BASED on the 1989 Disney animation, which itself was adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen story, Rob Marshall’s remake of The Little Mermaid tells the story of mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey), who strikes an agreement with Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) to give up her voice for the chance to meet the man of her dreams, Prince Eric (Jonah Andre Hauer-King), on dry land.
The filmmakers create a cast of fresh, immediately likeable characters as the narrative develops and the melodrama unfolds. Sebastian (voiced by Daveed Diggs), an intelligent crab, and Flounder (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), a fish who may not always be relied upon, decide to follow Ariel. In a scene that blends humour and peril in the finest Disney fashion, they offer comedic relief.
I adored how vivid the entire film was, from start to finish. The animation was really well done, and all six sisters were breathtakingly stunning, including Bridgerton actress Simone Ashley as Ariel’s sister Indira. She barely had five seconds of screen time, which surprised me because I was expecting her to have a few lines.
Halle Bailey improves the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, which maintains the passion of the classic story. The Little Mermaid has been the subject of debate ever since Disney initially unveiled the teaser. People expressed outrage that a Black actress was chosen to play the mermaid instead of a white actor.
But I have to admit that Bailey was fantastic as Ariel. Her youthful purity as a mermaid was actually quite impressionable. Bailey truly was the best person to play Ariel. Her interpretation of the character as naïve, and her beautiful singing, were enough to make up for the shortcomings of the original Ariel.
Javier Bardem, who played King Triton, the King of the Sea, was yet another great casting example. I really like his performance and charm in the film, and the mere fact that he looked so good as a merman was enough to put a grin on my face anytime I saw him.
The choice of Melissa McCarthy as the film’s antagonist was excellent. She gave off the impression of being the main character because to her charisma and deft portrayal of a villain. Hauer-King’s performance as Eric was good; nothing particularly noteworthy about that character, but it wasn’t bad either.
Since leaving her family and home to be with the love of her life isn’t something I can agree with, The Little Mermaid’s plot is my least favourite of all the Disney animated films. Not that I didn’t support her relationship with Price Eric. I was delighted when Ariel’s wish came true and she was allowed to live out her romantic fantasies.
So, if I were to overlook the storyline, I would say that I truly like the film’s beautiful visuals, language, music, and cinematography. There’s nothing to complain about, everything was very well directed.
The movie largely adheres to the original story. Disney proved that the film belongs to all Disney fans, not just children. I’m happy that it seems like the movie came out good, despite the fact that there was initially a lot of controversy around it.
For all Disney fans, this is the ideal opportunity to go watch with friends and family in order to bring back happy memories from your youth. I assure you that you won’t be let down.
The Little Mermaid is now showing in theatres.
DIRECTOR: Rob Marshall
CAST: Halle Bailey, Jonah Andre Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy,
E-VALUE: 8
ACTING: 8
PLOT: 7
