FILM REVIEW: 'THE PRINCESS & THE FROG' ON BLU-RAY

Blu-Ray's Definition of Colors & Animation Are as Magical as the Tale

It seems as if Disney has finally decided that having African-American main characters isn’t a risky venture, as The Princess and the Frog, released last year in theaters and this week on home video, stars Taina, the company’s first black princess.

Despite her skin color, Taina’s rags-to-riches tale isn’t too much different from the likes of Belle and Cinderella. Set in turn-of-the-century New Orleans, Taina and her family live in a small shack in the outskirts of the city. Her mother is a nanny of sorts to a rich family, and Taina befriends Charlotte, a wealthy white girl. Flash forward several years, and Taina is still quite poor, working long hours in a restaurant in an attempt to save money to open her own place.

Everything takes an unfortunate turn for the worst after a series of events, most of which involve a serious business voodoo villain’s magic spells and an unfortunate kiss turn her and an opposing haughty prince named Naveen into frogs. They must, of course, figure out how to be human again in order to fulfill their love for each other.

This latest Disney effort oozes traditional Disney nostalgia, with cute and harmless song-and-dance numbers and beautiful (and at times jaw-dropping) animation. It’s a nice break from the more politically/morally charged PIXAR films; a shift in the direction of silly and heartwarming entertainment, which is certainly welcomed with open arms by this reviewer. As others have pointed out, however, The Princess and the Frog, while undeniably positive in its attentions, can be construed as being potentially racist.

While much of the iffy content of the film can be contributed to the time period, one can only wonder why Taina has pale skin and permed hair, and why the Disney “prince charming” archetype isn’t even black. Nevertheless, the two spend most of the film as frogs, which raises some eyebrows in itself. Tiana also has a fairy godmother — an old blind woman that vaguely resembles the “mammy” stereotype from 1950s film and television. The villain, a “voodoo wizard,” casts numerous spells involving African masks, which projects a questionable portrayal of African Americans to audiences. Are black people “spooky”? I don’t believe so, yet I’m not sure which, if any, stance Disney wants to take on the matter.

The Blu-ray presentation, on the other hand, is nothing short of flawless, as is the case with any animated film on the hi-def medium. Such as with Ponyo, I once again assure you that you shouldn’t accept anything less than the best with this type of film. The animation here is gorgeous and benefits greatly from the 1080p transfer, significantly boosting not detail but colors as well. While the film might not garner an A+ in my book, this Blu-ray is certainly the best of the best, and this Disney venture is sure to please those young and old, if you can get past a small amount of questionable content.

Disney's 'The Princess & The Frog' is available now on Blu-ray and DVD for a limited time only.