Seeing the recent outcomes of Disney live action remakes, we didn't have the best expectations with "The Little Mermaid". Who could forget last year's "Pinocchio"? But early on its revival streak, Disney actually produced decent and outstanding remakes of its classic animated hits like "The Jungle Book" and "Beauty and the Beast". Whatever inspired them this time, they should be replicate it immediately as "The Little Mermaid" is one of the better live action releases from Disney. And while it doesn't break any new grounds with its story, this made sure that this remake was almost as magical and as magnificent as the original film that inspired it.
Ariel (Halle Bailey) is the youngest daughter of the King Triton (Javier Bardem). Unlike her father who harbors hatred towards humans, Ariel has always been fascinated with the human world. After Ariel saves Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) from a shipwreck, she falls in love with him and becomes determined to be with him someday somehow. This leads her to an encounter with her long-lost aunt, the sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), making a deal with her to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can finally meet Eric. However, there is a cost. She has only three days to receive a 'true love's kiss' in order to regain her voice and become human permanently. If she fails, she will turn back to a mermaid and be Ursula's slave for all eternity.
As controversial as this remake has been (for all the wrong reasons in our opinion), these controversies should be the least of anyone's worries about "The Little Mermaid". Simply put, the changes made were well-integrated into the film's slightly revamped narrative. Honestly, it will not satisfy those who are truly close-minded but it shouldn't impact the enjoyment of pretty much anyone else. In fact, the star of the show was Halle Bailey as she provides a stunning performance as Ariel. Her tremendous voice and genuine sense of curiosity elevate her version Ariel extremely close to the source material. As for the songs, the classics from 1989 are as timeless as before but with their own modern twist that works. As for Lin Manuel Miranda's new additions, they felt both essential and well-integrated except for one particular song sung by Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs ("The Scuttlebutt") which we found to be off-beat and a significant drop in quality as compared to the other songs in the film. But the biggest surprise for us was the visuals, specifically those depicting underwater scenes. We expected this to be a CGI eyesore but color us impressed as the film did a decent job with its visual effects. Don't get us wrong, this isn't "Avatar: The Way of Water" but this isn't Marvel quality also if you get our drift. Overall, "The Little Mermaid" was a revelation that Disney can still make live action films right once again. And we're just glad that they didn't destroy one of their animated classics again.
The Little Mermaid (2023) Movie Review: Live Action Done Right
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