The Little Mermaid (2023, PG)

I have a complicated relationship with the live-action remakes of classic Disney films—or in some cases, photo-realistic CGI that’s still referred to as “live-action.” There are those that just plain don’t work for me, like The Lion King. There are those that I know are definitely middling, but I still find myself really enjoying them anyway, even as I simultaneously can’t shake my disappointment, like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Really, the only one I’ve unreservedly loved was The Jungle Book, and that was helped along by the fact that I wasn’t super invested in the original animated film. By contrast, I’m a fan of the original Little Mermaid and listen to the soundtrack fairly often (the cast recording of the Broadway adaptation gets some love from me too.) So I went into the new Little Mermaid like I usually do with these films: wanting to be hopeful but prepared for at least a bit of a letdown.

Ariel, the youngest daughter of King Triton, is our titular little mermaid. Despite all that life “under the sea” offers, Ariel is enchanted by the thought of the world above the ocean and the human beings who inhabit it. When she saves the human prince Eric from a shipwreck, she falls instantly in love with him. She’s then put in the crosshairs of the nefarious sea-witch Ursula, who proposes a deal that would enable Ariel to be with Eric through magic.

I loved this movie. Sitting in the theater in my respirator, I was swept up in the fun, music, and feeling of the story, but I did occasionally spare a thought to think, “Finally!” This is a film that captures so much of what’s great about the original Little Mermaid while still making its own mark, expanding on the story in meaningful ways that enhance it.

While most of the live-action Disney remakes have had changes that I like, they also tend to add very self-conscious “We Are Fixing a Nitpick!” moments, overexplaining things that didn’t really need explanations in the first place or adding in easy girl-power moments that pat themselves on the back without acknowledging that the original princesses were already pretty awesome. The Little Mermaid has a few “is that really necessary?” additions, but for the most part, the changes deepen the story that was already there. In particular, I like how the film fleshes out Eric’s character, exploring his love for sailing beyond just a generic love for adventure and providing more parallels between his and Ariel’s stories.

The earliest footage of the movie had too much of the overly-dark filmmaking that’s frustratingly popular these days, and while there are some dimly-lit scenes that obscure what we’re seeing, it’s not reflective of the film as a whole, which is vibrant and colorful. The CGI world under the sea is beautiful and fun, and I like the depiction of Eric’s island as well.

In any live-action Disney remake, casting is obviously a major consideration, and by and large, this film knocked it out of the park. At the center of things, of course, we have Halle Bailey, who is utterly winning and sympathetic as Ariel. Her voice is exquisite—the film highlights that, as a mermaid, Ariel has siren powers, and when you hear her sing “Part of Your World”, you can believe it. She’s just so good as the passionate, daydreaming girl who makes an impulsive decision to go after what she wants and then does her best to work through the consequences of that. Meanwhile, Jonah Hauer-King is charmingly likable as Eric. Like I said, the film gives us more of his character, and we really see the why behind Ariel’s love for him. Eric also gets his own “I Want” song in this film—his “Wild Uncharted Waters” is easily the best of the three new songs added to the soundtrack.

Melissa McCarthy is clearly having a great time as Ursula, vamping it up in a way that’s by turns both comic and menacing, and she sounds really good on “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” Javier Bardem is understated but effective as King Triton, and he and Bailey have some strong father-daughter scenes together. When it comes to the CGI characters, Daveed Diggs is such a lovable fussbudget as Sebastian. While I had a few issues with “Under the Sea”—the number was colorful and fun, but I wish the staging followed the lyrics better—I had zero complaints about his performance. Jacob Tremblay makes for a sweet Flounder, and Awkwafina is entertaining as Scuttle. (I made my peace with the CGI for these characters pretty early in the film, and by the end, it didn’t bother me at all.) I also want to shout out Noma Dumezweni as Eric’s mother and Art Malik as Grimsby.

Warnings

Scary moments for kids, scenes of violence, and thematic elements.