The Little Mermaid Remake Has Failed My Childhood | Let's Talk

#thelittlemermaid #disney #remake #review
The Little Mermaid (2023) remake released 5/26/23. I randomly just up and decided to go see an 11pm showing on Sunday 5/28 using my hard-earned money. Here's a review. These are my thoughts after returning back home. Enjoy.
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Music (Intro/Outro): Ibrahim - A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes
@WondrousJoJo

[@Ginger18420]

Ok honestly though, what did you like about the movie?

[@WondrousJoJo]

1) Ariel and Eric spent more time together than in the original film. 2) Ariel's grotto looked great, as well as Ursula's lair. 3) Jodi Benson's cameo 4) Flounder's voice acting 5) The ocean/water/ships/maritime culture in general. 6) Ariel taking accountability for her actions and actually apologizing. 7) Ariel telling Eric her own name, rather than Sebastian. 8) Seeing a diverse range of mermaids (the ending scene) instead of them all being white like in the original film. 9) The added second reprisal for Part of Your World wasn't half bad. 10) Though I'm disappointed that the super red hair is gone, the rest of her color scheme was actually nice, like her tail and breast-covering. If I were to think a little more on it, I could probably come up with a few more.

[@juniourst3ven596]

​@@WondrousJoJo When you talked about how Halle Bailey sang 'Part Of That World', don't you mean she lacked passion in that ARiEAl?!? ☺️

[@WondrousJoJo]

@@juniourst3ven596 *Ba Dum Tss* :D

[@nut4ku]

I dont like the live action, but especially for this song need to be considered carefully because I've watch lots of part of your world analysis and that's a thing that i can say that disney really care about the movie and put their effort on it. This is also the best "I Want" song in the entire Disney universe. It's one of the most major changes that made this film not so bad (although i still hate this movie). Well both version actually work with their own way. Howard Ashman specifically asked for "Part of Your World" to be sung like a monologue, it's not meant for anyone else outside of the grotto to hear what Ariel was singing, the scene should be more intimate with a youthful wonder, more gentleness and love for the world on land, since the focus of the song is something she loves. In the original version, when Ariel sighs and the song ends slowly and gently with the last few verses, I can really feel the emotion there which is the things Ariel tells us what she wants to do in the song are just wishful thinking at this point. The live action is more cheerful and hopeful and also the orchestration supports that adding a new wonderful intensity to the song. I don't think the remake version capture the emotions of the original but yeah everything doesnt need to be the same since this is live action remake so I hope that there's some improvisations too. In the animated version, Ariel wishes to be part of the human world, she felt sad that the ocean was trapping her in a way that no one else seemed to understand, but in the remake version, they made Ariel sound like she hate the fact that the ocean is trapping her (that's showed by she emphasized the words 'stand' and 'above'), feeling sad about something isn't the same as feeling hate towards something. The reprise in the remake should sound hopeful, but here it just feels like repeating the same kind of singing of the first part, which adds no new emotion to the song. The live action version actually have lots of imperfection in the beginning, but really works in middle to the end. So which is the best? We all know that the original Part of Your World will always win not just because the nostalgia vibe but also Jodi Benson (original Ariel's voice actress) is really well and carefully directed by Howard Ashman, the legendary lyricist who made Disney rise from its downfall and started the renaissance era of Disney, who recently returned from his huge career in musical broadway theater world that time, that even her breaths, stress and pause on each syllable are really well and gently cared for. But if we judging them with Howard's standards, I dont think that this is fair. So if we see this as "I Want" song, the original is more gentle and intimately that showings desperate hope while the live action one is more cheerful and hopeful. It depends on your perspective to determine it. The original is about a little hope, wish and dream from your heart that you want to say but you dont want everyone to know about while the live action shows your hope, wish and dream that you want to shout to everyone to let the world know. Well Im not good at explaining so here's the full explanation. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5jPdYx8gZqJoa8 Also an important part of maintaining that type of reserved passion is also that the original song does not change key. In the worlds of pop music and musical theater finishing off with a key change is a helpful tool for bringing songs to a heightened emotional level and when covering Part of Your World, some people have done exactly that but I don't really think that a key change is necessary because that wasn't the intent of the songwriters. In fact I think that's staying in the same key the whole time is what makes it work so well having it push and pull and eventually bring Ariel back down to where she started tells a story effectively it even ends with the same motif it began with showing the audience the life that she wants but then going back to the life that she has. As you can see in the first (look at this stuff) and last (part of that world) sentence the song doesn't change the key at all which really shows that the song is just a small wish from the bottom of her heart and then she realizes that it is impossible to achieve so she returns to the world/reality where she lives. So yeah the live action one is more like a current pop music imo because they change the key, making the highs feels higher and as a result the lows feel lower. But it still works as "I Want" song. From this you can know that Howard Ashman was a great lyricist that he can even tell a story from a song. He also made the song dynamically switching from singing to talking and vice versa but the transition between them is still unnoticeable. Well because im bad at explaining so here's the full explanation. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGGTZambq6uNj7M Some people say that Jodi sings the song as a character and Haile sings the song like she is in front of America's Got Talent's juries. Well i can agree with that. Actually, directors (I mean Ashman) do direct them in a certain way. When Jodi Benson was recording, the director specifically told her that she had to sing like she was saying something intimate instead of belting it like she was in front of thousands of people, that's why all her big notes don't actually sound big and powerful but sweet and dramatic. While I believe in Halle's version they did quite the opposite. You can see that Ariel in the live action version is a sligthly less interacting with the environment around it. But the most sadly that the live action lost the cute interaction between Ariel and Flounder, like Ariel clutching its fins and dancing together, which shows that Ariel has more personality (well because you know Flounder here looks very hyper-realistic in live action, almost like a normal thropical fish so i dont think it will works). But I'm still grateful because they removed some of the scenes that disturbed this intimate moment, such as the part where Sebastian screams and winks. And I really hate the fact that the live action one make the surroundings become darker just to attempt to be more realistic. The consequence is that we are not shown how many and unique objects in Ariel's cave which is a quite important part in showing how interested she is in the human world. Now they are all covered by the darkness. Also the really butchered songs are Poor Unfortunate Soul and Kiss the Girl. The lyrics changes is unnecessary and completely ruined the meaning of the song. Under the sea is just out of context because Ariel is not supposed to sung along at that part. You know it's just shows that they dont even care about the story and just want to show off Halle's voice. I dont know what they want to fix from the original even though they just kept ruined Ashman’s legacy. The additional songs are okay, except for Scuttlebutt, it is just a trash. It should not be exist anymore. I mostly prefer Le Poisson than this garbage. I know both songs are supposed to be a jokes but Le poisson is happy and fun meanwhile scuttlebut is cringe. In the original, scuttle doesnt need to sings a literall song and waste our 2 minutes just to conveyed Ariel that Eric is getting married. Scuttle was not character that is designed to be able to sing in the first place (you can see it from kiss the girl scene when its voice literally ruined the mood) yet in this live action they literally gived it a song?! I like they added new song for Eric but bro they keep tried to kill his character in every chances.

[@tjhill8093]

​@WondrousJoJo I saw you knit picking about the stupidest shit about a movie that's literally called A Remake, it's like people don't understand the damn definition. Also a lot of people's childhood being so called messed up over a fake Mermaid story is laughable, seems like a lot of the world needs to grow up Big Ass Babies. It's called a live action remake there's no mermaids or golden castles in the damn ocean. Weak Ass people crying because of a fake damn cartoon when there's more important shit in the country that people should be worried about😒

[@TheLostWorldFanChann]

Ariel actually saves Eric not once but TWICE in the original movie. Once during the shipwreck and at the end when Ursula is about to zap Eric with the Triton and says "Say goodbye to your lover boy" Ariel pulls her hair and she misses hitting her own henchmen and says "Babies . . . My poor little poopsies." Eric only got the final kill shot in the original and they took that away from him. It's also what proves to King Triton that humans aren't so bad in the original.

[@WondrousJoJo]

You're so right!!! This only makes Disney look worse with this whole "girlboss" era. 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@charg1nmalaz0r51]

@@WondrousJoJo She technically saves him from human Ursula with her animal friends too, i know it isnt quite the same thing but in the original Ariel was depicted much better. As was Eric. I also loved Erics arc in the original. His story is about chasing after an unobtainable dream woman and learns that he has someone real right in front of him. It just so happens they are one and the same.

[@Crawlingdreams418]

@@WondrousJoJo there was an interview with Scott Bailey (the man behind most, if not all of these remakes) and he completely misrepresented the morals of the originals by saying that they just taught girls to be pretty and do nothing. I NEVER got that idea from any of these movies, especially the 89-99 ones

[@RoseBaggins]

@@Crawlingdreams418 now that I do find funny, considering that Cinderella's Prince literally just stood there and looked pretty. In a way, so did Eric ... until the very end.

[@dawrong1615]

Yeah but Eric intercepted Ursula's attacks twice to save Ariel as well. And he doesn't even marry her like he did in the first version. No real connection or chemistry between these two at all. They come off to me as friends with benefits or close roommates at best, not soul mates like Real Ariel and Eric.

