() — As the film that kicked off Disney’s animation renaissance in 1989, the live-action “The Little Mermaid” comes with big fins to fill. Thanks in no small part to its leading lady, Halle Bailey, the lavish musical holds up well to the weight of those expectations, preserving the essence of the original while updating undernourished aspects of it and riding a warm wave of hard-to-resist nostalgia.
Older children may be jaded at the prospect of going back under the water, but parents and little ones alike should find plenty to like in the last exercise in the study of leaving no intellectual property untapped. Although the live-action adaptations have varied widely, “The Little Mermaid” is more like “Beauty and the Beast” than, say, “Dumbo” or the recent Disney+ flop “Pinocchio.”
Halle Bailey in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” (Credit: Walt Disney Studios/YouTube)
At first glance, viewers will wonder why this new version adds some 50 minutes to the length of the animated hit, probably recalling its colorful songs more than its love at first sight story.
By working with screenwriter David Magee and producer and Broadway star lin manuel miranda (who contributed new lyrics to augment Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s classics), director Rob Marshall (whose musical credentials include “Chicago” and “Into the Woods”) answers that question by fleshing out not just Ariel from Bailey, but also the object of her affection, Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King), who gets a new ballad and more backstory.
When the film was announced, it was hard to comprehend the unhinged reaction from the darker quadrants of social media and racist trolls in response to Bailey’s casting. Seeing her play the part wide-eyed and belting out songs like “Part of Your World” shows that the producers made a wise choice, which extends to Melissa McCarthy as the evil Ursula, who taps into Ariel’s longing. in his thirst for power, and Javier Bardem, who somehow manages to wear a crown and trident like King Triton.
Marshall bombards audiences with “Aquaman”-like imagery early on, conveying the grandeur of the underwater kingdom and Ariel’s restlessness. When she finally sings, the familiarity of the iconic song “Part of Your World” makes the experience almost interactive, drawing spontaneous applause just like a real musical.
There are a few tweaks to the set list, including a rap number for clueless bird Scuttle (Awkwafina), and it brings “Kiss the Girl” into the 21st century by dispensing with the food tune about cooking poor Sebastian (Daveed Diggs), whose role otherwise it is not diminished. (Previous concern with what sea creatures look like turns out to be much ado about nothing, though criticism of these kinds of efforts is inevitable.)
However, the heart of “The Little Mermaid” remains intact. On the plus side, Ariel and Eric spend more time together once she’s on land, which makes for a more organic romance. On the downside, the climactic showdown with Ursula is disappointing, but it was also one of the weaker elements of the original.
A company like “The Little Mermaid” obviously carries several peripheral concerns for Disney, from merchandising to its theme parks. The film manages to treat the material with sincere reverence, but without being shackled by it.
From that point of view, “The Little Mermaid” is both skillful and satisfying, and it overcomes the main challenge of allowing parents and children to create memories around the movie. His other trump cards aside, Bailey’s out-of-this-world contribution alone provides the kind of entertainment that justifies getting out of the summer sun, and in terms of enjoyment beyond that, it might even have legs.
“The Little Mermaid” opens on May 26 in US theaters. It is rated PG.
