The Little Mermaid (2023)
While Disney once stood as a pioneer of original storytelling and fresh ideas, the seductive promise of high financial returns has turned much of the company into a shell of what it once was. Perhaps no area shows this as clearly as Walt Disney Pictures where its theatrical schedule has found a seemingly permanent space for live action remakes of the already established Disney animated classics. Often taking these stories and providing little change or personality, one can only claim that the purpose of releasing these features is to get the high box office totals they typically bring in. Rob Marshall's The Little Mermaid is no different. Taking the tale of Ariel, played here by Halle Bailey, from the 1989 animated feature of the same name and translating it to the world of live action, the feature is yet another mixed bag that fails to capture the charm or magic many would associate with the original feature.
Easily the best part of the film is Bailey herself who captivates and stuns as Ariel, especially in her musical sequences. Truly outdoing the work of Jodi Benson in the original film, Bailey brings a passion and emotion to the role that is second to none. For those who get the chance to see the feature on the big screen, Bailey's voice has such power and range that truly the film creates some of the most memorable song sequences in recent cinema that demands to be experienced. This is only enhanced by Rob Marshall's ability as director. Sadly, outside of Bailey and the classic tunes, the film begins to fall apart. The newly added songs are truly awful with the quality ranging from instantly forgettable to painfully annoying, Awkwafina's rap, The Scuttlebutt, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda is especially terrible.
The mixed offerings continue into the film's visuals. Releasing just 5-months after James Cameron revolutionized what underwater visuals could offer with Avatar: The Way of Water, it is truly embarrassing at times to see just how bad some of the visuals within The Little Mermaid are. In an effort to make photorealistic visuals, an uncanny valley is often found with the underwater world never looking natural or realistic in any sense. Even if the quality of these visuals were strong, however, it is clear that the mindset behind them are still off. It is awkward to see Ariel try to interact with realistic fish and crabs that lack the personality and charm of the original visuals. While Disney has luckily started to switch their mindset in this area with other recent remakes like Pinocchio, this change was sadly not made in time for The Little Mermaid. It also should be noted that the final climax of the film is one of most laughably poor sequences when it comes to visuals seen in recent memory with the film shooting itself in its own foot when it comes to any chance the film had for gravitas or thrills in this section. The overall feature is also strangely dark and muted when it comes to color and light with the film failing to build an exciting world of energy. There is no reason why the transition to live action has to mean a transition to murky visuals with the only reasonable logic being that the larger shadows would hide some of the disappointing visual effects.
This is particularly frustrating as many of the performances within the film are quite likable. While Bailey easily steals the show, those such as Jacob Tremblay, Melissa McCarthy, and Jonah Hauer-King all have their own charm and ability. The biggest misstep when it comes to casting easily falls onto Awkwafina who continues to prove herself to be the worst possible person for the comedic sidekick. After she threatened to ruin films like Raya and the Last Dragon and Renfield, one has to ask how she continues to get put in these roles compared to her stronger dramatic work in films such as The Farewell.
When it comes to narrative changes between this and the original film, the few are actually rather strong. The Little Mermaid is an inherently frustrating narrative with problematic ideals around every corner. The biggest is clearly the relationship between Ariel and Eric which, in the original, is based entirely on physical looks and artificial elements with Ariel literally giving up her voice to physically appeal to him. While the 135-minute runtime is still absurdly long, much of the added scenes are spent developing this relationship deeper in a way that feels more natural and authentic. Sadly, the film fails to adjust the runtime by cutting down on unneeded filler with the final runtime feeling taxing at times. Rather than simply adding onto the original feature, this is clearly a narrative deserving of a grander reimagining.
While The Little Mermaid is far from being a complete disaster in the same way the remakes of Aladdin and Dumbo, the film is a massive mixed bag. While the added scenes are worthy and the classic songs are done justice, the film struggles to find energy and purpose. The visuals are far too dark and the runtime is far too long leading to an often dull viewing experience. While for fans of the original there is enough done well to warrant a trip to the theater, the film ultimately becomes yet another disappointing remake that serves no purpose of existing over the money it will earn
Easily the best part of the film is Bailey herself who captivates and stuns as Ariel, especially in her musical sequences. Truly outdoing the work of Jodi Benson in the original film, Bailey brings a passion and emotion to the role that is second to none. For those who get the chance to see the feature on the big screen, Bailey's voice has such power and range that truly the film creates some of the most memorable song sequences in recent cinema that demands to be experienced. This is only enhanced by Rob Marshall's ability as director. Sadly, outside of Bailey and the classic tunes, the film begins to fall apart. The newly added songs are truly awful with the quality ranging from instantly forgettable to painfully annoying, Awkwafina's rap, The Scuttlebutt, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda is especially terrible.
The mixed offerings continue into the film's visuals. Releasing just 5-months after James Cameron revolutionized what underwater visuals could offer with Avatar: The Way of Water, it is truly embarrassing at times to see just how bad some of the visuals within The Little Mermaid are. In an effort to make photorealistic visuals, an uncanny valley is often found with the underwater world never looking natural or realistic in any sense. Even if the quality of these visuals were strong, however, it is clear that the mindset behind them are still off. It is awkward to see Ariel try to interact with realistic fish and crabs that lack the personality and charm of the original visuals. While Disney has luckily started to switch their mindset in this area with other recent remakes like Pinocchio, this change was sadly not made in time for The Little Mermaid. It also should be noted that the final climax of the film is one of most laughably poor sequences when it comes to visuals seen in recent memory with the film shooting itself in its own foot when it comes to any chance the film had for gravitas or thrills in this section. The overall feature is also strangely dark and muted when it comes to color and light with the film failing to build an exciting world of energy. There is no reason why the transition to live action has to mean a transition to murky visuals with the only reasonable logic being that the larger shadows would hide some of the disappointing visual effects.
This is particularly frustrating as many of the performances within the film are quite likable. While Bailey easily steals the show, those such as Jacob Tremblay, Melissa McCarthy, and Jonah Hauer-King all have their own charm and ability. The biggest misstep when it comes to casting easily falls onto Awkwafina who continues to prove herself to be the worst possible person for the comedic sidekick. After she threatened to ruin films like Raya and the Last Dragon and Renfield, one has to ask how she continues to get put in these roles compared to her stronger dramatic work in films such as The Farewell.
When it comes to narrative changes between this and the original film, the few are actually rather strong. The Little Mermaid is an inherently frustrating narrative with problematic ideals around every corner. The biggest is clearly the relationship between Ariel and Eric which, in the original, is based entirely on physical looks and artificial elements with Ariel literally giving up her voice to physically appeal to him. While the 135-minute runtime is still absurdly long, much of the added scenes are spent developing this relationship deeper in a way that feels more natural and authentic. Sadly, the film fails to adjust the runtime by cutting down on unneeded filler with the final runtime feeling taxing at times. Rather than simply adding onto the original feature, this is clearly a narrative deserving of a grander reimagining.
While The Little Mermaid is far from being a complete disaster in the same way the remakes of Aladdin and Dumbo, the film is a massive mixed bag. While the added scenes are worthy and the classic songs are done justice, the film struggles to find energy and purpose. The visuals are far too dark and the runtime is far too long leading to an often dull viewing experience. While for fans of the original there is enough done well to warrant a trip to the theater, the film ultimately becomes yet another disappointing remake that serves no purpose of existing over the money it will earn