[@Zephyrus555]

Disney doesn’t seem to understand storytelling anymore and sacrifices the story for cheap girl boss moments. In the original Prince Eric goes back into a dangerous situation and kills Ursula to save Ariel. King Triton hated humans and thought they were all bad, so Eric saving Ariel helped change his mind about humans. It was Eric proving that he loved Ariel and that he was worthy of her in Triton’s eyes. He sees how much they love each other and give her legs, even though he knows he will be separated from his daughter. I always loved that moment after the wedding when Ariel hugs her father and thanks him, and Prince Eric bows in respect to King Triton and the King nods his approval. By having Ariel kill Ursula, it removes the reason as to why the mermaids and humans can brought together. It robs Eric of a heroic moment that proves his love and that he’s willing to sacrifice himself for her. It also robs the audience of the fairytale wedding moment with the beautiful princess and the handsome Prince who literally sail off into the sunset to live happily ever after. The ending where Eric doesn’t have a heroic moment, there is no romantic wedding, and Eric and Ariel just getting pushed off in a rowboat just seems so dingy in comparison. Disney seems to think that romance and love are a negative for the female characters and it’s really sad.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Well said! Great explanations!

[@davecook-vann7336]

Um...you have that in the OG. And who says you have to have a prince rescue a princess and a wedding to make a good story? Shoot in the novel she dies lol. They could have done that lol. If you actually watch the film, she has every reason to be the one to kill Ursula. There is nothing wrong with making Ariel not be some helpless girl. Spoiler warning: Not to mention, Ursula has done nothing but manipulate and try and destroy everything dear to Ariel, and for her to just sit back and go, "OH ERIC SAVE ME!" is kind of ridiculous. Now here is the spoiler, not only does Ursula trick her with the contract, she also tries to thwart the kiss, she also kills King Triton. And then tries to kill Eric. In fact when Triton is brought back by the trident she tells him Eric helped. Is the film perfect? Oh heck no. But I am glad they didn't do a cookie cutter film like The Lion King, which for that reason was atrocious.

[@vetarlittorf1807]

@@davecook-vann7336 "There's nothing wrong with making Ariel not to be some helpless girl." You say that as if she was one in the original when that couldn't be farther from the truth. Just because Ariel was allowed to have a vulnerable side doesn't mean she's helpless. Furthermore, Ariel being the one who kills Ursula hurts the story because that means Triton has no reason to have a change of heart about humans, especially in this version where humans have apparently been actively killing merpeople. It also just doesn't make any sense for Ariel to suddenly and inexplicably know how to operate a ship, especially when she has no legs and is in the middle of a storm. It doesn't even make sense for Ursula not to be focused on Ariel. In the original, Ursula tried to kill Ariel because she made her kill Flotsam and Jetsam. Eric meant nothing to her. Having Eric be the one to kill Ursula to save Ariel is important because it's the moment where he becomes a man and where he repays his debt to Ariel, allowing them to enter a new life together as equals.

[@davecook-vann7336]

@@vetarlittorf1807 1. I didn't mean she was completely helpless in the original as far as vulnerability and such, I meant Eric doing all the work and her not being able to fight back which is exactly what happened in the animated. 2. Eric fighting Ursula was NEVER the reason why Triton had a change of heart and made her human again. Not once does Triton even thank Eric nor does he mention him at all except "She really does love him, doesn't she Sebastian?" So no, your argument that Eric not defeating Ursula hurts the story because it didn't give Triton the chance to see that not all humans are bad. 3. She didn't know how to fully operate a ship. She saw Eric trying to steer the ship during the storm, if you actually paid attention to the live action she never stopped watching him. She saw him steering the ship. recognized the helm and saw what it was doing. She wasn't just standing on the tip of her tail. She was using it WITH the wheel to keep her propped up WHICH in a movie about mermaids IS possible. 4. It makes sense Ursula focuses on Eric during the final battle because Ursula just killed Triton and next would be Ariel's love. Hello, you just said it yourself, Ursula is trying to kill Eric because Ariel caused her to kill the ones she loves, Flotsam and Jetsam, and so Ursula wanted to kill Eric to return the favor, so you just proved that what they did in the live action, does work. 5. Nothing about the final battle makes Eric "a man" as you put it. Most of your arguments can easily be disputed, as I have done. You people who claim to be fans of the original and know about it, I can't tell you how many times ya'lls arguments clearly shows that you don't actively watch it. Specially about Triton/Eric. Triton NEVER acknowledges that Eric changed his mind, just that he knew that Ariel loved him so much that maybe things weren't what he thought.

[@vetarlittorf1807]

@@davecook-vann7336 "I meant Eric doing all the work and her not being able to fight back which is exactly what happened in the animated" Why is that a bad thing? Ariel saved Eric's life TWICE. Why is he not allowed to save her in return? "Eric fighting Ursula was NEVER the reason why Triton had a change of heart and made her human again." Yes it was. "Not once does Triton even thank Eric nor does he mention him at all except "She really does love him, doesn't she Sebastian?"" Triton literally bowed to Eric out of respect and gratitude in the end. Eric saving his daughter is literally what made him see that he was wrong about humans. "She saw Eric trying to steer the ship during the storm, if you actually paid attention to the live action she never stopped watching him." By your logic, I could fly a plane by observing a pilot doing it one time. Ariel is a mermaid. The very concept of steering a ship should be completely alien to her considering she didn't even know what the things she collected are for. "It makes sense Ursula focuses on Eric during the final battle because Ursula just killed Triton and next would be Ariel's love." No it doesn't. Ursula already took out Triton, whom Ariel loves. Why wouldn't Ursula want to kill Ariel after she made her kill her beloved pets? "Nothing about the final battle makes Eric "a man" as you put it." Not in the live action version, no. Because in that movie, Eric is a blank page with no arc. In the animated version, Eric is burdened by the expectations of his kingdom and tries to flee them by sailing because the sea is his comfort zone. But he has no ambitions to fight for because he is so shy. It isn't until he falls in love with Ariel when he finally has something to strive for and embrace his duty as king, which is symbolized by him risking his life to save Ariel. His arc is in fact symbolic for a boy becoming a man. "You people who claim to be fans of the original and know about it, I can't tell you how many times ya'lls arguments clearly shows that you don't actively watch it." Says the one who thinks Ariel was nothing but a damsel in distress in the original and defends the ridiculous decision to have her kill Ursula even though Eric doing it is essential to the story. "Triton NEVER acknowledges that Eric changed his mind," It seems you need to be spoonfed everything to comprehend storytelling. Also, like I said, Triton literally bowed to Eric in gratitude during the wedding, a humble gesture that shows that he admits he was wrong about humans.

[@lilsbourne]

Some people don't like original Ariel and call her stupid and I don't get it. Her dad destroyed her grotto and yelled at her so she behave like a teenager she is. She decided to fulfil her dream and she would get the kiss sooner if Ursula wasn't playing dirty. Ariel is a little bit naive but she is a 16 year-old so it makes sense. She is an adventurer and the explorer so I thing she's a great character.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Hello! While Ariel was never my favorite character, I wouldn't particularly label her as "stupid". I personally would label her faults more like irresponsible, selfish, and reckless. I do agree with you that she definitely is acting more appropriate for someone her age. Over the years, I've grown less critical of Ariel. I honestly used to hate her lol, but now, she's not so bad. I still do not like how Ariel nearly ruined the ocean, her family, and kingdom over her own selfish desires. I can admit that Ariel also has wonderful qualities like her voice, her sense of passion, she's cute (lol), headstrong, she has an awesome hobby (collecting), and she's quite brave. -JoJo

[@lilsbourne]

@@WondrousJoJo Hi! :) Well, adolescents usually develop deviant behaviour when their parents don't listen to them. Triton never listened and then he destroyed her collection. I'd say it's his fault) And it was his decision to sell his soul to save Ariel. Apparently he didn't think about his other daughters or the kingdom)

[@andreasmeelie1889]

@@lilsbourne Well, I'm sure he did but he'd risk his life for any of them and not just for Ariel. Heck, he could have also been hoping that if he gave Ursula what she wanted she'd hopefully not hurt anybody but found out that he was wrong. :(

[@Huh9631]

She did consider how she would never see her family again, but she knew how unhappy she’d be if she stayed

[@KaylaMarie_]

Ursula being a misogynist is perfect because Ursula is literally the bad guy. Its weird that they dont understand their own movie.

[@davecook-vann7336]

Ursula didn't have a dislike nor prejudice against women lol. Where did you get that from lol? She just sought power. She disliked everyone who wasn't Flotsam and Jetsam lol.

[@KaylaMarie_]

@@davecook-vann7336 I got it from the movie and listening to her dialogue and songs

[@MonsterKidCory]

Progressives have a weird tendency to think the villain is the thematic voice of the movie. Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid... All of these films are diametrically opposed to the idea that only looks matter. Literally, their entire theme is that no, it's NOT only looks that matter. But dumb people think they're saying that yes, ONLY looks matter. Why? Because the VILLAIN said so 🤦

[@KaylaMarie_]

@@MonsterKidCory Im actually very progressive so if thats true i guess im an outlier.

[@KaylaMarie_]

@@davecook-vann7336 where did i get it from? The movie lol. I mean I guess she could have been faking it to trick Ariel, but she presented herself as a misogynist.

