Disney’s Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Blows Its Predecessors Out of the Water | Review
As with many of Disney’s classic princess tales, The Little Mermaid has lived many lives since the animated feature swam into theaters in 1989. The gorgeous animated film and spectacularly fun stage production have wowed audiences for over three decades, but now that Halle Bailey’s Ariel has become part of our world, it will be difficult to go back to them.
Rob Marshall’s The Little Mermaid, penned by David Magee, essentially follows the same storyline as its predecessors, but with slight alterations that only improve upon the familiar narrative. Ariel is a starry-eyed young mermaid who is desperate to learn more about the human world, much to the frustration of her overbearing father King Triton (Javier Bardem) whose strict parenting after she saves Prince Eric’s (Jonah Hauer-King) life pushes her to make a foolhardy deal with the sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy).
The Little Mermaid never strays too far away from the romance that has always made the story so appealing, but it does smartly revamp aspects of it. Eric is the deciding factor that pushes her to want to make a life on shore, but she was already looking to the surface before they crossed paths. The film goes to great lengths to showcase why the duo works so well together, with direct parallels being drawn between Eric’s yearning for the sea and his vast collection of sea-found artifacts, and Ariel’s own grotto filled with whosits and whatsits. With so many recent films believing the only way to design a “strong female character” is to strip her ability to love, it’s a joy to see that Disney can still deliver happy endings and fairytale kisses for their beloved princesses.
Image via Walt Disney
Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King are lightning in a bottle together, with Ariel’s bright-eyed wonder anchoring the restless Prince Eric to a world of potential for their idealistic dreams. They bring a degree of depth to their romance that was lacking in the animated film and its subsequent sequel and series, and they transform it into one of the most believable and butterfly-inducing romances across Disney’s live-action fairytales. The romance is perhaps the most unexpected part of the film, simply because it was done so well.
While most of The Little Mermaid’s iconic music is still part of the live-action adaptation, there are a few notable omissions, including “Les Poissons” from the film and a significant chunk of the Broadway tracks (which were unlikely to be there, to begin with). The film does feature brand-new songs which perfectly match up with the original score and the aesthetics of the adaptation. On Broadway, Prince Eric is given more personality than his animated progenitor through songs like “Her Voice” and “One Step Closer,” and The Little Mermaid is no different, giving Hauer-King the gorgeous track “Wild Uncharted Waters” to look inward about the mysterious woman who saved his life and where his future is headed. The song’s lyrics are made even sweeter when their connection to plot points shared between him and Ariel plays out after they meet on land.
Bailey, who is an unbelievably beautiful singer, gives voice to Ariel’s inner thoughts in a new track entitled “For the First Time,” which allows her to interact with her new voiceless situation in a very fun and clever way. It’s a bubbly and fun song, which later takes on a somber reprise when Ursula washes up on shore as Vanessa (Jessica Alexander) to ensure that Ariel’s happily ever after is just out of reach.
Image via Walt Disney
Speaking of songs, Daveed Diggs is an utter joy to listen to as Sebastian, particularly when he’s bopping along to the iconic tune “Under the Sea” or riffing with Awkwafina’s sometimes grating Scuttle in the new track “The Scuttlebutt.” With Flounder (Jacob Tremblay) the trio really brings it home with “Kiss the Girl,” which is a far more bright and magical scene than the trailers made it out to be.
If you choose to compare the underwater aspects of The Little Mermaid to the modern marvel that is James Cameron’s Avatar universe, then you will be disappointed, but in comparing it to similar live-action adaptations—it’s still impressive. After all, The Little Mermaid isn’t seeking to raise the bar on technology, it’s aimed at children and children at heart who are searching for a feeling of magic that it absolutely delivers. As fun as it is under the sea, it’s the story on land that really delights. Prince Eric’s world is filled to the brim with life, bright colors, and dazzling scenery that makes Ariel’s desire to be up there far more believable than the animated film ever did. His world is just as vibrant as her own, which is an important comparison to make.
Another highlight of the film is the lavish, yet perfectly understated costuming. Instead of leaning into the picture-book princess stylings of the animated film, The Little Mermaid leans into the rich potential of tropical seashore fashion for Ariel’s seaside sojourn. Her borrowed clothes and wedding attire neatly allow her to muck about in the ocean’s waves, venture into the forests with Eric, and dance to her heart’s content with her new legs. The colors are all there for fans of the character to cling to, but the shapes, fabrics, and aesthetics have been given a new life—for the betterment of the story. Even where they’re practical, there’s still a touch of magic to her wardrobe, just as there should be.
With The Little Mermaid coming ashore mere weeks after the Disney+ debut of Peter Pan & Wendy, it seems like Disney has finally recaptured the magic that films like Cinderella, Pete’s Dragon, and The Beauty and the Beast delivered. The Little Mermaid is a must-watch for Disney fans of all ages, it’s guaranteed that you’ll get swept up in the magic of it all.
FINAL VERDICT: B+
