M

I am Lover of romance, who indulges in the romantic adventures of literature

My name is Renee, and I am the host of this site. I am a 34 year old woman, on the prowl for her mate, searching out the best of books, exploring the wilds of the imagination and delving into the heart of a beautiful love story.

 

Movie Review-Live Action The Little Mermaid

by | May 25, 2023 | Uncategorized | 3 comments

Introduction

Disney’s Live Action of The Little Mermaid is a film that will be officially release on May 26th of this year. Its a live action adaptation of the Original animated film that was released in 1989. This is a film that has been in the making for almost five years. The announcement was released before the drama of Covid years. So its been a very long wait for fans of Little Mermaid who have wanted a live action since Disney started delivering these Live Action films. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the first showing in 3D and XD on the 25th of May. A day early than the official release. I will be delivering a short spoiler free review and then I will be doing a full spoiler review for those who don’t mind spoilers or want to know what to expect in this long anticipated film. There has been both positive and negative opinions on how Disney has handled this live action and I will be delivering my unfiltered opinion.

Spoiler Free

So I have to say that I was actually really excited to watch this. Now when Halle Bailey was first announced to be the one to play the iconic role of Ariel, I was a bit worried that Disney would place a ton of “woke” nonsense into it. In fact, I think there was some concerns and I had some concerns especially when Peter Pan and Wendy came out a few weeks ago and I could barely stomach that film and in fact couldn’t even finish the film, it was just awful and the ratings in Rotten Tomatoes really reflect that as well. However, I can safely say that The Little Mermaid Live Action didn’t have any offensive content and I do believe will be well received by the audience as a whole. Now does this mean its a perfect adaptation? Naw. Its definitely not perfect, and I still have some issues with certain sub plot points that were altered and changed, lyrics being slightly adjusted and the CGI. Now I was able to see this with the full effects of an XD theatre and 3D being included so I do think that made a huge difference that made the CGI look better than what you probably would receive in a regular 2D watching experience. So the bigger the screen and if you can handle 3D, I highly recommend it. The acting was superior in this film, I do think all really did so well in the actual portrayal of the characters. Halle Bailey is a true superstar of the film and her co star, Jonah Hauer-King is superb as Prince Eric. The animal friends of Ariel, are solid. I wasn’t a fan of what they look like to be honest. Disney just doesn’t do great with live action animals. But the voice acting was wonderful from each of them. The character depth was nuanced and well developed. We really see stronger character background from Prince Eric especially and I appreciated that. Too many times they tend to shove the hero to the side. However, that wasn’t the case here and when he sings “Wild Uncharted Water” it was so brilliant! You could really see and feel the deep emotion that I am sure he was conveying in the role. King Triton is moderately good. I do think that could have been better slightly. But the father-daughter relationship was just right. It was so well done in this. I do kinda wish we got a bit more from the sisters to be honest and their relationship with Ariel. Seeing the relationship between Eric and his mother was so endearing and powerful. And yes she is an added character, when you see Eric’s backstory, you will understand why she was placed in the film. And Grimsby—PERFECTION!!! He was fantastic. I loved how he was a bit of a matchmaker for Eric and Ariel, he was just adorbs. The pacing of the film was just right. It starts a bit slow, so if you take children, be aware of that. But after the first ten minutes, it really builds up the pacing. And then you will be hooked, line and sinker. The ending was endearing and beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. And it left with a happy for now feeling to it, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they are leaving it with a bit of a opening for a second if this film does well enough. I think many will be happy with this film. Its not perfect, there are some slight changes that might bother some. But its beautifully crafted and one of the better live actions ever done! BRAVO!

Spoiler Full Review

Alright so in this section I am going to do a more detailed review that will share many spoilers, so if you haven’t seen the movie yet, or don’t want to be spoiled, skip over this section to the conclusion and my final rating.

So the film starts out really introducing you first to Eric and seeing how his people view “Mermaids” and how he doesn’t see them that way. He loves adventure and life on the sea. He originally came from the sea when he was rescued as a child and adopted by the King and Queen. He has always felt lost and searching for something more. And has a deep fascination with sea creatures and most especially sirens and mermaids. Then we go deep into the ocean and see the world beneath and get introduced to King Triton and his daughters. There is no song or concert like there was in the animated film. It works here though, there is a much more realistic take on the ocean, so don’t accept a more fantastical take on the sea and the mermaid life like there was in the animated film. We definitely get a great shark treasure scene and then Triton and Ariel have a more serious discussion. There is a battle between them as Ariel wants different things than her father wants for her. He lost his wife and Ariel’s mother to a human, so he is scared for Ariel and her fascination with the human world. But Ariel sees so much more and has always had a deep longing for the human world. Its not just a faze, its so much more for her.

Then we get taken to the “Part of Your World” epic scene. And this is BRILLIANT! Halle Bailey did this scene so perfectly and the raw emotion that is in every moment of it, was beyond beautiful. You will easily be swept away by the moment. I dare you not to feel it alongside with everyone else. Just so well played out. I loved her grotto and I know it seems dark in the picture, but I really loved how they did her grotto, its very similar to what we see in the animated film. The lighting isn’t perfect and I do wish we saw more from Flounder and Sebastian in this scene though. We definitely got more of their presence in the animated film and I was hoping they would be more present here. But it was still a wonderful scene and I think you will be impressed with the power behind Halle’s voice.

Next that was pretty powerful, was the scene with the ship and where Ariel meets and falls in love with Prince Eric. I LOVED this scene so much. Everything was so so well done. And it was just like the animated film. I loved the way we see Eric with his shipmates and Grimsby. They have such a strong relationship, you can see the almost fatherly role that Grimsby has had to take. And this was really focused on in these scenes. And this is a really action filled scene when the ship burns and Eric almost drowns. Both Jonah and Halle really did well in this scene, it was intense but at the same time had a cozy feel to it. And then the beach scene was just right. I loved the emotion and heart you feel as she sings to Eric and saves his life. And it definitely has the rock “Part Of Your World” Reprise song and it was so poignant and powerful in the ways that you felt in the original but I actually think Halle did a better job with this moment actually. So next we have the moments of “Under the Sea” and this scene is AWESOME SAUCE! I know this was a really difficult scene for them to do here. And it was so good. I was very curious to see how it would be played out but the musical talent and the variety of animal life and almost magical feel to it was just right. It was really hard not wanting to sing along in this scene. haha

Now the scene “Wild Uncharted Waters” is brilliant! I absolutely LOVED this scene with Eric. In this moment, this is where Eric knows that Ariel is real and wants to find her. She saved his life and even though his mother and Grimsby don’t seem to fully believe him, he knows that she is calling to him. And this is also where we see that there is so much more to Eric and seeing his desire to find what he is looking for as well as bringing back their island to what it used to be, thriving and full of live and prosperity and embracing the call of the sea and his spirit of adventure. This rendition that Jonah sings or should I say BELTS out is pretty well done. I actually loved the deep emotion that we see within it. Its not going to be for everyone, there will be critics of this moment. However, I felt it so deeply and it honestly brought me to tears.

Then we get to the scene with Ariel with her sisters and the King Triton. Now this moment was really really important. But it wasn’t as about Ariel being super in love with Eric and having that flirty feel to it. This is where we really see the difference from Ariel and the rest of her family. Their views are vastly different from each other and this is where we see how much Ariel is trying to build that bridge between showcasing how not all humans are evil. That even though some do bad things, that not all are bad or their enemies. But there are hints that there is more to Ariel in this scene and that she is in “love” with someone. King Triton senses something so much more about his daughter and discovers her grotto and this scene….WHEW its definitely really intense. And definitely plays out the emotion that we feel from the original film.