[@qpasokbron]

i always think about how howard to jodi not to ‘oversing’ part of your world but rather to just feel it in the moment. halle’s version just feels like a cover, not like ariel longing in her cave.

[@jacobsed6665]

“Ariel is a murderer, she murdered her Auntie” 😂😂😂 omg I didn’t even think about that

[@WondrousJoJo]

RIGHT!!! 😬 Disney dropped the ball!

[@CordeliaWagner]

I would mordar my aunt if she was a psychopathic overpowered witch on a rampage threaten to end everybody I love and care for.

[@mikesmith743]

well....murder is defined as a human killing another human so....

[@VJlssi]

I think the context is that she offed her in self defence considering the auntie was in the middle of murdering everyone…

[@WondrousJoJo]

Or...they could've kept it the way it was and had Eric do it. He could've been good for SOMETHING in this movie.

[@frankb3347]

Eric helped. Well not really... but he was physically present. Which counts as emotional support. So Eric helped. He's an emotional support human. You know like a dumb pet that you keep around for comfort.

[@Kelsey1987]

LOL 😂

[@Dan_-]

He'd better have a worthless certificate that proves that.

[@adrielisaacs9228]

Bwahahaha, Eric the emotional support human.

[@NoName-zm2ox]

Yeah🤣. And when Eric returned to the shore after Ariel defeated Ursula, he said that he agreed with his mother that there was no girl he so dreamed of and was looking for😂👍🏿👌

[@jacobsed6665]

The romance felt so WEIRD to me. Didn’t feel convincing at all. They cut out the part where Eric sees Ariel in the pink princess dress for the first time. Like why??? It was here we visibly see Eric falling in love with Ariel. Live action Ariels blue dress was giving peasant handmaiden. There is no scene where Eric visibly falls in love with Ariel in the Live Action. However, I DID like the part where Ariel throws the fossil to reveal the crystal and blows the horn, it was the only part where I thought Halle’s acting was innocent, sweet and determined. But that was it. The dance in the cartoon was also so sweet and intimate which further added to the romance but they made it into like a broadway dance in the live action. It just felt like actors dancing around with no intimacy. I HATED the change where Ariel forgets about the kiss. Literally what was the point of that? So she doesn’t look like a predator? So stupid. What was even the point of the deal if she forgets about it. Gives Ariel no direction or determination once she’s on land. In Aladdin live action the romance felt more genuine, but they did have a lot of screen time together since the start of the movie and in the little mermaid it was only half of the movie. But if the cartoon can do a decent job at the romance I don’t see why the live action movie, which was almost an hour longer, cannot. Changing the wedding to an engagement party just totally lowered the stakes. What was Ariel running for? If Eric and Vanessa got engaged they can easily break up. It’s not a contract or ceremony like a wedding 😂 Also the fact that Ariel had to have a cat fight and break the shell, not scuttle and max. 🙄 Girl really has to do EVERYTHING herself 😂 Sebastian wasn’t even allowed to tell Eric her name, she also had to do that herself 🤭 Also the engagement not taking part in a ship was sad. It would’ve felt more ocean-y to me. Eric not killing Ursula was the nail in the coffin for me. TLM is, was and always will be my favourite Disney cartoon. This live action just ruined it. They could’ve made the perfect live action after learning from the ones they’ve already made but it seems like Disney will never learn. They honestly could’ve made an iconic live action but they just blew it.

[@annas4843]

I missed the part where the seagull dresses Ariel with the canvas from the ship wreck and says “sensational”… 😅 That’s when she meets with Eric, and despite not knowing her and she can’t speak to him, he decides to help her and takes her in his castle… ❤

[@Kelsey1987]

In this movie it’s like they took every iconic moment in the original and somehow made them unbearable to get through. We don’t even get any cute outfits for Ariel just two pink and blue dresses that look exactly the same? In the original film Ariel has different outfits that she wears. Of course the iconic pink ballgown outfit and the beautiful sparkly dress she wears at the end of the film and her wedding dress. And her outfit where her hair is in a blue bow was extremely cute but in this movie we get literally nothing memorable. It’s like they didn’t even try to make her outfits look like the OG Ariel outfits. Very disappointing

[@WondrousJoJo]

"Ya look great, kid. You look sensational!" I love Scuttle! 💜😂

[@Cosmoman78]

I really didnt like the change about Eric. His act of risking his life to save Ariel and killing Ursula was supposed to be the point why Triton changed his opinion about humans. He is reduced to a man which role is "just being there" for reasons.

[@federicatrevisan3767]

​@@Kelsey1987 That's pretty sad you're right...and speaking of the weird costume department choices, I still despise that WTH pink headband (with the blue dress), why indeed?!😬🩷🤌💈

[@9rbloomer836]

Wait! Those crappy mossy rocks are Atlantica?! REALLY? The sheer laziness and nerve, Disney! You can do WWWAAAYYY better! I agree that the acting in many ways isn't super great. From what I'm seeing, I'm only buying Vanessa the most in the acting. I really appreciate your criticism for Ariel being too self sufficient. They took so much away from Eric as a character from this one. Thanks for your insight and great video!

[@davecook-vann7336]

Its not Atlantica anymore and its a complete reference to the novel, which this film pays tribute to a few times throughout. Not to mention, notice how close to the surface it is? You gonna tell me a huge golden shining palace wouldn't have been seen from the surface? Lol

[@lexirandolph3378]

Halle is a great singer, but I liked Jodi's singing for these songs in particular, better. Also, definitely agree regarding Halle's acting. She clearly tried, but it really didn't feel believable to me.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Yeah, I blame whoever directed Halle to sing the way she did. Her talent is undeniable, but the way they had her sing just didn't fit as well. They did the same thing with Beyoncé in "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." The runs and riffs and over-singing is just not really that fitting for these kinds of productions IMO.

[@lexirandolph3378]

@@WondrousJoJo Yes! The director definitely had her take the song in a different direction, and it just doesn't fit very well. That's exactly what I've been saying, about overdoing it with the riffs and runs. It takes away from the meaning of the song, in my opinion. It's supposed to be a monologue -- both spoken and sung, not just bulldozed over with vocal acrobatics. Everyone gets so mad when I say this, thank you lol.

[@seiya-chon]

It seems like the director just told her to show off her vocal abilities instead of expressing the feelings better

[@akw23]

@@WondrousJoJoI feel neutral about the movie but I have to challenge on the vocals. I don’t think Halle implemented very many runs and riffs at all, BUT this was a more Broadway/Theatre/Classical performance. In fact, that was my biggest worry when I heard she was casted. I don’t think you can (or should) compare this to the Lion King (reason is above). Halle sang with a high larynx/mixed head voice, which classically fits Disney. Beyonce is obviously fantastic but very sultry/r&b and her voice felt heavy in Lion King, imo. Totally agree with the Under the Sea take as it sounded forced with her singing there. I felt it was misplaced and took away from what the original film tried to portray. Which is - Ariel being oblivious and daydreaming about land all day, not sitting on a turtle doing ad-libs. Unnecessary fluff.

[@akw23]

@@neytiri58 Interpretation of style is debatable and personal to the viewer, so it’s fine to disagree - just as I did in my original post. My point is that what she is doing here is not r&b, at least not to me. It seemed theatrical.

[@denisletourneau9750]

How refreshing to hear an HONEST REVIEW with a full movie review explanation.

[@clairelin0216]

In the animated version, Ariel and Eric saved each other, they're already a balanced couple, the reason why we see this in the animated version is because up until that point in time in the late 80s, Disney decided that they would give both the male and female lead more character and they would both be more active in the story than before, we can see hints of this in Sleeping Beauty, but it's not until we see The Little Mermaid that they actually put in this idea of having balanced couple. Ariel pulled Eric up from the sea and saved his life in the middle of the storm, even for people with impossible standards, saving someone's life is still the most you can do on that scale. Much later, when we see Ariel taken away by Ursula, we see Eric jumping into the sea, swam all the way down there to throw a harpoon at Ursula, distracting Ursula enough to make Ursula change her target to let Ariel get away from Ursula's grip. When Ursula decided to kill Eric, Ariel pulled on Ursula's hair to make Ursula just missed Eric, and she became the first Disney princess that actually killed some characters in a Disney movie because of it. Later, Eric climbed onto a ship with a broken bow at the front in the middle of the crazy storm that Ursula had created, and he drove that ship into Ursula while Ursula is focused on killing Ariel. Now, for the people who said that Eric has no reason to kill Ursula. First of all, Ursula was a threat, when Eric killed her, she was a giant sea monster holding an obvious glowing weapon in the middle of a crazy storm. Second, she used Ariel's voice to trick Eric into marrying her, and now she's trying to kill the girl that he is sure that is his true love. Eric had plenty of reasons to end Ursula. It was also established in the animated version that not only was Ariel not have the experiences needed for steering ships, her mermaid tail also makes it impossible for her to stand, and steering ships need some things: Good upper body strength to control the wheel and turn the wheel in a certain direction for the ship to change it's course when needed with consistent force, good lower body strength to stay upright and stable and not letting the wheel block your target, and experiences with the activity. Just like how watching someone drive for hours doesn't make you a good driver if you've never drove a car before, steering ships is the same, you can't just learn from watching someone do it. Now on the plot perspective. The original conflict in the plot was that Triton hated humans, he believes that humans are good for nothing than destruction, for him, humans are barbarians incapable of any genuine feelings and noble actions. But Eric was shown to be a good human by the way he talks with his subjects, how he prefers to humble himself seen in the expression that he didn't like the idea of people portraying him in the strong and regal image with the statue, he goes back on the burning ship just to save his dog. And later, when the woman he loves is in danger, he literally dived into the sea and killed a sea monster for her. Eric is everything you could ever want in a guy, brave, noble, kind, humble, sweet and you can be sure that he is ready to fight monsters for you if he says he cares. Also, by Eric's heroic act to protect Ariel that almost got him killed, it resolved Triton's prejudice on humans because Eric also saved Triton in the process of saving Ariel, Triton was touched by Eric's noble action, and he's shown to respect Eric for the noble action, and he gave his blessings for Eric to marry Ariel as a father. Triton acknowledged Eric as an equal royal on the land and the son-in-law that he's proud of. And if you actually find some videos on how the original animated version's creators decided on how each character was made, they specifically discussed their idea on having both the male and female lead push the story forward. They will both do something in the story that they're capable of doing and resolve the conflict in the plot. Which is something that they've never done before, we see hints of this change in Sleeping Beauty and prince Philip, but it's not until 1989 that they actually developed a personality and ideals for a prince, the prince is no longer there for the sake of being there, he's an actual human being that longs for emotional connection. The Little mermaid was my entire childhood, and who showed that to me? My mom. My mom who doesn't know a thing about drawing and how to use contrast of colors, who doesn't know a thing about writing stories, and even then she approved that it is a classic that's okay for me to watch as a kid. Disney never seem to understand their stories, if Ariel's motivation of being human was simply just about Eric like they claimed it was, then the song Part of Your World shouldn't be in there because that song contradicts everything they said about Ariel's motivations. This movie...Are we not allowed to watch movies that came out of good writing that actually makes sense in the story's universe anymore?

