Some dodgy effects aside, The Little Mermaid is an excellent remake/adaptation that remains faithful to the original while expanding and improving upon it in more ways than one.
Overall Score: 9/10
Image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Too few of Disney’s live-action remakes are any good. Worse, even fewer ever truly justify their existence. Dumbo, The Lion King, and Lady and the Tramp? Someone, please tell me, “Just what was the point of all of those?”
So, naturally, I was nervous going into the new live-action The Little Mermaid. After all, with Disney’s recent and very much scattershot track record, I had no way of being sure of where on the quality spectrum this film would end up. Much to my surprise, however, I found myself really liking this updated take on the classic fish-out-of-water fairy tale. In fact, I think it’s pretty phenomenal, and I might even go as far as to say that it’s one of Disney’s best live-action remakes yet.
After saving and falling for Prince Eric, Ariel, a mermaid princess fascinated by the human world, gives up her voice in exchange for a chance to live life on land. However, the clock is ticking, and the young mermaid must find a way to reunite with and win over the prince before time runs out.
Sound familiar? Well, that’s because, for the most part, this new The Little Mermaid features the same old story we all know and love. Yet, despite that, at no point in its runtime does it ever feel like a lifeless carbon copy of the original, nor does it come across as a soulless corporate cash grab.
You see, director Rob Marshall’s remake of The Little Mermaid joins an elite group of live-action Disney adaptations that are excellent, relevant, and have every reason to exist. Sure, though it may not set out to reimagine the classic it’s based on in the same way that Maleficent, Cinderella, Pete's Dragon, or Mulan did, it ultimately succeeds by following in the footsteps of some of Disney’s more conventional remakes like Beauty and the Beast. And by that, I mean that it remains faithful to its source material and simultaneously finds ways to expand and improve upon it.
Take the characterization of Ariel, for example. Remember how she had to rely on others to get her voice back and stop Ursula in the original? Well, that’s no longer the case here. Ariel is now the heroine of her own story through and through, taking matters into her own hands and being the one instead to save the day. It’s a welcome and fitting change to how she’s portrayed, especially considering how far female empowerment has come since the original film was first released. Oh, and on a side note, Ariel finally gets a cute new song to sing, and it’s called "For the First Time.”
Another great example is what this The Little Mermaid does with its version of Eric. Here, the prince is given a backstory and much more depth than his animated counterpart was ever afforded. We know what makes him tick and what he longs for: He longs to be free. Free to explore the world beyond the confines of his island kingdom. This makes him the perfect mirror to Ariel as she too longs for the freedom to see and experience the unknown — namely, the human world.
Speaking of Ariel and Eric, with a longer runtime, the new The Little Mermaid does right by them by further developing and exploring their relationship. In other words, their romance is given more time to grow and blossom on-screen, and, as a result, their bond is strengthened and made that much more believable. Really, I never expected this iconic Disney couple to get a proper do-over, but what a delightful surprise it was.
The characterizations of King Triton and Ursula are also vastly improved. Starting with the former, Ariel’s king-of-the-sea father is no longer brutish and easily angered. Instead, he’s more compassionate and protective in a fatherly way. He has what he thinks is a legitimate reason to fear and hate the human world, so when Ariel becomes entranced by it, all he wants is to keep her safe. But there’s also an element of learning to let go of what he loves that’s present in his character, and if you’re someone who’s gone through that before (especially as a parent), then I think that this version of Triton will really resonate with you.
As for the latter, Ursula, the infamous sea witch, is now not only an outcast but also the estranged sister of Triton himself. This adds an additional layer to who she is and cleverly redefines the context of the conflict she shares with her now brother. It may not be the same redemptive or sympathetic treatment that was given to fellow Disney villains Maleficent and Cruella, but this change more than makes this Ursula stand out from her animated predecessor and gives audiences a little something extra to chew on.
Now, on to the performances. Since I was just talking about King Triton and Ursula, let’s go ahead and start with Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy. Bardem, in line with the updated characterization of Triton, plays the sea king with sincerity and a refreshing amount of vulnerability. Furthermore, he perfectly exudes an overprotective dad-type persona which, I think, does a lot to make his character more relatable. As for McCarthy, she does an excellent job portraying Ursula and steals the show whenever she’s on-screen. McCarthy goes all in with the wickedness and playfulness that the part of the iconic villain demands, and her take on "Poor Unfortunate Souls” — which is, perhaps, the best example of her commitment — is deliciously fun and just as memorable as the original.
And if you’re wondering how Ariel’s critter friends fare, fear not because Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, and Awkwafina are all fantastic as Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle. Diggs, in particular, is the standout of the trio, and, in scene after scene, he fully delivers on the comedy that we’ve all come to expect from and associate with Sebastian — plus, his singing in "Under the Sea” is terrific and altogether really fun to listen to. And if, like me, you were worried that Awkwafina would once again be playing herself, you can rest assured that she’s not as she instead, quite surprisingly, disappears into the role of Scuttle and is consistently funny throughout the film. Also, I should add that Diggs, Tremblay, and Awkwafina all get to collaborate on the new version of "Kiss the Girl,” and oh, what they do in it is so cute!
Jonah Hauer-King is also surprisingly good as Prince Eric. Of course, he can do so much more with the character because the script and screenplay finally allow it, but that’s not to say that he doesn’t bring something of his own to the table as well. He imbues Eric with an adventurous spirit but deftly balances it out with a welcome sense of internal struggle, all of which he does while retaining the character’s princely and boyish charm. And as if that wasn’t enough, he also gets to show off his singing skills in Eric’s new and utterly beautiful solo titled "Wild Unchartered Waters.”
But saving the best for last, let’s now turn our attention to the most important and impressive performance of them all: Halle Bailey as Ariel. From the moment she first appears on-screen, Bailey seizes your attention and does not let go as she effectively and believably brings Ariel to life. Her voice, eyes, facial expressions, and body language all work in tandem with one another and allow her to perfectly portray the character’s innocence, curiosity, and longing for more. Moreover, with a single look, she’s able to convey a plethora of emotions. Joy, wonder, sadness, she nails it all. The doubters and haters can say whatever they want, but nothing will change the fact that Bailey was the perfect choice to play Ariel.
But, of course, the thing that’ll most likely stick with you — long after the credits roll — is Bailey’s breathtakingly beautiful singing. Her rendition of “Part of Your World” (along with its two reprisals) is so emotionally charged and powerful that it gives me goosebumps every time I listen to or think about it. You can feel the longing that she, as Ariel, has to experience the human world in the way that she sings her heart out, and later on, during the first reprisal of the song, you can sense that the same longing has turned into intent and commitment. Honestly, it’s far superior to the original version, and though singing in musicals doesn’t always make me cry, I’d be lying if I said that Bailey’s work here didn’t manage to reduce me to tears.
All right, look. I could go on all day and tell you just how great the new live-action The Little Mermaid is, but the best thing for you to do is to go and experience it and all its wonder for yourself. Sure, it’s not perfect by any means (just look at its sometimes dodgy “underwater” visual effects), but I think it’s a movie whose strengths vastly outweigh its flaws. And again, not many of Disney’s remakes work, nor do they feel necessary, but The Little Mermaid delivers on both fronts and successfully updates a beloved classic for a whole new generation.
Comentários