Log in / Sign up
 
    Share this page

    The Little Mermaid

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    "The Little Mermaid" is a work of art, an unforgettable fairy tale. It's the film that put Walt Disney studios back on the map as the forerunner in North American animated motion pictures; a musical that's sure to win the hearts of children and adults alike. You would be doing yourself a disservice by ignoring it.

    Ariel (voiced by Jodi Benson) is a 16-year-old mermaid who dreams of living on the surface world. After saving the life of Eric (Christopher Daniel Barnes), the prince of a nearby kingdom, Ariel falls in love. Unable to leave the water, she asks the sea witch Ursula (voiced by Pat Carroll) to help her walk on land.

    The inhabitants of “The Little Mermaid” are memorable. Although Ariel's goal is to leave the ocean so that she can be with the prince she's fallen in love with (well, what do you expect from a teenager really? ) there's a lot more to her character than that. From the beginning, she's established as a talented singer, a daring risk-taker, a curious explorer and a defiant young woman. She isn't just sitting idly by while the action is happening around her. She's the driving force behind the movie. Similarly, Ursula is more than a simple one-dimensional villain. She's manipulative, vain, intelligent and likable due to her twisted sense of humor. When she and Ariel are interacting it's clear that Ursula knows exactly which of the young mermaid's buttons to push. She's a memorable and credible antagonist that poses a genuine threat, particularly towards the film's climax. Even some of the side characters are well fleshed out despite their limited screen time (I'm thinking of Scuttle the Seagull, Sebastian the Crab or tropical fish Flounder) Even if they're one-joke characters, you'll love them. I get a real kick out of the French cook that barely speaks any French and has an explosive temper.

    There's a lot going on here. The film is brimming with humor with some meaty recurring jokes (Ariel's misuses of forks being a prominent example) You've got the “lovers of two different houses” romantic drama aspect, there's action/adventure and wonderful music to tie it all together. You can’t talk about this film without mentioning the Award winning score and songs, all sung by the actual voice actors. The songs/score written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman mesh perfectly with the rest of the film. The action doesn't stop so the fishes can have their song and dance numbers, these musical sequences add to the story and character development. I admire the fact that there really isn't a single tune that will stand out as "the one to look out for" either."Part of Your World"," Under the Sea"," Kiss the Girl" and "Poor Unfortunate Souls" are all equally good and original in their choice of voices, beat, and instruments.

    This is an amazing-looking film. The picture was made before the widespread use of computers, meaning that every single bubble and wave, every single cell was painstakingly created by hand. You don’t think about it at a quick glance, but imagine the number of special effects that were used to create the light shining through the rippling water or the distortions as we see Ariel's underwater home for the first time. Animator enthusiast or not, it's breathtaking to watch the elaborate sequences where dozens of sea creatures are swimming along, dragging bubbles behind them. I've gone on and one, but I want to draw attention to one aspect I find particularly striking here: the lighting. The sequence where Ursula sings "Poor Unfortunate souls" uses shadows dramatically, particularly towards the end. Pay particular attention to the obscurity generated when she is standing next to her cauldron and glowing light emanates from the various magical objects in the scene. The glows aren't just brightening up the skin tones and the background, it's creating atmosphere and altering the colors as real light does. Some subtle examples of the use of light include the sunlight that pokes through an opening in Ariel’s cavern retreat, reflecting on the sandy seafloor. Even though you'll be too busy while the story is progressing to notice all the little details, on repeat viewings you'll be taken aback trying to figure out how they pulled it all off.

    Going back to the drawings, there’s a tremendous amount of skill involved in the film. Hardly anything is static. Characters' hair and fins are constantly flowing as they move through the water. The Sea Witch Ursula is particularly impressive. Her tentacles are constantly moving but her character always stays on-model (so there aren't any frames where the animators got lazy and the suction cups disappear) Keep in mind that these characters swim in three dimensions. You get a lot more variance in the angles that you would in other classics like "Sleeping Beauty" and hardly any character is the same species as any other. There are dozens of different types of fish that form the chorus of singers and the main cast of Ursula, Eric and Ariel are all very distinct.

    If you're young you'll be swept away by the spectacle that's contained in the film and if you're an adult, congratulations! You're now old enough to fully appreciate all the little details that make this movie great. It's beautiful to watch, features some of Disney's best and catchiest songs, the characters are 3-dimensional and likable. The jokes are funny and the story is exciting, even moving at times. If you're a father, the film will really hit a soft spot and if you're looking to connect (or re-connect) with your little princess, watching this on Dvd (or Blu-ray as of September 2013) is a perfect opportunity to do so."The Little Mermaid" won over audiences when it was first released in 1989 and it still works wonders today. (On DVD, July 16, 2013)

    10
    HelpfulNot helpful  Reply
    adamwatchesmovies@  24.8.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

    Show all reviews for this movie
    Note: The movie review posted on this page reflects a personal opinion of one user. We are not responsible for its content.

    Did you see ''The Little Mermaid''?

    There is a problem with your e-mail address and we are unable to communicate with you. Please go to My Account to update your email.

    How do you rate this movie?

    Select stars from 1 to 10.
    10 - A masterpiece, go, see it now
    9 - Excellent movie, a must see
    8 - Great movie, don't miss it
    7 - Good movie, worth seeing
    6 - Not bad, could be much better
    5 - So so, okay if you don't pay
    4 - Not good, even if you don't pay
    3 - Poor movie, not recommended
    2 - Very bad, forget about it
    1 - Worst ever, avoid at all costs

    Please explain. Write your comment here:

    Please choose a username to sign your comments. Only letters, digits, dash - or period. Minimum 4 characters.

    Your age and sex:

    We publish all comments, except abusive, at our discretion.