[@draykohunter6805]

Such a great analysis 👏

[@clairelin0216]

@@draykohunter6805 Thank you!

[@RandomPerson-b9sd]

You know and have put out the entire story in a way that the direction of the live action TLM could never, Well done!!

[@clairelin0216]

@@RandomPerson-b9sd Thank you! It's my pleasure😁

[@Stinoco]

The problem is that this movie shouldn’t be made into live action. The CGI and acting needed for it basically ruined underwater scenes because they’re almost impossible to make. Actors had a restrictive space to move, which made the acting more stiff. When Ursula’s sidekicks died, she basically didn’t move. And it’s not McCarthy’s fault. If you watch the making of this movie, they had a lot of restrictions to move

[@alizeestl8021]

They made Eric a simp instead of Ariel and it was so annoying... As if women are not allowed to be the ones crazy in love anymore and men only exist to boost their esteem

[@lauraw2526]

I hadn't heard the 'Ariel is a murderer' perspective. It's a great point, and makes the choice to have Erik kill her in the original make a lot more sense. Also makes the change to have them be related a lot worse... And yes, there's nothing wrong with letting a man help a woman! It's horribly tragic to tell little girls that they have to do everything themselves, and to tell boys that they shouldn't even try.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Absolutely. Making Triton and Ursula official siblings was a bad idea, mostly because of how the movie ended. Yeah, that's a harmful ideology. In real life, there have been more cases on the rise of males not feeling comfortable anymore assisting women because they're told women don't need their help and that if they do help in certain situations, they can become the bad guy or suffer for it. Sad, really.

[@clairelin0216]

@@WondrousJoJo The original writers of the animated version abandoned the idea of letting Ursula have a backstory because they wanted to focus on the most important parts needed to tell a story and the most important parts of the characters they present. So in the original they were more like "Here's the villain and here's what she wants to do, she'll appear later and push the plot forward and don't root for her." when they introduced Ursula. Basically Disney didn't really out much into backstories because that can drag the story down, they only have about 100 minutes max to tell the story given the children's short attention spams, which I think is the reason why this remake doesn't work because it's way too long, like the longest animated film I ever watched was still shorter than this remake.

[@maiteenataliaarocho3540]

I never understood why they decided to make Triton and Ursula siblings since they aren't even the same species, why couldn't she just be a woman who was hungry for power and keep her the devious villain that she was. And I did not even think about the fact that Ariel just killed a family member! you are so right! Plus how did Ariel know how to steer the ship? She looked ridiculous dragging her but over to that wheel. Taking away Eric's moment not only made him useless but it gave Triton no reason to trust this man. (Killing Triton was also dumb) In the original, King Triton, not dead but a weird seaweed thing, saw how Eric strikes Ursula and put his life on the line for Ariel. It helped convince him the humans aren't bad. So to me, when Ariel is the one to do it, it takes away the redemption for humans.

[@WondrousJoJo]

100% agree!

[@UNDEFINEDpreSENCE]

Because in the sequels of the animation, it’s hinted or theorized that Ursula and Triton are related. Y’all just focusing on the original film, and not checking out the animated sequels they made.

[@maiteenataliaarocho3540]

@UNDEFINEDpreSENCE I have seen the sequel multiple times, and it still doesn't make Ursula and Triton siblings as Canon. A hint without justification or evidence is just a rumored theory that has no basis. The sequel focuses more on Morgana avenging Ursula than it being a hinted sibling feud between Morgana, Ursula and Triton. It also makes no sense!

[@WondrousJoJo]

And now that you mention it...if Morgana was "Ursula's crazy sister" (as said by Sebastian), then wouldn't that also be Triton's OTHER crazy sister? But the movie specifically stated that it was URSULA'S sister... which insinuates that Disney officially went with Ursula just being a non-related (to Triton) citizen who was banished and exiled by Triton.

[@lih1203]

not only there's no father daughter feeling between ariel and triton, even triton and the other daughters don't have such feels. like .. in their meeting (which was supposed to be a concert) , triton address them with names one by one, and the daughters just give a nod to him.....what kind of daughter would only nod to their father ?

[@WondrousJoJo]

Lol! That's true! I think they were trying to make it feel more regal by having them nod and be stiff like that... which is still bad regardless of how we try to spin it. I agree with you that he just didn't feel like a DAD.

[@lih1203]

@@WondrousJoJo Yea, I don't mind they just make them not the daughters, just random queens of the seas, that would make more sense 😂

[@sarahl2481]

Yes OG Scuttle was in the same vein of your cooky 'uncle' that is actually just a long-time friend of your dad's. Helpful when actually needed but long-winded & silly & sometimes in the way when nothing's happening.

[@tahlia__nerds_out]

I love that description! 😂

[@annas4843]

He said Scuttle was annoying when he was singing… I don’t know, I liked Ariel’s expression in the original that moment! We all have this friend who tries to help us with the boy we like but only makes it worse and embarrasses us at the end😅 (with all good intention ofc)

[@sarahl2481]

@@annas4843 never said that i didn't find him annoying, just that he was cooky, helpful, but it the way sometimes 🙂

[@annas4843]

@@sarahl2481 not you, sorry, I meant the guy in the video 😁

[@mzalchemy9236]

Scuttle was at least useful in the original and not just some dumb friend. He actually assists Ariel in getting her voice back by taking & breaking the shell that contained Ariel’s voice but in this live action version, Scuttle is just the dumb & annoying tag along.

[@battybuddy]

Personally I always saw Scuttle as being the old crazy-yet-harmless and friendly vagabond who lives just outside of town, and loves to tell random impossible stories he makes up on the spot to anyone willing to hear, and since Ariel didn’t know he was full of it, and ate up his random stories like candy, she was a friend for life as far as he was concerned. XD I think that meshes with yours alright.

[@JessaGrace091887]

If they only want representation, Disney already did that by releasing "The Princess and the Frog", "Moana", "Raya and the Last Dragon", "Lilo and Stitch", and "Mulan". There's no need to take away the only redhead princess from the redheads, but Disney did that. "Moana" is my personal favorite among the non-European films. In my opinion, the best live action adaptation is "Cinderella". I love "Sleeping Beauty" among the classics. But among the films released during my generation, my personal favorite is the animated OG "The Lion King". In the live action "Little Mermaid", Eric was emasculated. The role of Eric in the OG made King Triton changed his mind about humankind, therefore he had a decision to allow his daughter to be with the humans.

