Disney understands storytelling, that is a fact. The other week I did mention how Disney are reviving their back catalogue of animated films and updating them into live action. Unfortunately there are the odd bad egg such as Peter Pan & Wendy, but then something big, epic and emotional comes along such as The Little Mermaid, which is today’s focus. The original animated film came out back 1989, just at the end of the 80s and the dawn of the 90s, and Disney was about to emerge into a new age. With films such as this, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, the company were creating magical stories which had great songs and impressive visuals. So translating that into live action is no easy task, so did they do The Little Mermaid justice? Yes!
You can expect a lot of the same tropes familiar with Disney films in The Little Mermaid - a forbidden love story, a castle, some song and dance numbers and off course some lovable animal sidekicks. All of that is here and some of the songs are updated along with impressive visuals too, but in some places it does look like a replica of the original and in other aspects the film doesn’t do the original justice. Saying that, there is a lot to love with this adaption. There are new songs, such as “For the First Time” which feel like classic Disney belters, and these songs do stand-ou. Then there's the script which is witty and fun and playful too, and the casting alongside it all is pitch perfect.
The story is basically the same as the original as Ariel, a daughter of King Triton and played by Halle Bailey and Javier Bardem respectively, wants to travel to the surface from the depths of their Mermaid kingdom. Doing so comes at a price, one in which the Sea Witch herself, Ursula played by Melissa McCarthy, has cursed Ariel with finding true love’s kiss before three days are up. It sounds very Disney-like doesn’t it? It’s not a bad thing, I mean we all love Disney for the same reasons - the uplifting themes and nature of the story, the catchy songs and the universal characters. Each character feels lived in within this world but my favourite, and no doubt everyone’s favourite, is Sebastian the Sea Crab, voiced by Daveed Diggs. All the comedy and the stand-out scenes has Sebastian in it and the character itself is brought to life so realistically that you forget he’s CGI.
Talking of CGI, there are aspects where it is overwhelming and distracting. The realistic tone of the underwater scenes do conflict with the more colourful and outlandish dance numbers, a bit like how Mary Poppins switches from grounded reality to magical realism, but in this instance it feels more unintentional. Whereas there are other parts of the film, such as the climatic scenes at the end where the visuals and the scope of the film feel very well done and delivered in a way that would make other blockbuster films blush. It is a balancing act, trying to achieve impressive visuals and delivering a world where people can invest the next few hours in. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it doesn’t impair the acting or the script which is the highlight of the film.
Halle Bailey captures Ariel with a sense of loyalty, warmth and innocence, and a lot of naivety, but she also holds her own and has a lot of self-confidence and this shows on the screen. Bailey is perfectly cast as the titular Mermaid, and the same can be said with everyone else. McCarthy makes for a great villain without turning it into a pantomime performance and Bardem gives the film the levity it needs. The story of The Little Mermaid is timeless and this updated version will re-capture the hearts of the people who knew the original and also capture the hearts of newcomers as well.
★★★☆☆
3/5
Final Verdict:
The Little Mermaid is an underwater spectacle. With so many films these days exploring the depths of the ocean, it is nice to see one with a sense of magic and whimsy. The songs will played in the back of our head again as you leave the cinema, and the characters will win you over. It may feel very stereotypical Disney and a bit overwhelming with some of the more flashy dance numbers, but this is Disney and this is what they do best.
Thanks for reading today’s blog!
Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions
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