59
Metascore
54 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- The human world, it's a mess, but with Halle Bailey, life under the sea is better than anything Disney live-action has done in nearly a decade.
- 80VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeBetween Bailey’s wide-eyed urchin and McCarthy’s over-the-top octo-hussy, the movie comes alive — not in some zombified form, like re-animated Disney debacles “Dumbo” and “Pinocchio,” but in a way that gives young audiences something magical to identify with, and fresh mermaid dreams to aspire to.
- 76TheWrapLex BriscusoTheWrapLex BriscusoThe live-action “Little Mermaid” is a fresh take on a beloved classic that isn’t afraid to take a fairy tale and make it as real as it can, inviting its audience to dive into uncharted waters alongside its engaging and charming central characters.
- 70Screen RantRachel LaBonteScreen RantRachel LaBonteMarshall has captured enough of the magic from the original to entertain longtime fans. Bailey's Ariel is one for the ages, and McCarthy is fantastic as Ursula. With these two ladies on board, The Little Mermaid is a genuine delight.
- 63USA TodayBrian TruittUSA TodayBrian TruittAnd while not everything goes swimmingly, Halle Bailey splendidly buoys this "Mermaid" as the naive underwater youngster with dreams of exploring the surface.
- 58IndieWireKate ErblandIndieWireKate ErblandThat problem: Does it feel real? Not yet, and not even movie star turns and rapping birds and the very best of intentions can bridge that divide. For now, “The Little Mermaid” exists outside of the very world it so wants to be a part of, one already so lovingly rendered in its predecessor, “real” or not.
- 50Screen DailyNikki BaughanScreen DailyNikki BaughanWhile this story of a mermaid who gives up her enchanted life to follow her heart onto the land has been given the full cutting-edge CGI treatment, the slow pacing, often-overwrought emotion and undeniably outdated story mean that it fails to make much of a splash.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterLovia GyarkyeThe Hollywood ReporterLovia GyarkyeLike other live-action remakes, The Little Mermaid is a neatly packaged story ribboned with representational awareness. There’s enough in it to fill an evening, but it doesn’t inspire much more than a passing sense of déjà vu.
- 40The GuardianEllen E JonesThe GuardianEllen E JonesBailey is the best thing about this film but, despite a team crammed with talent, this live action reworking can’t match the magic of the 1989 classic.
- 40The IndependentClarisse LoughreyThe IndependentClarisse LoughreyNice casting can’t cover up the ugly visuals and lack of creative risk.