The Little Mermaid (I) (2023) User Reviews

WHY WHY WHY DISNEY? DO YOU KEEP MAKING LIVE ACTION REMAKES

[TomTalksFilms · 6/10 · 29 May 2023]

You'd think a company like Disney with the amount of money and resources that they have to draw upon would be able to develop some original ideas but no nope, here's another live action remake. The biggest issue straight out of the gate is that much like pretty much all these live action remakes is that it didn't need to be made. If I want to watch any of the films that have been re made then 9 times out of 10 I'm going to watch the original animation, they're just classics with heart that can't be re created in live action. That being said this film exists and I have limitless so may as well watch it.

Another big issue I had with this film is the pacing, it's a 2hrs 15 mins kids film and with the attention span that kids have today even if it was well paced kids would be bored by the end. This film to me felt like it had a lot of filler particularly once (spoiler) Arial gets her legs in the second act and none of it was that interesting. For me the film didn't add anything that would have made the animation better if it had been in there. That being said this film isn't a total loss, Halle Bailey (not Halle Berry 🐱) is great as arial, when she hits the high note in part of your world I couldn't help but be amazed. In fact that song was probably the stand out scene of the film for me, it was brilliantly recreated.

Bailey is also forced to convey the emotion of her character for a large part of the film just with her eyes and she does a great job of it. I also felt Melisa McCarthy was great as Ursula although I felt her character was underused in what was ultimately an anti-climatic final act. I do want to give a special to mention to Javier Bardem as he gives probably the flattest performance of his entire career as a King Triton. I genuinely got the impression from his performance that he didn't really want to be in this film and to be honest I can't blame him as much like his performance the film feels largely flat for the most part.

A Shallow Dive That Missed its Mark

[LansTaylor · 6/10 · 2 June 2023]

This live action remake was a disappointing attempt to bring a beloved Disney classic to life. It falls flat in almost every aspect, leaving me feeling underwhelmed and disconnected, unlike the original.

Halle Bailey as Ariel was good and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula was passable but beside those two, all of the other characters felt virtually nonexistent with zero chemistry with one another.

Visually, the remake falls short in creating a believable underwater world. The CGI effects were uninspiring and more importantly, looked cheap.

What 'The Little Mermaid' suffered from the most was the god awful script. The pacing was uneven, scenes dragged on or failed to contribute to the overall narrative, and the characters felt shallow and lacked depth.

Overall, the 2023 remake was lackluster and forgettable. The uninspiring performances, poor visual effects, and terrible original songs left me disengaged and disappointed. Don't let the positive reviews the film has been receiving gaslight you into thinking that these awful cash grab live-action remakes that Disney has been producing are okay. The truth is the film fails to capture the magic and charm that made the original film so beloved, which is on par with all the other Disney remakes.

It's hard to rate

[DanteSwordX · 6/10 · 26 May 2023]

I went to see this movie with the attitude that it's gonna be the worst Disney Live Action movie.

As I was watching it, I noticed that I don't hate it, but there is also a lot of things that don't work.

Sebasitan and. Flounder look hideous, I have no idea what they were thinking. Straight up CGI fish and crab.

Songs are bad. Halle Bailey has great voice, and can sing, but other than that, the songs are terrible. A lot of times actors singing go out of tune or lose rythm mostly because the line doesn't really fit the music.

Scuttlebutt song made my ears bleed, I also wanted to scratch my eyes out and this scene just wouldn't end.

Visuals are good, but everything is washed out and dark that you can't really appreciate the CGI which is surprisingly good for an disney movie.

Some things are taken straight from the original and some are changed to make more sense because they wanted this movie to have more diverse cast, and at least these changes are made to make it fit.

But still it's not as good as the original, some new things added don't recompensate the things that were cut out.

Had like 4 laughs, but nothing to write home about.

Could've been better.

Another live-action remake that doesn't quite live up to the original.

