It’s almost time to go back under the sea with Disney’sThe Little Mermaidremake, and critics and media members are sharing their thoughts on the majestic adventure. The film caused quite a stir with the talentedHalle Baileystepping into the fins of Arieland the House of Mouse has put all its weight behind an aggressive marketing campaign showing off her majesty and the beauty of her underwater home. Although it’s mostly expected to be another shot-for-shot remake in the vein of Disney’s other recent films, viewers will have to really hold their breath fora journey underwater with a record runtimefeaturing a few new wrinkles in store for fans.The Little Mermaidwill take audiences back through the story of Ariel as she longs to be part of the human world, falls for the dashing Prince Eric, and runs afoul of the sea witch Ursula who offers her the chance to live on the surface and nearly costs her everything. Trailers havelargely played to nostalgia, showing classic characters and scenes like the pulse-pounding shark chase stunningly rendered to show a bright and colorful underwater world. Part of what separates it from the original, however, is the music.Lin Manuel MirandajoinsAlan Menken, to create four new songs for this expanded musical adventure,a stressful assignmentconsidering how vaunted the multi-platinum classic soundtrack is.Disney’s live-action remakes have been frequently criticized for banking on nostalgia bysticking too close to the sourcerather than introducing something new. With new music and a stunning cast, directorRob Marshallaims to create something that can stand alongside 1989’sThe Little Mermaidrather than be seen as another cash grab. Bailey will be joined byJonah Hauer-Kingas Prince Eric,Javier Bardemas Ariel’s stern father King Triton,Art Malikas Eric’s stalwart butler Grimsby, andMelissa McCarthyplaying the dastardly Ursulawith the undersea creatures includingDaveed Diggsvoicing Sebastian the crab,Jacob Tremblayas Flounder, andAwkwafinaas Scuttle. To fill out this 2-hour and 15-minute film, a few new characters will be introduced includingNoma Dumezweni’s Queen Selina,Lorena Andrea’s Perla, andKajsa Mohammar’s Karina. Rounding out the cast areJessica Alexander,Russell Balogh,Adrian Christopher, andSimone Ashley.RELATED:‘The Little Mermaid’s Queer Origins Made it Diverse From the StartWithin the team ofThe Little Mermaid, praise has been high for the individuals on board. Marshallhas been effusive in his praise for McCarthyadding another layer to Ursula and the original ArielJodi Bensonwas over the moon about Bailey’s performanceincluding her rendition of “Part of Your World.” Did the latest Disney remake leave critics wanting to be part of this world, though?
What Do Critics Think of Disney’sThe Little MermaidRemake?
Collider’sSteve Weintraubshared that there was a lot to love about the film, specifically highlighting the performances of McCarthy and Diggs. In a follow-up post, he pointed out that the film failed to pay respect to the original animated feature’s screenplay in the credits.
Other critics, likeChauncey Robinsonpraised Bailey’s performance in a series of tweets, noting the vulnerability she brought to Ariel and the chemistry she shared with Hauer-King. Robinson also noted that the film featured a well-done screenplay, which helped to set the magical tone of the film.
Brandon Lewiswas “blown away” byThe Little Mermaid, but did point out that the film had some visual issues. Like Weintraub, he highlighted Diggs’ performance, which seems to be a highlight of the film. In a follow-up, Lewis addressed another issue that seems to be weighing the film down—the “real life” animal style that Disney’s live-action films have utilized with recent releases.
Daveed Diggs seems to be the highlight for many critics, such as the folks at POC Culture who highlighted the Broadway star in their thread. While others focused on the darker cinematography, they highlighted that the film is “bright” and “joyful,” assuring fans that it looks and sounds fantastic.
Tessa Smithalluded to the new songs and additional plot points that have been added toThe Little Mermaidin her review, while praising the film as “magical” even if it did have some CGI issues.
Michael Leecalled the film an “enchanting reimagining,” though he indicated that it was a little overstuffed, and later on in his thread seemed to suggest that the “real” animal styling was a hindrance, a sentiment shared by a number of critics.
The Little Mermaidpremieres on May 26. Check out the trailer below.
