The Little Mermaid Parent Guide

Young mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey) is entranced by the human world, collecting any terrestrial treasures that find their way into the watery depths. Merpeople and humans have had a rocky history, so Triton (Javier Bardem), King of the Sea, has forbidden his daughters from ever going to the surface. But when a ship hits a rock and starts to sink, Ariel disobeys her father and saves the handsome Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) from drowning. Now with a greater desire to be on land, Ariel turns to Ursula the Sea-Witch (Melissa McCarthy), who promises her the legs she’s always dreamed of - for a price.

My absolute disdain for Disney’s live-action remake enterprise is well documented. I think most of these productions are creatively bankrupt and taint the studio’s good name in the blind pursuit of box office revenue. Cinema is supposed to be art, not shot-for-shot soulless remakes of productions that were originally infused with talent and heart.

Setting my biases aside, I really tried to give this one a chance. But unfortunately, this remake doesn’t have enough going for it to overturn my opinions. It’s just as soulless and lifeless as I expected. The original 1989 feature is considered one of Disney’s best thanks to its colorful production design, fantastic songs, and tight story. Yes, parts of it haven’t aged well but that’s to be expected. This version lacks the color and life of the original, has forgettable new music, and struggles with pacing.

Weirdly, the very experienced director, Rob Marshall, makes some odd cinematic choices with the way this film is shot. For the most part it’s generic and bland, but then there are weird slow-motion shots and strange camera angles. The CGI is also inconsistent, with some shots looking hyper realistic and others resembling early 2000’s video game renders. I have very strong opinions about the costume design, but I’ll spare you what could easily be a dissertation-length rant. Let’s just say it’s bad.

Notwithstanding my frustrations, I’m sure kids will enjoy this movie, even if it is a bit long for that age group. It also has very little in the way of negative content, aside from a few slightly scary scenes. However, I would much rather show my son the 1989 version, even if I do have some issues with the dated story. At least it’s fun to look at and has some of Alan Menken’s best music. This version reeks of cynicism and forgoes rich visuals in the name of realism. The one positive I’ll give it is that Halle Bailey has a great voice, and she really is trying her best with what’s she given. She just wasn’t given anything good.