[nickryan-44535 · 6/10 · 5 June 2023]

Let me start off by saying I was impatiently awaiting this movies' arrival. I bought my tickets 1 week in advance and was ready! However, during the film I nearly feel asleep half way through as did the other guests who attended with me. Not to say that this is a bad movie, it just doesn't hold as much magic as the original does and it is not nearly as captivating. It felt that the new elements and songs that were added took up a lot of time and then the parts that I was waiting for felt rushed. For instance, Vanessa's arrival and the ceremony that follows felt like they lasted only 5 minutes and there was no big pay off and I felt the same with Ursula's final scene.

I thought that Hallie and Melissa did a good job. I believe my favorite characters were the side characters such as Flounder, Sebastian, and even Scuttle (they should think about removing the rap from the DVD).

Maybe that's an impossible expectation to compare it the original? Seeing as I personally feel that non of the Disney remakes have added any substance or reason for needing a remake. But when taking the original out of the equation it is an overall decent film.

An insult to the orignal

[rupert-ian · 3/10 · 1 June 2023]

This movie just wasn't good... They added something like 50 minutes but it didn't improve the movie one it, it only made it drag on.

The CGI is poorly done and the tone of the film is dark and gloomy, not bright and colorful as it should be.

The animal characters look terrible. The changes to the songs are ridiculous, the original lyrics weren't problematic in the slightest.

Scuttle's voice is really jarring and the added song is just bad.

The changes made to the ending make the story worse, not better. They didn't need to make Eric weaker to build up Ariel.

The best thing about the movie was Ursula. At least they didn't ruin her.

I'm just not sure

[sarahjane365 · 6/10 · 5 November 2023]

I wouldn't say I hated it but I just feel like this remake wasn't necessary.

The original Triton obviously loses his temper but this Triton just felt so cold even at the end when he turns her human himself there was just no warmth, he might as well have been a stranger to her.

There was no chemistry between Ariel and Eric either. Eric's solo just didn't need to happen and the whole thing just felt a bit cringy.

I love The Little Mermaid and I wouldn't say I'm against the remakes as such I actually really enjoyed the Beauty and the Beast one but I just feel like LM didn't need to happen. I put off watching it for so long and perhaps I didn't need to watch it at all, I won't be watching it again, it had none of the charm of the original one and as my daughter grows up it will be the original that I show her.

Unapologetically mediocre

[Couchkik20 · 1/10 · 30 May 2023]

The Little Mermaid is like a Disney parade, a Bridgerton Broadway show, a Hallmark movie and an aquarium themed screensaver.

The most shocking in this film is the visual incoherence between the ocean world and the human world. The ocean is all horrible cgi hair and crazy psychedelic colors but it feels like a proper universe. On the other hand the human world is insanely cheap looking, a green screen studio Bridgerton with questionable colonial undertones. The market scene is appalling, so shiny and weirdly modern looking as if you were in a themed tourist trap. The studio lighting makes all the actors look like soap opera extras. I feel so bad for the Eric actor who had to deliver that embarrassing solo that reaches the highest levels of camp. And the edit is so stiff, the acting so stilted it seems the director was inspired by Gone With the Wind.

So sure there are some so-bad-it's-good campy moments like the mermaids group looking like a doll display in a kid's bedroom, or the OTT actress playing human Ursula. But oh boy Javier Bardem looks like an AI gone wrong. His out of the water shots had the whole cinema laughing as you could just imagine him shooting them in a tiny pool trying to look serious with that hobo beard and cheesy shell outfit.

At least Halle/Ariel delivered and Ursula was just what you expected from one of the best Disney villains. I wish the climax was a bit longer because those visuals were stunning.

This new remake won't age well at all as all those unapologetically mediocre cash grabs.

Dark and Gloomy

[mark-156-845817 · 29 May 2023]

No excitement or joy. Maybe the movie was rushed, but no real story line either. Poorly done.do not recommend. Most of the kids in the theater were bored and playing. Others were on third iPad or phones. Kinda sad!

