A blue ocean with calm waves underneath a candyfloss pink sunset

Madeleine Brooks

The original The Little Mermaid film was a classic Disney animation released in 1989. I loved watching it as a child, so I couldn’t stop myself from going to see the live-action remake released this May.

Synopsis

“a Disney princess film wouldn’t end without a happily ever after”

The remake follows the main character, Ariel – a green-scaled mermaid who longs to be human. She saves the life of a human, Prince Eric, when he almost drowns, and falls in love with him. To be able to see him again, Ariel makes a dodgy deal with the sea witch Ursula in return for legs. The story follows the twists of the spell which entraps her within her human form and the meddling of Ursula to keep her that way. I won’t spoil the ending – but it’s well-known that a Disney princess film wouldn’t end without a happily ever after.

The live-action version combines actors and animation to create a believable, vibrant underwater kingdom deep in the ocean below a real-life castle.

A film focused on diversity

This live-action film is far more diverse than the 1989 animation. Halle Bailey, a black singer and actress, led the cast with her wide eyes and flawless face which make her perfect for the role of Ariel.

Before, Ariel’s hair was straight and bright red. In this film, though, Bailey wears slightly auburn dreadlocks. The change in Ariel’s race represents the change in attitudes of society since the cartoon was released.

“a Disney princess that looks like them”

As well as Ariel, the rest of the new cast was diverse, as every one of Ariel’s six sisters is played by actors of different races and ethnicities.

When I went to the cinema, I couldn’t help but notice the support from black and mixed-race viewers. On Bailey’s Instagram, too, I’ve watched multiple stories of the actress embracing and smiling with black children who look so proud to finally have a Disney princess that looks like them. The director’s decision not to default to the white character from the previous cartoon, or many other classic Disney films for that matter, increases inclusivity and unites black audiences.

Famous faces

Melissa McCarthy, well-known for her role in the series Gilmore Girls, was one of the leading roles and famous faces in The Little Mermaid. McCarthy played the chaotic role of Ursula, the evil sea witch. The actress’s legs were swapped for purple, slimy tentacles, whilst her usually charismatic nature became a maddening thrill in her expressions and tone, creating a terrifying portrayal of the menacing sea witch.

Not only did she act to her usual impressive level: she also had a powerful voice to match the role. This was demonstrated in her solo ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’, a chaotically entertaining song.

“what actress wouldn’t want to wear a glittering mermaid tail?”

Another famous face I noticed was Simone Ashley, who previously rose to fame during her season as the main character in Bridgerton. Ashley had a short cameo as one of Ariel’s sisters and only had about two lines, but her famous face did not go unnoticed. I can’t blame her for wanting to be involved even in a small capacity – what actress wouldn’t want to wear a glittering mermaid tail?

Awkwafina also features in the movie as the voice of Scuttle, the often confused yet humorous bird. I recognised her voice straight away from her work in the Marvel film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as Crazy Rich Asians.

Humour

“the sarcasm was unmissable”

I was honestly surprised by how funny I found The Little Mermaid. As a 20-year-old, I expected the humour to be aimed at younger children. But my friend and I just could not stop laughing as Ariel’s animated animal friends sang ‘Kiss the Girl’. Insects surrounded them to create mood lighting whilst luminescent blue fish circled the boat. During this scene, the sarcasm was unmissable in the character of the Jamaican crab, Sebastian, played by Hamilton star Daveed Diggs.

Music

The film’s soundtrack was as bouncy and magical as the talking sea creatures and mermaids who danced to it. Halle Bailey recorded the songs with her soft voice accompanying a live orchestra – perfect for her solo at the beginning of the movie, ‘Part of Your World’. In her career so far, Bailey has already released three albums with her sister, Chloe Bailey. Together they have over 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, not to mention the recent addition of new songs for The Little Mermaid.

The bottom line

The Little Mermaid is a must-see for all ages, from children to 20-year-olds like me and beyond. This modern, reformed version of the classic Disney princess tale included a diverse cast, as well as a mixture of buoyant acting and colourful animations, setting a precedent for all future Disney princess films.

 

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Image courtesy of Joseph Barrientos via Unsplash. See image license here. No changes were made to this image.

I am a Journalism and Media student at the University of Leeds. I love writing and hope to become a columnist in the future.

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