[@moritzmartini4132]

I mean I also don’t like race swapping but Ariel isn’t the only redhead. Merida exists too

[@gwenstacyisbestgirl]

I'm so tired of Disney trying to make romance seem like a bad thing for little girls to see? As a little girl who grew up on all the Disney princess movies. Seeing the romance never tainted me or harmed me in any way. I don't see whats so wrong about loving another human being and choosing to spend your life with them. In the original, when Eric saved Ariel in return, if anything I thought it was romantic to see this man put his life on the line for a girl he loves. I think by not having them be married it sort of lessens the impact of the whole romance. It erases the point of extending their scenes together. I see a lot of criticisms for the OG Ariel getting married young and perhaps that's why they took out the marriage. However in Aladdin Jasmine was 14 or 15 and didn't get married in that movie. Yet in the remake she's aged up to probably 19 and gets married to Aladdin in the end. Yet when it comes to Ariel they want to shy away from it altogether to make her seem less in love. I think it's a horrible choice and made the ending less impactful. The romance in the remake was butchered, when I found the love Eric and Ariel in the OG to be so pure and sweet. Every remake princess has had a wedding so excluding Ariel from that, seems lame to me. And also a bad choice.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Ariel was 16 in the original fim, and Eric was 18. Yes, they got married young (especially Ariel), but the age gap was only 2 years, and Ariel JUST became human officially ...so like ...I'm not sure if her mermaid years even transfer to human years. I think we only assume that because, as humans, we identify with Ariel's more human half. In this version, Eric is 21 and Ariel...I don't think we officially know because I don't recall it being mentioned in the film, especially with the line "Daddy, I'm sixteen!" being removed. I'll assume she is at least 18 now because of modern times. Anyway, I don't like how this new film gives off the vibes of unrequited love. Eric even has a whole song about wanting her and borderline obsessing over her. Meanwhile, Disney made every effort to ensure Ariel was this stern and lifeless romantic. She wasn't allowed to fawn over Eric, not once. When the statue was destroyed by Triton, it felt like she was sad because she just lost another thingamabob in her collection, rather than being sad because the man she is falling in love with seems farther away from reach. I would have loved to have a revamped scene where Ariel acts out her feelings for Eric on the statue, just like the original film ('Why Eric, run away with you? This is all...so sudden *twirls around and giggles*') These are the cute moments that I loved that led me to really know that Ariel is emotionally and romantically invested. Also, Triton 'walking' in on her during that scene makes me laugh every time. Also, the obsession wasn't one-sided. People only think that because Ariel is female and naive. If you look at the film again, Eric had moments too, they're just considered more masculine. For example, at night, he goes to the shore and plays Ariel's melody that's *stuck in his head*. He is also easily entranced by Vanessa because he's obsessed with her voice and even rushes to marry her immediately. The thought of finding that mystery girl consumes him, and he perks up EVERY TIME he even he even THINKS he may have found her. If that doesn't count as obsessing, then we need to change the textbook definition. The remake still has Eric obsessed, but they made it MORE obsessive because now he wastes important resources just to send out search parties. It's like every bit of obsession Ariel had, they gave it all to Eric, which creates an imbalance. Finally, yes, by the time they get MARRIED, it feels right, and we BELIEVE that the love is real between them.

[@andreasmeelie1889]

@@WondrousJoJo Well, Eric does listen to Vanessa's voice as Ariel but he's also trying to figure out who she is. It's while he's trying to figure that out that he gets very hypnotized and cast under a sudden spell by Ursula/Vanessa and wounds up actually wanting to marry her immediately. He clearly has no idea what he is doing. Lol

[@jaycashmom]

Dude, everything you said was on point! Exactly agree. Why couldn't they keep the things we loved abbot the original? They took away the magic and passion. I told my son, all they care about now is aesthetics. No acting or creativity, if they would have let Christpher Nolan direct Star Wars it would have been good.

[@CordeliaWagner]

Aesthetics? Haven't seen much that pleases my eyes...

[@ravenloh6677]

They couldn't keep the things we love for three reasons: 1) The ESG Stakeholders (the people who are investing in Disney and Hollywood) want every content produced to have "Diverse" characters with "THE MESSAGE" and they're the ones with the most bank, 2) Disney and Hollywood have opened the doors for Social Activists to "educate" the audience through their films, they have their hands on the IPs now which explains the declining popularity of known franchises.3 3) Disney and Hollywood are under pressure of the Western Media and Activist groups to make changes like race-swaps, gender-swaps and sexuality swaps as well as including original LGBT characters. 4) Disney and Hollywood decided to be political, excluding half of their consumer base. They should have stayed neutral but some voices are more important than others.

[@CWLemon771]

@@CordeliaWagner agree. In terms of aesthetics, the animation beats this one badly.

[@TonkaJay]

She can sing technically well, but it lacks feeling and was hollow to me. The original is 100x better. And Under the Sea seems slowed down or something...it was off. Just like Kiss the Girl.

[@leoniekoning1005]

Not only is Ariel now a murderer, but this cjange in the story also took away Triton's only reason to start 'liking' humans again as he had seen Eric save his beloved daughter from the seawitch (something which, in this version, he also could not have seen because he dies). They tried to fix it with the 'oh but Eric help', but that would not have been a good enough reason for Triton to then just give his blessing and to give Ariel legs again and his blessing to marry the prince.

[@bennywins2930]

The new generation has too much data and too little responsibility and purpose. They are literally bored and swapping skin colors like it is a sign of revolution yet they lack the progress of having originality and hardship which makes their ideas and opinions vague--like it is not experienced but expressed through editing existing contents. But they expect respect for laziness without working to get it.

[@CordeliaWagner]

You are so right. Of course not all are like that but the change in culture pushes this behavior.

[@CordeliaWagner]

Sadly corporations still have enough "human ressources" to exploit. Because there are still enough people who do more than neccessary to balance out the lazy and entitled ones.

[@bennywins2930]

@@er-ha movies are the reflection of what people need. The truth is people want a comforting lie and the director is targeting his audience with correct understanding. Many movies nowadays have characters with no progress, and they turn it into politics to add realism but I want the pain, the struggle: let's talk about trans-people, i want to see a movie where they fight to become who they are, how they loose friend how they gain friends but I am getting a perfect character who is also special and goes through the entire story with no sacrifice or emotional scar, giving the character a godly persona, like they can or not care and they somehow win.

[@CordeliaWagner]

@Benny Wins There is a decent movie about a transwoman. TransAmerica . It's pretty old but that was my second encounter with the idea of what it means to want to be the opposite gender. It has a famous actress from an old wellknown TV series "Desperate Housewifes" The transwoman is played by a biological woman but you don't care when you watch this movie. It shows a lot of struggles with family. It's a tragic comedy so it laughed when this Transwoman had very strange encounters with strangers. I like this movie and I think it's made with the best intentions.

[@ravenloh6677]

I tried telling the same thing to my friends of how raceswapping and genderswapping is shallow and lazy because it shows original POC characters aren't good enough to be on their own and are dependent on pre-established characters to empower minorities. The people I know are cheering for race-swapped characters but never the original POC characters like Static Shock, Vixen, Blade, Spawn, Cyborg from Marvel and DC. Also they love Resident Evil games but they never bring up Sheeva from Resident Evil 5 when I ask them. I love Sheeva more than Jill because of her trust, determination, kindness and respect for Chris Redfield. She was very helpful on his mission and fought off Albert Wesker when Chris was down but Capcom did very little with her. If western media really wanted to uplift the marginalized, they should have uplifted the original POC and LGBT characters who were left in the background and create genuine stories out of them. So the question I ask is, the characters who were left in the back, were they not good enough?

[@jaeminssocks]

I 100% hate this movie! There’s nothing good about it other than Halle’s singing! The cgi was god awful + it was very dark, the acting was subpar, the visuals were goofy, and the changes to the story made absolutely no sense and were unnecessary. My biggest gripe with this remake is the overall direction and casting. It feels as if the director never actually watched the original, which is highlighted throughout the film. Once again the changes to the story made no sense, which made it frustrating to watch. Ex: why does Ariel sings ‘under the sea’? The song is supposed to be against her, which is shown in the original (Ariel doesn’t care, and she swims away) however, in the remake Ariel is enjoying herself and singing along (which makes no sense btw), but at the end of the song Ariel is suddenly gone, yet we just saw her seconds ago. It’s the same when the sisters are cleaning the shipwreck and randomly add in “who’s the lucky merman” (something like that I forgot) in the original we see Ariel singing to herself, which makes her sisters question if she’s in love, but in the remake they don’t discuss this, and it’s said randomly at the end, which made no sense given the context of that scene. Also, when King Triton reveals that humans killed Ariel’s mother, her responds is “I know” I’m sorry but what? what kind of writing is that? Lastly, Prince Eric’s character is virtually pointless! His character has no nuance, nor depth! Yeah they both find interest in materialistic things, but what does his character actually add to the story? in the original, Prince Eric is the reason why Ariel got to live her dreams in the end, however, in the remake, he’s just there when no significance whatsoever. Lastly, I think this movie's cashing is a complete failure. I don't have a problem with Halle playing Ariel; in terms of her voice, she fits the role well. However, she doesn't look the part, which made me feel like I wasn't even watching "The Little Mermaid," and her acting wasn't always the best. Ursula by Melissa McCarthy was awful. She looked goofy and lacked Ursula's charisma and wit. King Triton's acting was off, and he also looked goofy. Prince Eric was dull and uninteresting! Scuttle was annoying, Sebastian lacked personality, and flounder was ok ig, however still creepy! Overall, the movie was just boring, uninspiring, and lifeless! I do not recommend. Oh also the new songs were so bad I couldn’t stop laughing, especially that Prince Eric song!

[@audreyelizabeths]

what i really disliked about this remake is that the costumes were horrible. ariel was supposed to be the princess, yet why is she dressed in such awful clothes??? why does vanessa, the villain, have a better dress than the main protagonist??? the lack of vibrant red hair also didn't help. the underwater scenes were very dark and desaturated, and the main reason why the artists/designers of the original made ariel's hair red is to make her stand out against the blue ocean. but the live action ariel's muted red-brown hair color did the actress absolutely no favors. it even washed her out so much! like why are they doing this to the girl who is supposed to be the main protagonist???

