Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Director: Ron Clements, John Musker

Time Out rating

Average user rating

21 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

In this three-dimensional, computer-generated age, new studio chief John Lasseter’s desire to take Disney animation back to basics seems a risky proposition. But what’s surprising about ‘The Princess and the Frog’ is just how far back they’ve gone: this isn’t ‘The Lion King’ or even ‘The Jungle Book’: with its sensuous, hand-drawn animation, soft pastel palette and jazz-age setting, this is an exercise in retro recreation as rigorous and rewarding as ‘Far from Heaven’.

The plot is thin but fun, following the adventures of a poor New Orleans waitress with big dreams and a haughty prince of indeterminate foreign stock after they’re transformed into amphibians and marooned in the Louisiana bayou. Randy Newman’s songs are a little too blandly Randy Newman-ish and the story is uneven, but there are some great characters, some even better jokes, a general sense of good humour and that entrancing, eye-ravishing old-school animation.

Author: Tom Huddleston

Time Out London Issue 2058: 28 January – 3 February, 2010

Email Tweet Share

User reviews of this film

Libby-Jane said...

Posted on May 30 2010 10:17 me and my mates went and whatched it for fun but it was well goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood oh and we are 11 years old!!

Report as inappropriate
Alex said...

Posted on May 03 2010 07:26 If you have one of those big fancy HD tv sets, you should rent this one just to enjoy the amazing color and detail of the hand drawn animation. It is just beautiful. As a bonus you get some great characters, not shabby songs, and a fabulous twist ending. Wishing on a star will never feel the same again.

Report as inappropriate
lucia said...

Posted on Apr 15 2010 14:24 i have heard this film is soooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
WICKED!
i haven't seen it yet but i am gonna give it a 5 cause i have heard soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo amazing stuff about it!

Report as inappropriate
lucia said...

Posted on Apr 15 2010 14:23 i have heard this film is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
WICKED!
i haven't seen it yet but i am gonna give it a 5 cause i have heard sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo amazing stuff about it!

Report as inappropriate
lucia said...

Posted on Apr 15 2010 14:21 i have heard this film is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooWICKED!
i haven't seen it yet but i am gonna give it a 5 cause i have heard sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo amazing stuff about it!

Report as inappropriate
Elliot Boakes said...

Posted on Mar 22 2010 11:45 OMG James banks i totally agree i had to buy an extra box of tissues cos i cried soooo much. the best film in the world and im gonna buy the blu-ray special edition boxset when its out.

Report as inappropriate
James Banks said...

Posted on Mar 22 2010 11:42 best film ive seen all year i was crying all the way through as it was so emotional a must see ive seen it 5 times now

Report as inappropriate
MrsRevB said...

Posted on Mar 17 2010 14:03 I took my two little girls, 4 friends and their little girls and we LOVED it. We went the very first day it came out and I will be buying the DVD this week. Glad to see a black princess with a happy ending. A little scary for the younger ones (we took my god daughter who is 3) but still fabulous!!!!

Report as inappropriate
Jo said...

Posted on Mar 09 2010 12:58 A return to "traditional" animation from Disney, and a wonderfully imaginative and stylish one. Great story, cracking tunes, engaging characters (particularly Ray the firefly!) - really enjoyed it.

Report as inappropriate
megan said...

Posted on Mar 06 2010 10:47 i love it its amazing you have to see it
ihavent seen it yet but ive heard its brilliant its soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good go and see it now

Report as inappropriate
rockey 1234 said...

Posted on Feb 20 2010 13:24 lol do you really want to watch the flim.

Report as inappropriate
frankie said...

Posted on Feb 20 2010 13:17 the flim is amazing .love it go and see it with your family. its so diffrent from any other fairy tale. it brings back child hood.

Report as inappropriate
maya 10 said...

Posted on Feb 20 2010 13:09 I want to see it . Heard its wicked .
I still love the story its a classic . an 't seen it yet so can t rate it. but gonna give it 3.

Report as inappropriate
lola singh kaur lara said...

Posted on Feb 20 2010 12:09 this flim was really goood i thought it was exellent and i thought amir is sexy and cute!!!

Report as inappropriate
jo said...

Posted on Feb 19 2010 11:42 today i went to the britsh musiam and i found out the relk grardens of the musiam was filmed there i liked the trip but it was rain so i was wet

Report as inappropriate