I wish it was more for kids. Seemed like a social statement rather than a movie for kids. Disney needs to get back to the children, where is the laughter and joy?

I would have left early but fell asleep. Several folks slept through it as well. Sad indictment of the movie. Heard lots of folks talking about the positivity of a lead African American actress but even they said the movie was not good. Good effort - poor delivery.

This is one of the best Disney live action remakes

[kevin_robbins · 8/10 · 27 May 2023]

The Little Mermaid (2023) is a movie that my daughter and I saw in theaters last night. The storyline follows a mermaid princess obsessed with the surface and humans. When a Prince's boat crashes and she saves him she becomes even more obsessed with him and the ways of humans against her father's advice. She makes a deal with a sea witch to become human for three days but if the prince doesn't kiss her in that time, she will return to the ocean to be the witch's slave forever. Can the mermaid uncover the ways of the humans and find true love?

This movie is directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago) and stars Halle Bailey (Last Holiday), Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog's Way Home), Melissa McCarthy (The Heat), Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Man), Noma Dumezweni (Dirty Pretty Things) and Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians).

This live action remake is beautifully executed with tremendous CGI, storytelling and use of color. Seeing this in 3D was a treat too. The storyline aligned to this animated film perfectly with some good additions. I loved the depiction of the island life and struggles of the humans and mermaids and their mutual perception of each other. I did miss the cook from the cartoon. The new songs were hit or miss. I can't say I enjoyed Eric's song, Halle's new songs worked and I actually enjoyed the rap. The back and forth between Sebastian and Scuttle was hilarious and well written. Melissa McCarthy was a fantastic Ursula and how she was depicted was perfect, especially at the very end.

Overall, this is one of the best Disney live action remakes. I would score this a strong 8-8.5/10 and strongly recommend it.

Original is Better

[rexmatthewj · 6/10 · 26 May 2023]

The Little Mermaid (2023) is a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1989 animated classic, based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. It tells the story of Ariel, a mermaid princess who longs to explore the human world and falls in love with Prince Eric, a sailor she rescues from a shipwreck. To pursue her dream, she makes a deal with Ursula, a wicked sea witch who takes her voice in exchange for human legs.

The Little Mermaid (2023) is a mediocre film readaptation that pays tribute to the original film while also adding some new twists and depth. It is not perfect or groundbreaking, but it is good and nostalgic. However, it could have been better if it had followed the same aspects of the original.

Another pointless remake that's worse than the original

[Ajaquai · 1/10 · 1 June 2023]

The latest in Disney's attempt to cash in on all their old IPs instead of making something new and originals has finally hit the screens and it's bad.

A far cry from the bright captivating colors of the original, this ocean is dark and muted. Have the animators even visited a coral reef before? Or are they just trying to hide imperfect CGI by just turning down the color and brightness? Perhaps they should watch Avatar 2 to see how to do a live action amazing underwater world right. The live action aspect actively hurts the film due to making the non-human characters unexpressive at best, uncanny valley at worst.

The run time is bloated, and although they have added some extra things in to fill the time, you kind of wish on the whole that they didn't. The rap song is particularly awful and doesn't feel like it fits at all with the rest of the music in the film.

Like many that have gone before, there's no particular reason for this live action remake to exist apart from being nostalgia bait. Give it a miss and watch the original instead. It's cheaper to watch and a much better movie.

Congratulations to Rob Marshall and Halley Bailey

[tm-sheehan · 9/10 · 25 May 2023]

My Review - The Little Mermaid My Rating- 9/10

At long last a Disney live action feature film reimagining of a much loved previous animated Disney classic that's not a dud like the recent Pinocchio and Dumbo .

The Little Mermaid is a triumph for Director Rob Marshall who's previous film treatments of musicals like Chicago 2002 Into The Woods 2014 and Disney's Mary Poppins Returns 2018 I've completely forgiven him for his treatment of Nine in 2005.