[@Thatmanicwitch]

I don’t want to see it because it’ll break my freaking heart. As a little girl all I wanted was to be part of HER f-ing world and was so confused as to why she would want to come up to ours, when hers was so beautiful! And I know, especially after seeing this that they ruined the world I had always longed for, and now they came for SCUTTLE!! NO BYE. I saw a few seconds of the trailer and was immediately like “nope”. I’ll stay in my head and part of the original world, because they have to go and ruin everything. And I know they didn’t get the iconic hair flip out of the water right..i didn’t waste hours of my life practicing and almost breaking my NECK as a child not too see it IRL. my heart can’t take it. And Eric was daddy.. idgaf and if he’s not giving that.. I DONT WANT IT, what made him so sexy is him putting his damn life on the line for a fish. I hate it here. Bye 😩

[@WondrousJoJo]

Hahahaha!!!! I loved reading your comment! It was so open and expressive. I do agree about wanting to be a part of the mer-world. I always thought Ariel was so ungrateful for not seeing how blessed she was. Now she's boring and just one of us lol.

[@clairelin0216]

@@WondrousJoJo She also lived in the 1800s, times were much more simple back then. But now? I don't think so😂

[@halfblood100]

Ariel needing to contantly be, saving herself and everyone around her, is not empowering it is exhausting. Because this story is so unbalanced, it is sending a message that you can't accept help and you can't relax. The writers, making Ariel black and having her do everything, does not feel great.

[@DreamnekoDream]

By making Eric not be the one to end Ursula it also took away the equalizer between humans and merpeople and actually making King Triton accept humans.

[@KortneeLeFay]

"The little Mermaid "has always been my all time favorite Disney movie - I had zero interest in the reboot because you cant remake perfection - As always like all the other live action Disney reboots; it sounds bland , shallow, and boring - Thank god I never watched it - Your review was wonderful, heartfelt, thorough, and very funny! Well done love!

[@WondrousJoJo]

Thank you so much!! It warms me to know people laughed and enjoyed the content!

[@lessismore8533]

Cinderella 2015 was the only good one for me

[@harleaarmstrong7659]

I liked that Scuttle was a seagull, though. Because when Flounder accidentally mentions a "seagull" when babbling about their day, and that key word is what notifies Triton that Ariel had been to the surface. Triton has no need for huge concerns if his daughter is only talking to a diving-style bird. Unless he's species-ist against all birds just for being innate "land+air" as well as water creatures, but that doesn't really make any sense.

[@WondrousJoJo]

EXCELLENT point!!

[@joyfulosity]

You know, I have never heard that point and never considered that aspect of the film that you mentioned regarding Ariel now being the first princess to take a life and how now she is forever stained by that. It was really thought-provoking, and made a ton of sense, and the more I considered the more I would have to agree, and wow, that is another thing that I just feel is so tragic. For the record, I have not seen the film.. originally, it was because of the fact, I will be honest, as a ginger I loved having a princess who was also a ginger 😂 lol Being more honest though, I found the more I heard about more changes to the movie, the more concerned I got. I think the thing that is actually now really made me not want to see the movie was particularly after I heard they changed the ending so Ariel is now the one to kill Ursula and save herself?? Seriously, I was like, really Disney???!Beyond just hating that they changed a bunch of stuff that really made the original a classic and were honestly not an issue (seriously, consent?? She’s mute, but she definitely showed she wanted it, what’s she gonna need a chalkboard on hand to say I consent when it gets to him trying to kiss her?! It just makes no sense!), it just made it really clear that yet again, Disney was trying to insert an agenda of feminism and girl power at the expense of male characters as they seem to be obsessed with doing the last few years, and thereby reinforcing that yeah, she don’t need no man, but by disrespecting Eric, and it is completely unnecessary and I really wish they would just stop. I am just finding it’s gotten way out of control and girls need to be okay showing weakness and being vulnerable and needing help and, in the case of Ariel, needing a hero to come in and save the day!! Pretty sure that’s what made it a freaking fairytale for kids when we were little!! I wish they could respect men enough to let men be men, I am so sorry for the messaging they sent to guys like you who went who got to see Eric be emasculated and not at all heroic. Seriously, women and men are equal. I wish Disney would not elevate one gender at the sacrifice of another, because it’s so toxic, and men and women can be respected without women frankly getting threatened by the mere thought that women can actually need men in a way that is healthy (I.e. not to be the source of comedic jokes or a convenient plot device). It hasn’t helped that people seem REALLY unclear on if Ariel and Eric really end up together and what that looks like. It sounds like they thoroughly demolished the idea of love and romance which is so sad too. It makes me sad to see a beautiful story so stripped of what made it wonderful and magical in the first place… 😢

[@-india]

There's no way Disney didn't think any of these plot lines through. You're not gonna tell me that the only two times they wrote a black princess she's doing all the work, that's some bs. I'm sensing a lot of intentional sabotage with this rewrite, but what's the end goal? And what was the point in a prince AT ALL if he can't do the ONE THING we expect from a "prince" ??? I'll never watch this movie now, thanks for the amazing review.

[@charliekoh7639]

I agree with everything you said about the movie. After watching, I literally felt nothing. I watched the original version again just to see if it holds up and I ended up crying because there was actual emotional payoff (since it was obvious that Ariel was in love with Eric and Ursula was more of a villain in the original). Especially after Ariel says "I love you, daddy", I literally started tearing up. Also, I think there are so many missed opportunities with the live action version. I think it would have been better if Eric and Ariel's sisters (since I heard that the sisters have powers themselves) worked together to defeat Ursula. Eric defeating Ursula by himself was a little bit of a stretch since he's only one human so having more than one individual help defeat Ursula would have been more realistic and make a huge impact regarding the relationship between humans and merpeople. AND there would have been a purpose for the sisters (since they don't even sing in the live action).

[@CordeliaWagner]

Racism: I am German. I watched the original on VHS tape. A tape from the 90s. Where Sebastians german vouce actor spoke with a lovely carribean accent. The german dub had to be changed a couple of years ago because Sebastian speaks in a "cultural appropriation way". The new german voice actor speaks normal german in a boring soulles way. But I guess that's what the social justice worriors like.

[@WondrousJoJo]

"Cultural appropriation" Oh no... 🤦🏽‍♂️ Well, I will say that it would be much nicer to hire a person with a genuine Caribbean accent. But, I guess an honest German actor's take on an accent isn't the worst thing. I don't know much about Germany, but I do imagine it's probably nearly impossible to find an actual Caribbean voice actor who also fluently speaks German. As long as the actor does the voice with integrity and respect, I don't see a huge problem with it.

[@CordeliaWagner]

The accent was good. I now live in a big city and my city has a "Jamaican Culture Club" nearby where I live. The german voice actor from the 80s did a very decent job to learn their accent.

[@Tito.Aavffd]

Finally a person of colour who’s honest about the movie. I just only keep seeing black people talk about the movie like it just because it has a “black” mermaid. They never talk about the negative aspects or how we can improve.

[@cherra437]

This one ! Exactly

[@UNDEFINEDpreSENCE]

Same way I keep finding those not critiquing, but nitpicking the black actress. I’ve seen some fair criticism like the black guy critiquing in the clip, but I’m not gonna act like my ass ain’t peeped those giving destructive criticism and solely going in on the black actress as if there weren’t other people and things to critique in the film. And I’ve seen a lot of black folks critiquing this film. Some enjoyed it while others didn’t or they pointed out cons. They weren’t entirely negative af like the ones I’ve seen who feel comfortable expressing their irrational hate or being assholes about it.

[@missblackcat4655]

Tbh I don’t even know why Disney marketed this movie as a live action remake of the 1989 animated classic, because it’s not. It’s brandy’s Cinderella but little mermaid. Which is fine, you want to do a retelling of a story, go for it, but don’t do false advertising.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Yeah, this is supposed to be THE 1989 film, just 'modernized' and brought to live-action life. The difference with Brandy is that Disney retold Cinderella through the lens of an entirely different creator (Rodger & Hammerstein). Brandy was NOT meant to be the 1950 Disney Cinderella, and that's why we loved it. However, Halle IS supposed to be Disney's 1989 Little Mermaid... and that's what understandably bothers many people.

[@RoseBaggins]

@@WondrousJoJo exactly. Now, if Rodgers and Hammerstein had done a Little Mermaid and they adapted that using this cast, I would be all over it. Heck, they had Lin-Manuel Miranda on the project, right? Have him write a whole new Broadway musical! But I'm not sure if anyone's heart was in this adaptation ...

[@jacobsed6665]

Something else I noticed as I’m listening to ‘For the first time’. Whilst the song itself is good and cute, it feels so out of place in the movie and doesn’t mesh with the other music at all. But more importantly, how tf does Ariel know what a ‘corset’ ‘shoes’ ‘seams’ and ‘stairs’ are when in POYW she can’t remember the words feet and street? How does she know what the sun is if she’s never been to the surface? If she called the sun a bright fireball and called stairs ‘the jagged path’ or something like that it would’ve been so much better. Like using funny descriptions to describe the new things she was seeing. She also calls a fork a mini trident in the same movie?

[@WondrousJoJo]

Great points!

