‘The Little Mermaid’: Should this classic be redesigned?

Filmmaker Rob Marshall embarks on a live-action update of the the little Mermaid With Halle Bailey as Ariel, Javier Bardem as Triton, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. But was it really worth revisiting this Walt Disney classic?

Quick answer: yes and no.

flowers…

Rob Marshall’s filmography speaks for itself. to Chicago to Mary Poppins is back, passing by Pirates of the Caribbean: Fountain of YouthAnd Memoirs of a GeishaAnd nine And in the forest, the director has nothing else to prove. He knows how to put in pictures as many dramas as musicals, and they are all equally crass.

With this brand new Little mermaidIt is provided by the director – especially in the first hour of this feature film and during the singing under the sea Particularly exciting – dazzling sets, a continuous series of enchanting visual effects that take us back to childhood and amazing acting performances.

Because Halle Bailey is perfect in Ariel, the mermaid daughter of Triton, who fell in love with Eric (Jonah Hauer King), a young prince who nearly drowned. The actress and singer has everything of a Disney princess, including a good-quality napkin, which delights onlookers during all of the underwater scenes. The other star of the film is undoubtedly Melissa McCarthy, as easily as a fish in water in this villainous role that one would think was created to measure. Funny, outrageous, ego-driven, the one who became famous bridesmaids Fits nicely into this sparkling fantasy universe.

and the jar

But then, what’s wrong? One might be tempted to answer “everything else” though as it would be a good idea to give the “Pirates of the Caribbean” side to this island in the South Seas from which Eric will one day inherit the rule.

The parts in the “real” world, that is, the human, pale in comparison to the sea floor. Ariel’s naivety just doesn’t go so well anymore, the fact that she’s lost her voice isn’t so sentimental anymore, and her love affair with Eric seems…how shall I say…old-fashioned, especially when kiss the girl.

This fairy-tale background has been met with a bit of dust to warrant a 135-minute re-reading and the secondary roles of Triton, Ariel’s sisters, or even sidekicks Sebastian (voice of Daveed Diggs in the original version) and Scuttle (voice of Awkwafina) do nothing for the unnecessarily long theme. As for Jungle Book From 2016 or The king is a lion From 2019, both directed by Jon Favreau, the intent is commendable, but the score lacks novelty appeal or originality.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5