June 4, 2023 – Disney studios have been revisiting its old movie gold mines in recent years, using new computer graphics technology to turn hit animated films of yesteryear into modern live action ones, including “The Jungle Book” (2016) “Cinderella” (2015) “Aladin” (2019) and “Mulan” (2020).

I have enjoyed watching these remakes as an adult. Having real people play the roles once held by cartoon characters does make the movies more appealing to adults, particularly when it comes to romance, while children perhaps relate better to the cartoon versions of the same movies.

I happen to own a Diamond Edition of the cartoon version of “The Little Mermaid” (1989) which I bought recently. This particular three-disk set includes a 3D bluray of the movie, which is my preferred way of watching it. Last week, I saw the live action version, currently in theaters, in 3D as well, and that remake is the subject of this review.

Halle Bailey (not to be confused with Halle Berry) plays the role of Ariel, a mermaid who saves a drowning man, Prince Eric (played by Jonah Hauer-King of “A Dog's Way Home”) and falls in love with him. She is obsessed with the world above the waves. Eric, in turn is enchanted by the mysterious woman who saved him (he doesn't know that Ariel is a Mermaid) and is drawn to the sea.

Eric is the son of the king of a Caribbean island nation, and Ariel is the daughter of Triton (played by Javier Bardem of “Skyfall”) king of the sea, so it is not hard to see where this story is headed, but obstacles are put in the way of these would-be lovers. The first obstacle is that they are different species, but there is a magical way around that, provided by a sea witch, the exiled sister of Triton, Ursula (Melissa McCarthy of “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”).

Ursula can turn Ariel into a human being with magic, but she has an evil hidden agenda. In a plot similar to other fairy tales, Ariel will lose her magical voice forever, and become Ursula's slave, unless she receives true love's kiss within three days. This seems like a pretty bad bargain, but Ursula makes it even worse by cheating in various ways to stack the deck against Ariel and Eric.

Melissa McCarthy plays a great villain, and Halle Bailey is a gifted singer and a convincing actress. This remake retains the best music from the original film, which won Academy Awards for best original score and for best original song, “Kiss the Girl” in 1990. Another song from the same film, “Under the Sea,” also written by Alan Menken (music) and Howard Ashman (lyrics) was also nominated for an Academy Award. New songs were written for this new film by Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton”).

The death of Howard Ashman in 1991 was a huge loss to Disney and to music lovers everywhere, but much of the magic of his work on the 1989 animated film remains in this 2023 version. One of the stars of “Hamilton,” Daveed Daniele Diggs, gives a wonderful performance of “Under the Sea” in this film, as, of all things, a singing crab, Sebastian. He is one of several comic relief characters, including a clumsy sea bird, Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina of “Crazy Rich Asians”).

Much of the charm, and romance, in this film takes place in scenes between Ariel and Eric as they get to know each other. During most of these scenes, Ariel is unable to speak, which is quite a challenge for Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King, but they are up to the challenge. This is the sort of developing relationship that just doesn't work as well in cartoons as it does in live action.

I enjoyed this remake of “The Little Mermaid,” and I think the live action realism enhances the romance of the story. This film rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff (no extra charges apply). I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

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