[@tahlia__nerds_out]

I love OG Eric and hate the idea of him being so destroyed as a character. I definitely won’t be seeing this. I have rediscovered a love for the OG cartoon because of this live action travesty. So there’s that at least

[@shippendales8543]

The movie is fine if you have a open mind I love the original and see the new film as its own thing And I enjoyed it I actually like Eric and Ariels relationship better since they like each other beyond live at first sight and how they look 😂 They are literally the land and sea versions of each other Halle Bailey to me embodies Ariel in every sense of the word, she is now my favorite live action disney princess However if you can't let the animated go and see the film as its own thing like the reviewer then you will complain about everything not being the same The purpose of this film can be seen in the reactions of kids to it , a lot if kids loved it as it is and thought it was great Adults however think it ruins their childhood which is crazy to me The animated film still exists and the differences in this make it stand on its own not be a carbon copy if the animated film

[@tahlia__nerds_out]

@@shippendales8543 I am capable of watching a movie with an open mind without having an absolute carbon copy of the original. I enjoyed the live-action Cinderella and the changes made to that story seemed to enhance it. I enjoyed the live-action Jungle Book too, in spite of changes made. This new Little Mermaid changed lyrics to classic songs for odd reasons. And Ariel not actively pursuing the all-important kiss took away some of her agency. It’s not simply “wagh, it’s not the same as my childhood” (stomp, stomp). It’s a matter of not liking the way certain changes weaken rather than improve the way the character is presented. Live-action Cinderella made the Cinderella and Prince relationship stronger by fleshing out his character and giving him a more active role, as well as a name besides just “Prince Charming”. The live-action Little Mermaid takes away Eric’s more active role and gives his best moments to Ariel. Live-action Cinderella lets both Cinderella and her Prince (Kit) shine; live-action Little Mermaid only allows Ariel to have those stand-out moments. Changes made in an adaptation are best when they elevate characters without taking away from others. I have the same reaction in comics when, for example, once Damian was brought into Batman comics, he took the Robin role from Tim and Tim just seemed to fade into the background to focus on Damian. Damian was shoved into stories that happened before he was created (example: the cartoon based on the “Hush” comic), during which Tim was Robin. Tim was diminished in favor of Damian, which was not fair to Tim’s character… or honestly even Damian’s. Damian didn’t get a cool new cartoon highlighting his character because he got shoved into Tim’s place. Damian can be elevated without stealing moments from Tim. And Ariel can be elevated without stealing moments from Eric. It honestly smacks of laziness if the only way writers/producers/directors can think of elevating a character is not by creating cool new moments for them, but by taking cool moments from another character and giving it to the preferred character. Ariel didn’t get to have new moments to shine because Disney was too busy giving Eric’s moments to her. Both characters were treated poorly. You mention that this movie is aimed at kids, but that’s not entirely true; Disney knows how amazingly successful their Renaissance cartoons were and are banking on nostalgic adults going for themselves and, if they are parents, taking their children. It seems a bit disingenuous for Disney to create movies that are meant to profit from this nostalgia and then be mad when people don’t like that stories they are nostalgic about are significantly changed. Disney blaming the fans that it wishes to profit off of is lazy. Changes can be done well. Instead of being creative, Disney chose to strip one character of his greatest moments and give them to a main character who already had plenty of great moments. Disney did not create brand-new characters with a brand-new story that happened to be similar to the Little Mermaid… or even an original story based in the Little Mermaid’s world. They took the bones of the old version - characters, basic plot, songs, famous moments - and then changed things in ways that ended up diminishing one of the main characters… all while keeping the same character names and the movie title. Of *course* people are going to compare and contrast the two versions. Disney didn’t do anything new or cool with the characters like “Clueless” did with its adaptation of “Emma”. Disney was lazy and then acted offended and accused fans of being rac*st, etc because they preferred the version on which the adaption was based. I can prefer Moana to Brave because I like Moana’s behavior and motivations better than Merida’s. Equally, I can like the animated Little Mermaid better because I prefer how Eric, Ariel, etc behave and are motivated in that version than in the live-action version. Painting all disgruntled fans as merely disliking an adaptation for “ruining their childhood” is a gross simplification and generalization. There are plenty of other reasons for a person not to like an adaptation. You can choose to like the movie; that’s up to you. But I can choose to prefer one representation of the same characters over another.

[@Nonjola]

Were Ariel and Eric even in a romance together? From what I heard, they felt more like bussines partners.

[@varadun]

Did they cut Chef Louis? I didn't hear him mentioned in this review and after rewatching the original that might be my favorite part of the original movie. Perfect blend of dark traumatic horror and comic relief.

[@charg1nmalaz0r51]

Yeah him and his song are gone

[@mzalchemy9236]

No Les poissons 😢

[@777Rowen]

I totally agree with your stance here, especially the feminist angle. I’d rather watch the original, it shows what equality looks like.

[@HobbinRob]

Eric is a sailor! It just makes sense that he'd be the one to steer the ship into Ursula! I was so infuriated to see that change. As a kid it was really exciting to his love for Ariel in his desperation to save her. I agree that he was totally emasculated by this decision. Disney's choices with these remakes show they don't understand feminism at all.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Yes!!! Not only that, how can Eric prove his worth to Triton? Eric's heroic act eas the ONE THING that fully changed Triton's mind. In this remake, what convinces the king to have his daughter's hand? How strong their love is? (BFFFFT! What a joke! If that were enough, her grotto wouldn't have gotten destroyed)

[@ashes31]

I couldn't stop laughing at what you said after if you'd recommend watching this.. "if you like the ocean.....water themed..."😂😂 That says a lot. You also pointed out somethings that I didnt realize. I think i went to see it cause its ocean themed. Great review!

[@WondrousJoJo]

😂 And thanks so much!

[@Kelsey1987]

I think Halle Bailey is A good singer but she’s definitely not a good actor or in this movie I suppose. She has some cute moments in the film like the one momentwhere she tells Eric her name through the constellations. And the moment where she breaks that rock and gets the gemstone out I thought was really cute. But other than that I mean she was kinda bland. She has a beautiful voice but I feel like they could’ve gotten someone better for Ariel. Ariel was such an expressive character in the original film and had a lot of body language in the way she moved. I just didn’t think her relationship with Eric in this movie was believable at all I mean it wasn’t terrible but I just wasn’t buying it. And they make it so that Ariel is the one saving herself in EVERY single moment in this movie and Eric never gets his hero moment where he kills Ursula with the ship. Oh wait I forgot it’s because they’re trying to make Ariel a girl boss and of course men can’t help her with anything! 🙄 even Aerials outfits in this movie were extremely disappointing. In the original film we get a number of different outfits and hairstyles for Ariel, but in this movie we get two dresses that look pretty much identical. And I was sso mad they didn’t put the sparkly dress at the end of the film and Eric and Ariel don’t even get married? WTH 🤦‍♀️ i’m sorry but this movie just did not hit the same as the original and yeah it’s not the worst remake but it’s definitely not the best. I also didn’t like the fact they changed Ariel’s character so that now she’s never actually been to the surface and has never actually seen a human? If she’s never seen a human then how does she even know what they look like? If she’s never seen life on land then why is she so obsessed with it? It’s such a stupid change that literally makes no sense because in the original film they make it obvious that Ariel has been observing humans and going up to the surface for a very long time. in this movie we’re just supposed to believe that she randomly goes up to the surface for the 1st TIME and just so happens to come across a prince in his ship and then fall in love with him? And why did they make it so that Eric is adopted? Literally so pointless and stupid plus him not being blood related to his mother means that he is illegitimate and he has no claim to the throne and he’s not a prince anymore technically so 😑

[@MrsHyde1018]

It, to me, felt like the producers lacked stage direction. Like they sat back after explaining to her what they wanted, and said “eh it’ll work,” whereas in the OG movie the presence of the producers can be felt at every stage of the movie. Each character is being told how they should express, feel, etc in every scene. The emotion is there because it was properly conveyed to the actors, whereas with this one it feels purely lazy.

[@laceymcgrath3945]

Eric was pointless in this movie. Ariel forgetting over & over again the whole reason she has legs and is ON land is stupid.And so was her use of a siren song. Such odd choices.they

[@WondrousJoJo]

They were very odd choices. In my opinion, these choices are what ruined the romance and passion between Eric and Ariel. In the original movie, the love between them just seems so much more wholesome.

[@tayray88]

My biggest disappointment of the movie is that they didn’t have the chef 👨‍🍳 character singing 🎶 then fighting Sebastian. That was my favorite song and part of the original movie.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Hi! It sounds like several people miss that part from the original a lot. I personally don't care for that part, but I did find it funny when he got is teeth knocked out at the end during the wedding haha.

