'The Little Mermaid' on VOD, Undersea CGI Sludge Desperately Seeking a Reason to Exist, Stream It Or Skip It -

The Disney Commodities and Exchange Department has recently released its latest calculated movie, “The Little Mermaid,” which can now be streamed on VOD services like Amazon Prime Video. As part of the corporation’s growing library of “live-action” remakes, these films are mostly made using photo-realistic CGI. Some of these remakes impress with their visual prowess and modern thematic sophistication, such as “Peter Pan and Wendy,” “The Jungle Book,” and “Cinderella.” However, others are criticized for their redundant and unnecessary nature, like “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Pinocchio.”

Directed by Rob Marshall, known for “Chicago” and “Into the Woods,” the movie revisits the songs from the original 1989 “Little Mermaid” while incorporating new ones by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The cast features relative newcomer Halle Bailey, along with seasoned actors Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy. The question is whether this remake will breathe new life into the old story or leave audiences feeling overwhelmed with its superfluousness.

In this tale, humans and mer-folk have long been at odds, with Prince Eric being one of the few enlightened individuals who reject harmful superstitions and prejudices. Meanwhile, Ariel, King Triton’s daughter, is fascinated by humans and secretly collects their lost artifacts despite her father’s insistence on maintaining a divide between their worlds. Ariel saves Eric during a storm, sparking tension with her father and setting the stage for a parallel conflict on dry land, where Eric’s adoptive mother forbids him from venturing out to sea.

Enter Ursula, the Sea Witch, Triton’s sister, who seeks to overthrow him and rule the seas. Ursula manipulates Ariel into trading her siren singing voice for a pair of legs. The catch is that she must kiss a prince in an act of “true love” to remain human permanently, or she’ll become Ursula’s slave. Ariel agrees, driven by her desires, and is transformed into a human. She charms Eric despite her inability to speak, but the brewing powder keg threatens to explode as the story unfolds. Throughout, the characters express their emotions through musical numbers, adding an enchanting dimension to the tale.