In 1989, Disney’s The Little Mermaid ushered in a new age for animation by taking audiences under the sea to a magical subaquatic world of mermaids, handsome princes, and sinister sea witches set to the glorious tunes of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.
The story of a feisty mermaid driven by her love for a human to make a deal with a sea witch not only revitalized Disney as a studio, but created a new type of princess for young girls to idolize and set the standard for modern animation. It was a game changer. And now several decades later, Disney hopes to cast a similar spell with a live-action version of the animated masterwork. But does it sink or swim?
While the latest The Little Mermaid, updated with inclusive casting, follows the story of the animated classic fairly well, it misses enough small nuances so that much of the charm is left by the wayside. Ariel’s fiery nature, Sebastian’s humorous frustration and Chef Louis’ hilarious “Les Poissons” are gone but not forgotten. Director Rob Marshall hits all of the major beats of the animated classic by giving audiences what they want to see, such as elaborate renditions of the classic songs “Kiss the Girl” or “Under the Sea.” But given the fantastic nature of the animation, it’s impossible to compare to the original.
The main issue is its runtime, turning the 84-minute animated musical into a bloated 2 hour, 15 minute affair filled with forgettable songs and superfluous set pieces. While the audience does get a little additional insight into Prince Eric’s backstory and a bit more of the romance between the silent sea siren and lonely prince, most of the magic is lost at sea.
As Ariel, Halle Bailey does a wonderful job as the sea sprite. Her voice, charisma, and looks of longing perfectly capture the essence of the character. Furthermore, her chemistry with Jonah Hauer-King’s Eric is given time to blossom so their romance is an entertaining departure not in the original film. But the…
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