Welcome back! I finally went back to the cineplex for the first in the post-pandemic era. A lot has changed. I really enjoy the IMAX or Dolby Atmos style experience, but it seems like modern films are too underwhelming for the time and cost of movie theater outings. Fortunately, the live action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a breath of fresh air in a crowded landscape. Allow me to explain below.
I’m sure many fans of the animated movie are worried about changes and liberties. Yes, this adaptation changes many elements from the animated version, but I would say that’s a good thing. It retains the basic story and overall spirit of Disney’s animated film while fixing some problems. The live action remake fixes many plot holes and provides backstory along with context from the animated movie. What happened to Ariel’s mother? Why does Ariel fall for a stranger on land so easily? Why do King Triton and Ursula hate each other? Where does the story really take place? This film answers those questions and many others cleverly with clear explanations. Most of the characters had a big makeover in terms of appearance and personality, which was a welcomed change for someone like me. Ariel is more like an explorer and adventurer who wants to learn about the human race, their landscape, and culture. She’s brave, clever, and quite intelligent with a thirst for knowledge. Ariel is also more independent and less of a damsel in distress. Halle Bailey is an excellent choice for Ariel with a strong singing voice, kindness, and curiosity. I also appreciated similar changes to Prince Eric, played by Jonah Hauer-King. He’s equally fascinated about the ocean’s mysteries and has a similarly adventurous spirit to Ariel. Their relationship develops organically through the story rather than an oversimplification of love at first sight. Other characters also receive some positive changes while retaining their most important elements from the animated version. Melissa McCarthy is surprisingly effective, menacing, and witty as Ursula. Somehow, the purple skin, tentacles, and white hair works just fine and the movie gives her a bigger emphasis on the sea witch title. Javier Bardem is mostly a straight forward version of King Triton from the animated film, but he has a few nuanced changes as well. I even prefer this version of Ariel’s sisters, who have more screen time and personality. They also represent the original Seven Seas. How did the CGI animal companions fair? Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle are a fun and endearing trio. They actually have very important roles in the movie, which I won’t spoil. Daveed Diggs is very funny as Sebastian and the character is actually kind of cute in a strange way. Awkwafina is amusing as Skuttle with a variety of clumsy hijinks. I wish Flounder was less bug eyed, but he grew on me as the story progressed. Ursula’s duo of eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, are a darker and creepier version of the characters. Disney focused on photo realistic animals and it worked much better than I anticipated. You don’t have to worry about the music in this version of The Little Mermaid. It has one of the best soundtracks among the live action remakes. Everyone does a fantastic job with their musical roles, but I want to give particular attention to Halle Bailey. She’s one heck of a singer. I suppose it makes sense because she has a background in the music industry. You might notice subtle changes in some of the lyrics, but none of it made a significant difference in my opinion. My complaints are very small. Sometimes the visual effects looks like a video game. They can seem cartoonish and unpolished. Basically, the CGI is an inconsistent because it can look amazing or really weird. I definitely felt a few pacing issues. Maybe the movie was 15 minutes too long. I also never felt like Atlantica was a fully realized kingdom. It seems like Disney kept the sea creatures down to a minimum and Atlantica had an understated design. Granted, more CGI was probably prohibitively expensive. Here’s my public service announcement. I know some fans of the animated movie are determined to hate the changes in the 2023 remake. Sorry, but changes were absolutely necessary. The animated version of Ariel was dumb, gullible, and her entire fascination with the surface world was about a guy she had a crush on. I would go as far to say Ariel was a bad influence on young ladies. There! I said it and mean it! This new and improved version of Ariel is a better role model with actual character development and a mind of her own. It’s about time. That’s the end of my review. Have you seen the latest version of The Little Mermaid yet? Are you planning to see it in theaters or waiting for streaming? Leave a comment. Play nice. No toxic fandoms allowed. Maybe I’ll see a few more films in theaters before the end of the year. I’m prioritizing movies that would be a good experience on premium screens. Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2019
Categories |