'The Little Mermaid' makes waves
I recently saw Disney's newest live action remake, "The Little Mermaid", and was pleasantly surprised.
The plot: A young mermaid makes a deal with a sea witch to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress a prince.
Trailer courtesy of Walt Disney Studios
Over the past 13 years, Disney has been pumping out these remakes to varying degrees of success. I remember from the get-go when Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" came out in 2010, I was certain I'd dislike the coming avalanche of Disney remakes.
Directed by Rob Marshall with a screenplay by David Magee, this film feels like a relatable story. It also does the story justice when looking back at the original 1989 Disney cartoon.
Everyone knows Disney wants kids to think of their versions of these classic fairytales, so it makes sense they've been going through their catalogue.
I saw this film with my girlfriend and we both had no expectations. We ignored all the supposed controversy of the film's casting, and we loved it. The casting, the music, the costumes, the sets, and special effects.
THE POSITIVE
Halle Bailey is a fantastic Ariel, giving a sweet and believable portrayal of a teen who wants to explore the world. This film really succeeded in bringing clear motivation to the characters.
The characters feel like they have more depth than other Disney remakes. To me, other Disney remakes feel emotionally hollow, and things happen because the script says so, not a natural flow that the audience should feel.
This movie makes you care about Ariel and Prince Eric. You want them to get together. You want King Triton to understand his daughter. It's the first Disney remake film I've watched and felt emotionally invested in.
The sea witch, Ursula, played here by Melissa McCarthy, is brought to life perfectly. I'm usually not a fan of McCarthy, but here, she shines. She's funny, dramatic, and when she goes full-on giant sea monster at the end? Terrifying.
This film is a perfect example of what modern kids' films are missing. The feeling of your main characters being in real danger, potentially even dying.
As an example, I think back to the original "The Neverending Story" film, and seeing the hero Atreyu witness his horse, Artax, sink into the swamps of sadness. He cries and pleads with Artax not to give up and keep going. It's no use, and Atreyu could be next.
If that scene doesn’t break your heart, you're not engaging with films to the fullest potential.
There are some dark elements in this film too. Ursula is truly ruthless at the end, she literally disintegrates King Triton, played by Javier Bardem, into a cloud of dust and bones that sinks into an endless pitch-black trench.
I was impressed they introduced such high stakes. It really elevates the film from being just for kids.
It's scary, fantastic, whimsical, and beautifully shot. Ariel's motivation is more than just falling in love with a human, she wants to explore the land, dance, run, and walk. It feels very natural how she falls for Prince Eric. He feels like an equally well-written character, acted perfectly by Jonah Hauer-King.
The few changes that were made to the film don't feel out of place or forced. I enjoyed the detail that King Triton and Ursula are siblings. It brings a tangible reason why these events are set in motion and fit in well.
Although Javier Bardem's Triton doesn't appear often, his performance stands out. He's terrifying and yet, you can understand his anger since he fears losing his daughter.
THE NEGATIVE
There were a few aspects I found lacking in this. The underwater CGI looks a bit off at times but does the job and there's a new song, called "The Scuttlebutt", which although brief, breaks the flow of the film and isn't a standout track, to say the least.
THE VERDICT
Director, Rob Marshall, director of both "Chicago" and "Into the Woods", really brings his A-game to this production.
This is a perfect family film, and for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy.