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.
Chuck says:
As I sat through Rob Marshall’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” it occurred to me that it was like listening to a cover band. Now mind you, with the money Disney spent on this re-do – $250 million – this is a really, really good cover band with the greatest stage show ever seen…but it’s a cover band, nonetheless.
The greatest challenge the makers of Disney’s live-action remakes of their classic animated features face is the sense of familiarity they’re burdened with. Granted, all reboots must contend with this to a certain degree, but when so many in the audience, have the original burned into their minds, as an artist you find yourself painted into a corner from the start. Other than “The Lion King,” “The Little Mermaid” is likely the most popular of the modern Mouse House classics, the film that resurrected the studio’s animation division, took home two Oscars, and introduced “A Whole New World,” “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl,” into the minds of millions of adults, what with their repeatedly relying on the most popular babysitter of the 1990’s – the VHS copy of the movie.
In the eternal pursuit of a healthy bottom line, Disney has never learned to leave well enough alone. “More is better” is their mantra when it comes to generating profit as well as their approach in rebooting their properties. The profits these productions generate seem to validate this approach. However, from an artistic point of view, it’s been a mixed bag. That being said, there’s no question that every cent of “Mermaid’s” massive budget is on the screen, this being one of the most visually sumptuous – for better or ill – of these films. At times, it’s a marvel to behold.
Also a marvel is Halle Bailey, the young woman a charming talent whose clarion voice brings all of Ariel’s hopes, fears and longing to vivid life. The sincerity and humanity she brings to the role is never lost amidst all of the computer-generated artifice on display, which is no small feat. That she is able to make us hear “A Whole New World” as if it were the first time speaks to the honesty and power she uses to great effect throughout. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Jonah Hauer-King, who’s tasked with bringing Ariel’s true love, Prince Eric, to life. The poor kid simply hasn’t got the musical chops to pull it off and he has about as much charisma as a jar of paste. Hauer-King simply lacks the presence of his co-star, and they end up being a mismatched pair. I couldn’t help thinking that once Ariel gets familiar with her new world, she’d be leaving him in the dust for someone new.
If these remakes have gotten one thing right, it’s in the casting and “Mermaid” is no exception. Javier Bardem supplies the perfect amount of gravitas and humor as King Triton, while David Diggs and Akwafina’s voice work as Sebastian the crab and Scuttle the seagull respectively, supply these CGI constructs with enough whimsy that you’re able to look past their odd physical appearance. As for Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, she does the best she can with the one-note character. The special effects do overshadow her, but I doubt anyone would have been able to make an impression in the face of this creation. With her hundreds of neon suckers, constantly moving tentacles and the way in which the octo-woman slides around the screen, this Ursula is a distracting construct. Unlike the other characters, little has been done with her to find the proper balance between the human performer and their pixeled extensions, the result being a sore thumb in this well-crafted aesthetic.
Like every musical ever made, this one is too long, the animated film’s brisk 83 minute running time, becoming a bloated two plus hour affair that ultimately taxes your patience. Three new songs have been added, the only keeper being “Scuttlebutt,” a rousing rat-a-tat number from Scuttle that, while entertaining is as superfluous as the other two new tunes. In the end, Marshall’s “Mermaid” is a mixed bag, an energetic, expensive piece of razzle dazzle that ultimately reveals itself to be nothing but a helping of spiced-up leftovers.
2 1/2 Stars
