saving. As thing look like they are finally falling into place, smooth talking prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) shows up in hopes of marrying into money - Tiana's rich friend Lottie La Bouff (Jennifer Cody) - after his parents cut him off. He's accompanied by his bitter servant Lawrence (Peter Bartlett). Voodoo baddie The Shadow Man (Keith David) sees opportunity and tuns Naveen into a frog for his own evil plans. Naveen convinces Tiana to give him a kiss, but the expected result is not to be found. Instead, there are now two frogs off on a madcap adventure where they meet a hillbilly firefly (Jim Cummings), a jazz loving gator (Michael-Leon Wooley), and a blind voodoo priestess (Jenifer Lewis) who has a pet snake who looks like every other Disney snake. John Goodman and Randy Newman also have cameo parts as Lottie's Big Daddy and cousin Randy the firefly.
Despite all the hype and the attempt at making this a unique and fresh approach to a classic fairy tale (which it was to some degree), this film comes off feeling a bit stale. The songs lack a bit of energy and feel somewhat familiar but not in a good way. The big villain number near the beginning of the movie is oddly reminiscent of Aladdin's "Friend Like Me" and is nowhere as powerful as The Lion King's "Be Prepared," or as frightening as The Little Mermaid's "Poor Unfortunate Souls." Speaking of frightening - sometimes this film seems to have an identity crisis, forgetting that it is G rated. The Shadow King is visually disturbing - though fascinatingly so - and one of the characters dies a violent, sudden death for no apparent reason.
The characters, while in a different setting than any other Disney film, feel and look all too familiar and are filled with a constant energy that is a little annoying. The plot is also predictable and I never felt much attachment to any of the characters.
When it comes down too it, Disney is trying too hard to be both fresh and original while going back to the roots of what made people love Disney in the first place. A valiant goal, but the result is that it doesn't quite make it on either front.
Verdict: A solid film that any child should enjoy as long as they are not easily frightened, but not the revolution promised.
*** (3/5 stars)
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