Following last night’s premiere, the first reaction to the latest Disney live action remake, The Little Mermaid, are now in. So, is this latest effort a worthy adaptation of the beloved classic? Or is The Little Mermaid another mediocre attempt to recapture the past? Let’s find out…
We shall begin with the positives, and The Little Mermaid fans will be happy to hear there are a lot of them, with many first reactions heaping praise on singer-songwriter Halle Bailey as the live action Ariel and even calling The Little Mermaid “the best Disney live-action adaptation to date.”
While others have found a few issues with bringing the tale of The Little Mermaid back to the big screen in live action, the consensus is that the movie is by far one of the more solid efforts to do so. Many have not only applauded Bailey for her performance, but Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian and Melissa McCarthy as the villainous Ursula, too.
The Little Mermaid is Due to Land in Theaters Later This Month
Of course, with the ups must inevitably come the downs, with some early reactions taking further issue with The Little Mermaid. While it seems that everyone lucky enough to see the Disney outing already found much to enjoy, The Little Mermaid does fall down when being compared to its animated predecessor, with one calling it “a mostly paint-by-numbers remake.”
The Little Mermaid is a retelling of the beloved 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 to interact 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.
Starring singer and actress Halle Bailey (grown-ish) as Ariel alongside Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric; Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as Sebastian; Awkwafina (Raya and the Last Dragon) as Scuttle; Jacob Tremblay (Luca) as Flounder; Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns) as Queen Selina; Art Malik (Homeland) as Sir Grimsby; with Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) as King Triton; and two-time Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Bridesmaids) as Ursula, The Little Mermaid will feature music by Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin) with lyrics by Howard Ashman, and new lyrics to new songs by three-time Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Directed by Oscar nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago, Mary Poppins Returns) with a screenplay by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee (Life of Pi, Finding Neverland), The Little Mermaid is scheduled to be released theatrically on May 26, 2023.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