All the cast in The Little Mermaid shines like the beam from a Lighthouse but the shining star in my view is Halle Bailey as Ariel the mermaid who longs to experience what life is like on land with the Prince she rescues from drowning.

Halle Bailey's debut in this estimated $200million musical feature movie is inspired as she is a relatively little known star name but I'm confident that this movie will change that .

Halle's casting and performance in The Little Mermaid reminded me of two other examples of relatively little known actresses who were perfectly cast in their roles they are two Marias's Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music and more recently Rachel Zegler in West Side Story.

The original score by composers Alan Menken and Howard Ashman with much-loved composers Alan Menken and Howard Ashman plus four new songs, with lyrics by Hamilton composer Lin - Manuel Miranda all add to the spectacle .

My favourites are the three great numbers Part of Your World sung beautifully by Halle Bailey ,Poor Unfortunate Souls with additional lyrics by Lin - Manuel Miranda sung and performed with devilish delight by Melissa McCarthy .

Of course the great production number Under The Sea earns a screen credit for the famous Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation who came on board to assist Rob Marshall it truly is a triumph of live action and stunning animation.

The rest of the featured cast includes Jonah Hauer-King as the handsome Prince Eric who impresses Ariel enough to rescue him and save his life . Lin -Manuel Miranda's new song for him to sing Wild Uncharted Waters fits into the plot beautifully and is well sung.

The two well known box office stars are Melissa McCarthy as Ursula the Sea Witch enchantress who bewitches Ariel stealing her voice but granting her legs to enter the human world. Special mention must be made at this point to praise the superb costumes worn by Ursula, all the mermaids ,King Triton and all the human cast members of The Little Mermaid that are beautifully designed by Colleen Atwood a four time Oscar Winner.

Ariel has only 3 sunsets to win the love of Prince Eric with a kiss or return to the sea and become her slave .

Javier Bardem is commanding in his role as King Triton Ariel's kind but strict father who's sister Ursula wants to crush him in revenge for her banishment with her tentacles.

I found the CGI special effects very impressive perhaps a little dark in parts but equal to anything I've seen recently.

This updated version depicts Ariel in a much more contemporary way her whole interest is not merely romantic this version shows the heroine as an independent young woman who rejects the suspicion and resentment of the human world that her protective father expresses to keep her from leaving her safe home under the sea .

There's all the fun still in this movie from Ariel's sea friends Scuttle the seagull ,Sebastian the Jamaican crab and flounder .

Much of the outdoor Film location took place on Santa Teresa di Gallura on Sardinia's northern coast.

This is a movie I think for all audiences young and older perhaps a little scary for very young children as it has some dark scary moments .

I loved The Little Mermaid please see it in its Cinema release don't wait till September or October when it will be streamed by Disney Plus..

The not-so-great Disney Revision strikes again.

[Carycomic · 6/10 · 29 May 2023]

I was hoping that they wouldn't. But, they did! Disney made a half-live action/half-CGI remake of the film that launched their Great Renaissance in the late Eighties/Early Nineties. And it was just as I feared.

It was more lackluster than blockbuster.

Javier Bardem was suitably convincing as the temperamental King Triton. And Hallie Bailey (which, to be honest, sounds more like a stage name hodge-podged from Halle Berry and Pearl Bailey ) was suitably charming as Ariel. Although, only with the spoken dialogue. Because her rendition of the songs sounded more like she was lip-synching to the Jodi Benson originals. Just as Melissa McCarthy sounded more like she was lip-synching to Pat Carroll's songs as the original Ursula!

Then there were the needless attempts at character "development." Like making Ursula and Triton estranged siblings; or making Prince Eric an adopted son. What was even the point of the latter? Because all that made me do is think: "Are Ariel and Eric going to be ret-conned as long-lost twins?!"