Now next we get the arrival of Ursula. We have seen her in little scenes here and there of trying to find whatever she can to get a weakness against her brother “King Triton” and she finds it in Ariel and catches her when she is the most vulnerable and looking for any way to get away from her life as a mermaid and her family who don’t seem to understand her at all. King Triton, well we know his motivations, its not to be cruel, but wanting to protect her at all costs not realizing he is hurting her and pushing her towards his enemy. Now the scene with “Poor Unfortunate Souls” was good. Melissa McCarthy plays the role of Ursula and honestly, I think she did a great job. It starts slow though as she warms up to the role of it. I was unsure about how they did her appearance though. I felt like they could have blended her top half with her bottom a bit more, and maybe made her a deeper shade of purple. I do feel like it could have been slightly better done as far as the makeup work being done for her. I was also disappointed that Flotsum and Jetsum didn’t speak, I was hoping they would have voices. But oh well. The scene though was very bright and colorful and Melissa McCarthy once she relaxed in the role, really emulated Ursula so well. So the later part in the scene was much better than say the beginning of it. She was a jewel though, and really enjoyed for the most part how she turned out and she adds her own flair to Ursula that seemed to really work though.

Now Ariel is a human and honestly that scene coming out of the water was brilliant and I know it took many tries to get it right. Then we have a song with Ariel which is “For the First Time” and I actually enjoyed this scene. This is where she is singing in her head, where she is learning to walk, and meets Eric officially and man that scene was just INTENSE!! All that raw emotion was so well played out and seeing Ariel realize how important her voice was for Eric really cuts her deeply and you really see that. Now there is also something else that is added here. Ursula adds an extra curse on Ariel, and while some may have issues with this, I was okay with it. Not a huge fan of it, but it does build up the true evil that is in Ursula. This is where we see how Ursula adds a memory curse on Ariel anytime a “kiss” is mentioned so that she temporarily forgets that she needs to kiss Eric. But what happens next is really beautiful. Because we have Ariel exploring the palace and what does she find? Eric’s library and I really loved this part. Eric collects treasures and antiques just like Ariel does in her grotto. And the chemistry and connection between these two as they really share their fascination with his collection. Then we have their day trip on the island together. We see them explore the island, do some dancing, Ariel driving the carriage and the infamous Kiss the Girl Scene. This scene was especially magical. I absolutely loved how they do it. I know it some of the clips online, it looks dark. But once you are watching it, the lighting is just fine. Its different when you are watching this on the screen. And the chemistry between them is just beautiful and the way in which he discovers her name—–was super sweet and different and I loved that.

So guess who steps onto the scene and that is Vanessa. Ursula is NOT happy that Ariel was so easily able to get the attention of Eric and is almost kissed. So then she changes into Vanessa and we see the dilemma that Eric has here. I actually really loved the scene here. It really shows how Eric was going to give up on his determination to find the woman with that voice who saved him and right when he was going to return to Ariel, Vanessa arrives and hooks him to her spell. Then we see something so deep and raw here when Ariel finds out he is engaged to Vanessa and the pain is so vividly portrayed. I really was so grateful that they put this scene in here. Because it shows Ariel’s heart breaking, seeing how much she risked and believes everything is lost. But when she learns the truth, man this scene is epic! I LOVED it when her voice is returned to her because its Ariel that gets her voice back and the sunset scene was just like the original film and is heart stopping!

Then we have the Ursula battle scene. I wish I could say that I loved this scene but I had very mixed feelings on this moment. While some of it was great, we do see some aspects of team work and its possible that I did miss some things. I do want to see it again soon and really pay attention to more of the details. There is a lot that happens. But I was disappointed that Eric didn’t have a bigger role in taking down Ursula. In fact I think maybe the TV spots revealed of this moment, might have not been full truthful on this moment. I honestly don’t remember Ariel calling out for Eric. But its also possible I missed it. Most likely I did. But Ariel is the one that kills Ursula on the ship and yeah even though Eric was still in the scene, I just would have liked to see them doing it together. There is nothing wrong with needing help. And I do think Eric should have had a bigger role than he did. While Ariel does it to save his life, I do wish there had been more “teamwork” being portrayed. And also Ariel moving a ship in the storm into Ursula just doesn’t seem likely. Even experienced sailors would have a very difficult time of it. And although Ariel does give credit to Eric for assisting in it, it also felt a bit anti climatic. This is the major complaint I have for this film is this scene here. It could have been done so much better. And while I didn’t hate it, I didn’t necessarily love how it happened. I was hoping for more intensity and a better climax at the end there.

