Some would have us believe that the Disney live action remakes aren’t quite the powerhouse that they’ve been in the past with the likes of Pinocchio and Peter Pan & Wendy skipping a theatrical release to head straight to Disney Plus. They couldn’t be more wrong. With a vibrant, powerhouse performance from lead Halle Bailey accompanied by stunning, sumptuous visuals and incredible renditions of the beloved songs from the original, The Little Mermaid is a picture perfect fairytale for all ages.

Based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale and Disney’s 1989 classic, The Little Mermaid is the story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden from interacting with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.

 

The Little Mermaid is everything you would want not only in the remake of the original, containing the classic songs and characters, but everything you would want in a reimaging. The original beats of the 1989 narrative are all there, but what makes The Little Mermaid stand out is the way in which it reimagines the classic tale. 

 

There is a richness that is added to the emotional core of the film; the romance between Ariel and Eric. That means a lot more time is given to Ariel’s adventures on land than the original, but in doing so means that the third act carries more emotional weight and heft. 

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While there is a couple of moments of underwhelming CGI, on the whole The Little Mermaid dazzles with incredibly rich and detailed CGI creatures and a lush world under the sea, with Ursula's lair being a real design highlight. The new songs are a bit of a hit and miss with Eric's ballad not really hitting the mark while Scuttle and Sebastian's song is a delight.

 

From Halle Bailey’s incredible turn as Ariel, to Melissa McCarthy’s dastardly delicious portrayal of Ursula, and Javier Bardem’s emotional incarnation of King Trident; the casting is perfection.

With a vibrant, powerhouse performance from lead Halle Bailey accompanied by stunning, sumptuous visuals and incredible renditions of the beloved songs from the original, The Little Mermaid is a picture perfect fairytale for all ages.