The only reasons I don't give this just one star? The quaint charm of the two new songs...and the Hitchcockian cameo by Jodi Benson (the once-and-future voice of Princess Ariel).

Simply Boring

[Tweetienator · 4/10 · 28 May 2023]

The Little Mermaid is a good example of what's wrong with Disney these days (at least in my opinion) - besides some casting choices that may rise pro and contra voices (I don't care), this movie is dead like plastic. The songs are stale and uninspired, the special effects department did okay, the actors did okay, but well, the formula of Disney movies is now a walking dead corpse, too many times chewed on. But this is not only a question of modern changes to fit to the taste of zeitgeist but for a long time Disney is like a recycling factory: with every turn of the machine the product gets worse and worse, at least if you don't add something new, fresh and substantial, something creative. So my greatest complain: the music is average, the visuals are average, the story is the typical Disney blabla, the entertaining factor is rather low. A typical movie made from the construction kit branded "Disney". But maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy and my by age weakened eyes and heart cannot see the beauty in this, well, product.

Kind of liked, kind of didn't, kind of fell asleep towards the end.

[tuckhead · 6/10 · 20 June 2023]

I took my two daughters to see this and thought it would be a good forty dollar nap. It was not as bad as I thought it would be and I thought the girl that played Ariel was really good. Surprisingly, Melissa McCarthy was pretty good as Ursula. But, the dude who plays Prince Eric sucked. I mean his acting wasn't bad and he kind of looked like the cartoon guy, but his song hurt, it felt like I was listening to an 8-track of Ben Stein singing the hits of Mariah Carey in my grandfather's old Mercedes. And the bird, I am not sure who thought it was a good idea to have that abomination rap/sing but there have been better rappers in after school specials and D. A. R. E videos. What could have fixed all of this is having the world's greatest thespian play all the roles except Ariel, Ursula, and the Queen, Billy Zane could have single handedly saved the whole movie. I fell asleep right after the whole Ursula on the patio part and didn't wake up until they were getting ready to leave, so I am not sure how it actually ends, but my daughters liked it, so it must be appealing to young girls who think ketchup is a main course.

Disappointing & Tedious Movie

[elizabethjeanhampton · 2/10 · 20 June 2023]

The movie is long and tedious. I was ready to be whisked away to a magical underwater world with filmmaker Rob Marshall's highly anticipated live-action retelling of this classic Disney movie. My grandkids were excited to see the remake of their favorite "Little Mermaid" movie but became bored after 20-minutes after the movie started. The movie was unusually dark and foreboding and unsuited for a younger audience in my humble opinion.

Not sure I like the trend to make poorly written remakes of classic, beloved movies. I will have to rethink going to future Disney and Pixar movies since the characters were unappealing and plot dragging on.

Some things are better left alone

[krisssannn · 6/10 · 26 May 2023]

I'll start with this, Halle Bailey was fantastic. She was cast perfectly as Ariel with her tender voice and childlike charm. I think the entire cast did well given what they had to work with. My issue is that in most cases I feel these live action remakes are not able to capture the essence of their original counterparts. Little Mermaid is no exception, it was fun and colorful to watch but again I felt like something was missing. By the second half of the film I was counting down the time I'd be able to get to my bed. The film just never connected with me. And I almost feel like I would have been perfectly fine without this remake.

Uninspired, disappointing.

[tired-sparrow · 2/10 · 31 May 2023]

I saw this movie openining night. I have always loved The Little Mermaid and I was really holding out hopes that this one would surprise me in a good way.

Unfortunately it's as bland and unmagical as the other recent live action remakes. There is no color, no heart, no care in this movie. It's an insult to the original and it does nothing new or fresh to define itself. The things it does try to do new, are at complete odds with its own worldbuilding.

I enjoyed Sebastian and Ursula, but overall I regretted going to see this. I have never walked out of a movie before, but this one tempted me to leave multiple times.

People were checking their phones. Children were talking and wandering around the theatre. What else do you need to know that this movie was downright boring?

There's no excuse for such sloppy movies. And yet here we are, once again, with another boring remake. I honestly never want to watch this movie again. The reviewers aren't being harsh or unfair. This movie was legitimately bad.

another redo that didn't need to be redone

[Special-K88 · 5 October 2023]

Not surprisingly, Disney continues to churn out live-action remakes of its own projects, this time selecting curious mermaid Ariel (passionately played by Bailey), the youngest daughter of the seven seas whose stern, overprotective father King Triton furiously opposes her infatuation with the human world. Much to his chagrin though, the headstrong, daydreaming Ariel is already smitten with Eric, an adventurous human prince. Little can be done when an irresistible force meets an immovable object, thus Ariel makes a Faustian bargain with devious, devilish McCarthy--who's expertly cast and plays it to the hilt. Fans of the 1989 original may recall that it ran for less than 90 minutes, largely cause it told the story that it needed to tell within an efficient running time, whereas this one scuttles on for more than two hours just to include additional songs, characters, and various plot twists that don't add very much resonance to the story, and no matter how much of the massive budget went toward the undersea effects, they clearly didn't get their money's worth as the quality resembles something out of an old school video game. Rob Marshall is doing Pirates, Into the Woods, and Mary Poppins all in one here, and while some of the original musical numbers admittedly bring a smile to the face, the finished results don't necessarily persuade you to make this part of your world. **

Best Disney reboot to date!

[musiqliblessed · 8/10 · 14 August 2023]

I'm definitely the original film's generation kid. So it had a lot to live up to. And I can be pretty critical. I was delighted the entire time. I loved the cast. And while the film stuck very closely to the original, the cast managed to deliver some of the most famous and favorite moments flawlessly and yet with their own excellence, no regurgitations, no pandering.

Halle's voice was beautiful. But, of course! Her vocal reputation has preceded this film. She was also endearing in her portrayal of our title character.

Bardem was also unsurprisingly excellent and delivered a heartfelt portrayal of our king.

Aquafina as Scuttle was just a joy. She brought the laughs Scuttle should, but perfectly in her way.

So colorful, vibrant, lively. Under the Sea was beautifully animated and choreographed.

I was definitely fighting the urge to sing along for the sake of my daughter having her first Little Mermaid experience from scratch.

Loved "The Scuttlebut"!

Loved Sebastian and Scuttle's back and forth. Daveed and Aquafina were a great pair and brought new comedy that distinguished this iteration from the original film.

Poor Unfortunate Souls was EXCELLENT! So surprised by McCarthy. She embodied the role perfectly. The only thing I missed was the "Body language" line. Not sure why that was cut.

My criticisms:

Eric's solo song was overly dramatic and long. Melodically it failed to really go anywhere, perhaps due to peaking too early and plateauing musically/emotionally. Was the weakest musical moment as well as the weakest scene in the entire film. I skip it when we listen to the soundtrack. Oh yea! We listen to the soundtrack often.

Ariel's new song was also a tad lackluster but not a bad song at all. Just doesn't measure up to the originals for sure.

Missed "Les Poisson". But they didn't have a chef character at all. Unfortunate, but if they couldn't pull it off, they couldn't pull it off.

I missed the chorus of singing sea creatures and background vocals, but this is a nostalgia-based statement. Not a critique on the excellent re-arrangements of the music. I was here for the ride. If or when I need to hear the originals, Disney+ and Apple Music are there to provide.

I felt like the finale fell a pinch flat. It was kind of visually obscured. Made me think maybe they were unable to carryout the animation in a way that they could vibrantly showcase. Big Ursula was super dark and her audio was just kind of low...I'm not sure what happened there.

But overall, they told the story and it reached it's satisfying conclusion, with an added heartfelt touch to the final scene. And the musical renditions (apart from exceptions stated above) were delightfully executed.