Then we have our final scene. And this scene was so poignant. I hate to disappoint you all, but there is no sea foam dress like the animated. We see King Triton make the decision to turn her with Sebastian helping him out a bit, but we don’t actually see the transformation. What we do see is Ariel coming to Eric and their reunion and their first kiss was beyond beautiful. I honestly wished I could have slowed time down to enjoy it longer. It was honestly one of my favorite scenes of the movie. Then we see them engaged, going out to sea to have some adventures together, and bring more prosperity to their island and this is where Ariel and her father say goodbye and she gets to see all of her people sending them off in farewell. And it brought TEARS to my eyes, just like the original did.

CAST REVIEW

Ariel (Halle Bailey)

Halle did a beautiful job as Ariel. She really emulated the innocence, curiosity and passion for more and is a true princess. From her powerhouse of a singing voice, to her sweet nature, with every expression, you can see Ariel within her and its so wonderful to see such raw rising talent score so high in this film.

Eric ( Jonah Hauer-King)

I wasn’t sure how he would do in this role but I can say he was perfection for Prince Eric. I loved his thirst for adventure, his need for wanting more in his life, determination to find more for his people and fight for those he loves when it matters most.

Ursula (Melissa McCarthy)

When she was first announced, I was wary. I didn’t really know much about this actress and comedian but she really did the best Ursula. This was a role I was so nervou on what Disney would do, but she actually did a tremendous job and really emulated that evilness that is Ursula.

King Triton (Javier Bardem)

He did a solid job but it could have been done better. He didn’t really felt majestic and powerful as King Triton is in the original. He didn’t do a bad job, but it just could have been better and I personally just think there could have been a better actor to fill this role. Nothing against the actor himself, he has great talent, just not for this role.

Sebastien (Daveed Diggs)

He did a fabulous job as Sebastian. Not as shining and funny as the original Sebastian, because no one can beat the original actor, however, he did a AMAZING job and really brought some passion and laughter to the all around experience of it.

Scuttle (Awkwafina)

Yeah I was nervous about her playing what was a male role. But she did superb, loved her humor and how she portrayed the perfect Scuttle. Wasn’t necessarily a fan of the rap song lol but she was just right for the role.

Flounder (Jacob Tremblay)

I absolutely love this actor for voice acting, he always does a great job. However, I felt like Flounder got the short end of the stick. In the animated film he had such a bigger role than what we see in this film. I blame the film writers and producer on this one here. And plus Flounder looks like a sick fish haha Not their best choice. But the moments that we do see Flounder, Jacob did a five star in the voice acting of him. He really had the shy innocence of Flounder with a bright presence.

Overall Thoughts

I absolutely adored this film and is honestly up there at the top of my favorites and in fact I think it might be up there with my deep love of Cinderella. I absolutely adored so much of this film. It might not be perfect, but it was majestic, romantic, and so emotionally provoking! And Halle and Jonah are true stars for handling the romance so well! Highly Recommend you see this in the theatre and if you can in a IMAX and see it in 3D if possible. It will just look so much better if you can. You can bet I will be watching this again in the theatres and I can’t wait for the full soundtrack with all of the instrumentals to be released!

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

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3 Comments

  1. Sam@WLABB

    I have heard a lot of rumblings about the way the sea creatures looked (especially Flounder). Glad you were happy with the adaptation. (I have no idea what happened with Peter Pan. I need to look that up)

    Reply
  2. Sophie

    I skipped the spoilers! And when I saw the trailer I wondered if she was a “real” human as the scenes beneath the sea made her look like the characters of video games do. But now I am very excited to watch it!

    Reply
  3. Natalie

    So glad you loved this movie!! My daughter saw it yesterday with some friends and said they all really enjoyed it. Funny enough, the stuff she didn’t like were pretty much the same things you were kinda meh about lol

    Thanks so much for sharing and I’m excited to watch it for myself!! xo

    Reply

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