I loved it and it was awesome getting to see my daughter introduced to the story for the first time, and with a mermaid who's skin looked like hers. I didn't have that growing up.

More modern but empty version of the little mermaid

[emilylovesmovies · 6/10 · 12 June 2023]

This movie is like a more empty version of the original

Yes it is stunning visually and has good actors and perfect looking for Eric and Ariel but the whole script and idea lacked depth. For a movie so much longer then the original there should have been more in the story not less. Also cgi was kinda bad especially under water for such a rich company and the animals like flounder and sebastian and scuttle looked weird. I did think there were some good added things such as how eric realised her name but they were very minimal.

Ive always been such a big fan of the little mermaid and i think both Eric and Ariel were perfect for the role just the overall creativity and passion was lacking. Remakes are so unnecessary and it would be good to experience the disney magic again with a whole new story and more passion in the project.

Lack of magic

[Yuliet10 · 4/10 · 27 May 2023]

Within the Disney Renaissance, one of the most notable films is The Little Mermaid, which stands out for its magnificent composition primarily by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. They undertook meticulous work that transports the audience from the movie theater into an underwater world, where the harmonies, combined with the visual aspects, create an explosion of emotions in the viewers.

Following this success, we find ourselves more than 30 years later with a version that attempts to faithfully recall its predecessor, but it has a limitation, it lacks the elements that only animation can provide.

Starting with the songs, which are the pillars of this story, "Part of Your World" is, in my opinion, the most remarkable and perhaps the only one that truly tugs at the nostalgic strings on which the movie relies. Halle Bailey's vocal performance, especially in this song, is nothing less than what was expected, a great start to the rest of the songs that maintain the essence of Ariel's desire to explore the world she doesn't belong to.

On the other hand, we have what I consider a disaster with "Under the Sea", despite having Daveed Diggs portraying Sebastian, a musical theater actor with an ample musical experience, he is constrained within one of the worst character designs this film could have. The visual setting lacks color, appearing entirely gray and soulless, where Sebastian fails to stand out until the last 10 seconds at the ending, where poorly placed streamers at least add a bit of color.

Melissa McCarthy delivers a rather average version of Ursula, with nothing particularly wrong, but also nothing noteworthy. Overall, her character seems even darker than in the 1989 version, but the script fails to give her the depth despite providing her with two extra scenes. As a result, viewers don't perceive her as an imposing villain who instills fear.

One of my biggest disappointments was Prince Eric, portrayed by Jonah Hauer-King. His solo song, "Wild Uncharted Waters," which seemed to me as mediocre, considering it was written and produced not only by Alan Menken but also with the involvement of Lin-Manuel Miranda. I not only expected a more daring staging, but the lyrics themselves are very poor and superficial. They fail to make the character connect with the audience or provide any development or backstory before the events in the film. I'd like to compare this song to "Evermore," also written by Alan Menken and Tim Rice, from the 2017 adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast" it serves as a great example of what a co-protagonist's song should encompass to truly contribute value to their development and the film itself.

In general, regarding the plot, I believe this adaptation attempts to bring a different touch, which succeeds in creating a fresh atmosphere. However, its development falls short, leaving gaps in the story. For example, the relationship between Ariel and king Triton, portrayed by Javier Bardem, lacks sufficient script development, limited to four dialogues and two brief scenes. The mermaid sisters seem more like an excuse to justify ethnic diversity rather than contributing to the plot. As mentioned earlier, Eric's development is lacking, failing to establish a connection with his family or his people. Considering he is a prince, there is no demonstration of interest in his people beyond exploring the sea without any additional drive. Halle Bailey's vocal work is truly excellent; however, it is not enough to convince that she is the only girl who could have portrayed the character.

The most remarkable aspect of the film is that, surprisingly, there is a development of the romantic relationship between Ariel and the prince. Some modified details to give Ariel more prominence were well-executed. Additionally, the dog that appears provides a breath of fresh air compared to the other animals that are difficult to appreciate.

Pd: I was really happy when I saw Jodi Benson's cameo.

Surprisingly I really liked it

[MReed542 · 9/10 · 7 September 2023]

I'm not a fan of messing with classics and I was prepared to hate this but instead I actually really like it a lot. I even teared up at the end just like I did in the animated classic. I mean who isn't brought to tears by swelling Alan Menken music and the Prince and his love? I'm also not a Melissa McCarthy fan but she was excellent as Ursula. Excellent! I loved the colorful pallet throughout and I thought Halle was absolutely adorable as Ariel. Her voice was gorgeous and perfect for Ariel. A favorite new additional scene was Eric's study where he has a collection of sea stuff just like Ariel has her collection of human stuff. Stroke of genius idea there. One of my favorite scenes was "Kiss the Girl". They nailed every element with a perfect flashback to all the things that made the original a favorite scene. All the people complaining that the CGI was crappy or this and that was subpar? Get a grip. It was a really well done live action version of a beloved classic.

Overlong and over produced, but a star is born here!

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 11 December 2023]

The sweetness of young Halle Bailey as mermaid princess Arielle with her pleasing personality, stunning smile, believable innocence and breathtaking singing voice is a starmaking role for sure. She's a sea creature, and they come in many tones, so all that's required is sincerity and screen presence which Bailey has by the lobster bucket full. The remake of this film came nearly 25 years after the original and 15 years after a long running but financially unsuccessful Broadway version. New songs (none from the stage version) are combined with most of the original, and it's a mixed bag of clams, but there's still enough to admire.

I didn't think much of young Jonah Hauer-King's screaming of his big song. It's too bad his unenchanted waters didn't result in laryngitis, but fortunately, it's not much of a singing part as the prince. Melissa McCarthy as the evil Ursula surprised me. I'm nor a fan of hers at all, but found her subtlety a crafty way of manipulating Arielle and stealing her voice. Her big number is over-the-top even as she underplays it, mainly because of the overdone CGI, a process I find rather uncreative especially when compared to older films that didn't use it. The process may be time consuming and artistic to those who do it, but basically, it's cheating because it looks phony.

The new songs are not ones that will become Disney gold, and I felt that they didn't mix well with what Ashman and Menken had written back in the late 80's. The crab and big bird and fish are overutilized to the point of cuteness overload, resulting in headache inducing moments that could easily have been cut. The film definitely looks better above the water than underneath it. I have to say that in some spots, I actually liked it a bit more than the original, but found it a missed opportunity overall that will succeed in making some viewers think that it's an epic musical while it's simply rather just blah. Definitely a better movie musical than "Cats" though, and on par with other Disney remakes that had Broadway runs.

The long waiting was not worthwhile

[NuovoCinema · 3/10 · 27 May 2023]

One actress is not enough to save a movie even if she plays the main character. This happens all the time and this remake is proof of it. The weakest thing in this version, of course, is the CGI characters. I thought the worst thing ever seen in these remakes was the dog from 2019's Lady and the Tramp, but this Flounder is outrageous. It's the Jar Jar Binks of Disney's remakes. And this Sebastian looks odd and graceless. Three years and Disney couldn't do any better? Are you serious? In overall, the underwater scenes are not what I expected to see and, as some critic says, "recreated with Windows 10 screensaver graphics".

Now let me explain what is the problem with Ursula. In an animated feature you can exaggerate the expressions any way you like but you can't do that in live action. This is not Melissa McCarthy's fault, of course, but I don't lend ears to those who praise her performance with biased reasonings. And the changes in the final scene were simply the last straw but I won't spoil anything here. Seriously, I couldn't believe it when I watched it.

In summary, the movie doesn't work because Halle Bailey is surrounded by things that don't work. And that's not Halle's fault, it's all Disney's fault.