[@treefrog1018]

Havent seen it yet. Want to see it. I am sad to hear that Eric doesn't kill Ursula. He probably also doesnt say, "Grim, i lost her once. I'm not gonna loose her again!" That line tells me how much he loves her. The guy goes out on a boat, at night, with zero hesitation, to get the one he loves. That's hott as hell. Sounds like Eric in the Live Action is a stand in for Ariel to get permanent legs so she can flitter off and girlboss somewhere else. In that case, make her asexual and make Ariel have to do something else in 3 days. Under the Sea is lackluster with how the newt plays the flute and the bass play the bass and there is nothing in the Live Action to show for it. The lyrics don't match the visuals at all and it is sad. Also, I am pissed Ariel tickles the blow fish to make them blow. No. No. No. Don't make a blow fish blow. IRL, that js not cool and this movie makes it out to be some cute thing like. "Awe. Look!" -A Puffer Fish's puff is a defense mechanism and is very stressful on their body. It js the equivalent of a jump-scare for humans. It is one thing (in the original movie) for the puffer fish to decide themselves to puff by blowng an instrument -but to have our protagonist make them puff, Nope. I also am not a fan of Part of Your World. It sounds so theatrical rather than a want song. Still gonna watch it though but I am broke so I am waiting for the movie to come out on Disney Plus.

[@jareeohs]

Scuttle is my favorite character too! And the romance had the chemistry of a breaking bad episode. It felt like an awkward recipe being read instead of a Disney magical fairytale,

[@WondrousJoJo]

Ayyyee, Scuttle Gang! Lol, just kidding. But seriously, it's cool to finally come across another Scuttle fan! I agree that a lot of the magic felt lost with the remake :(

[@lebellebonida-wt2il]

Eric is such a decoration or only an ornamental character and the whole sense that not all humans are bad beings were just all erased by Ariel just killing the the witch plus, they'd butchered Triton's character too they'd made him from an over protective Father that has human nature issues to a toxic masculine king. Gee. This is just so, so or a less so so movie for me, over empowered woman that makes other characters useless or didn't fleshed out.

[@CordeliaWagner]

The origninal Triton was a loving caring father that glew with pride for Arielle's accomplishments. He saw humans as a threat, leaned by centuries of human fishing. But it was shown very clear he instantly regretted destroying her grotto / collection. But how would any loving protective father regret when his daughter want to go to a very dangerous place? And at the end he had a big change of mind and made her a human, liked she wanted to be. Classic Triton was a good father to begin with and had a great character arc.

[@shanicestella2226]

I ever being unfriended by one of super Disnerd fans friend for my hot take critic on Remakes that doesn't showcase creativity I would like to give my money and hype over something creative and not repetitive Its really a hard irony that Disney once respected as a animation juggernaut company , now betrays the art of animatiom

[@CordeliaWagner]

Capitalism. And sadly people act like THE MARKET is a deity that has rules that can't be changed.

[@Emmybl305]

Omg this is the BEST REVIEW I’ve seen!!! 👏🏻 You are right on everything you said! 🙌🏻 Thank you for your honest opinion! 😊 love how you said: Disney loves to ruin their classic!!! I COULDN’T AGREE WITH YOU MORE!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@WondrousJoJo]

What a huge compliment! Thank you so much! I'm really glad that people seem to understand where I'm coming from. And yup... Disney is on a path of ruin. One film at a time....

[@CordeliaWagner]

There is so much lore around the world. New stories to tell from many cultures. But they choose the path of just slapping their message on known and beloved stories. Lazy greedy people.

[@ravenloh6677]

The disturbing part is most original fans who aren't in favor of the casting and the remake are silenced. The new fans and the media are defending the actress and the film like a religious relic. They said: "She's the better Ariel because the old Ariel was too naive and her falling in love with Eric makes her weak." I don't think being naive and having a crush on a guy is weak but Ariel in the original film was just as strong, kind and caring for others. I don't remember her rolling her eyes at other characters with disdain and contempt. Wasn't she bubbly and naive in the animated film? I heard that being too feminine, bubbly and curious is a negative thing in the west. Am I wrong?

[@CordeliaWagner]

Arielle in the Classic is 15 years old and lived a protected life providet by a loving and caring father. She is a teenager with her own mind. I guess a lot of parents can relate to a daughter like that.

[@ravenloh6677]

@@CordeliaWagner You mean daughters being rebellious and curious about the world? Didn't Ariel rebel after her father destroyed her collection? This is like my parents destroying my Anime collection because they think Anime is evil.

[@jamesmac8688]

OMG Many of the things were said was my exact thought. The music was like there was an kids bop album instead of a soundtrack. As far as just singing without acting. What helps is that Bailey can sing but struggles to act and sing at the same time.

[@WondrousJoJo]

I agree with this!

[@bluefleur57]

One of the best reviews I've seen! You put into words everything I was thinking, particularly minimizing the villainy of Ursula with the lyric changes. As a kid I never took her words to heart because she's a villain. We're not supposed to believe everything she says lol

[@mzalchemy9236]

Totally agree! I did like the original “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and did not take any of her lyrics to heart as she IS the villain after all🤷🏾‍♀️. In this version, not only did they make her less of a villain but as Vanessa she has a sunny youthful look (unlike original Vanessa) & the “villain” gets better and more costume changes then Ariel….like WTH Disney😡

[@lessismore8533]

@@mzalchemy9236the girl who played Vanessa ROCKED it tho. Great acting

[@adrielisaacs9228]

I 100% agree with all your comments in this video. Excellent review: - You are right - there was no fatherly love/attachment between Ariel and Triton in this movie. It is pretty sad. - Eric did feel emasculated - he didn't feel like a character any more. He was literally Ariel's support pet. Because Ariel must do everything, sigh. - Ariel here is a Mary Sue - she is the most important character, everything is all about her, and she needs to be the person to do ALL the important things. She also went out of her way to always be in focus - which is so horrible given how balanced she was as a character in the original. - Something else that bothered me was Halle swimming to the surface on her own - like you said SHE DIDN"T KNOW HOW TO USE HER LEGS OR SWIM. - I didn't like Halle's singing in this movie - she sounded like she was trying too hard, and she was poorly directed, as the songs had no emotion (except for the last reprise) so the songs had no impact on me at all. I felt NOTHING. If I listen to the original, the songs get me every time. For Part of your World you want to cry, you want to dance for Under the Sea, and for the reprise of part of your world you feel hope for Ariel, then that hope is crushed in poor unfortunate souls. Even Vanessa's song in the original was better. - This movie was dragged out for way too long - it's literally the same plot as the original, just with their changes and the additions. Ariel's sisters literally had 5 minutes of screen time...disappointing. - Triton has NO reason in the new movie to not hate humans. Eric killing Ursula, thus reviving Triton and ALL the other mermaids trapped in the cave had a lot more impact.

[@Mindblowinable]

Thank you for such a fair review! And I love your way of politely describing the negatives😊The remakes don't have soul and heart. Everything is surface level, feels like a parody. Its all about mimiking emotions

[@MrsHyde1018]

3:35 as a choir kid, I can tell you the difference between Jodie and this one; With Jodie, it was shown how in-depth the writers/song producers went with her about how they wanted her to sing, how they had written the song to be sung. It wasn’t just “hit that note here,” no, it was more than that! And I don’t think the producers cared like that here. I think she tried, most definitely, and you can hear it. But she didn’t have the producers there to walk her through it like Jodie did. And it shows. And it’s not that she’s a bad singer at all. She just lacked the stage direction.

[@CordeliaWagner]

Feminism isn't about not accepting help when in need. Plus Eric didn't ask Arielle if she is okay with him finishing Ursula in the Classic. She was a thread for EVERYONE and not just Arielle. He did what a guy who sees the tread has to do to stop the threat. Ursula would have undone all of his kingdom since it is a nation that lives nearby the Ocean and Ursula is a Psychopath that wants to control everything and hates humans herself. He did it for all the right reasons.

[@miwi7706]

In Ariel's defense, I think that what she meant to say when she says "I'm sorry, I didn't know" she refers to Ursula using her to get to Triton. Ariel I think thought only she would have to suffer from her mistake or recklessness, but Ursula was going after Triton and used Ariel to get to him. I think Ariel would have accepted her fate but the fact that she put her father in the crossfire was not her intention. Loved the review and going to subscribe!!❤

[@WondrousJoJo]

That's a great take and one I never considered! Unfortunately, if you are right about that, it makes OG Ariel a little worse in that regard because she's already criticized for having learned nothing in the film, and as I've mentioned before, she never takes accountability for her actions. Lol, she almost brings the entire kingdom and her family to ruin...and all she says is "I love you daddy." and gets her 'happily ever after' wedding. And thank you!

[@miwi7706]

@JoJo Boy Wonder She does learn though, and it's shown in the sequel. I don't think necessarily just because she gets her happy ending she doesn't learn her lesson. And if anything, Triton was the one who had to learn a thing or two. A lesson doesn't have to be explicit. I think we all get that Ariel will never do a stupid thing like that again without telling us she won't. And her father didn't apologise explicitly for ruining her cave, but we still understand that he's sorry for that and that Ariel forgave him. So I don't necessarily agree that everything must be explicitly expressed when context matters equally.

[@andreasmeelie1889]

@@WondrousJoJo You can have your own opinions. But I always saw it as so much more than that. I always saw Ariel saying sorry to her father as in saying, "I had no idea that Ursula would bring you and everyone else into this. I never should have been human because of her." Yet she and Eric help each other to save the day. So Ariel most definitely learned her lesson there.

[@fcv4616]

@@WondrousJoJo Just because Ariel didn’t voice out that she learnt a lesson doesn’t mean she didn’t realise she made a mistake. Her apology in itself is an acknowledgment that she messed up, and their reconciliation in the end shows that she now appreciates her father’s efforts to protect her. Her distress, disappointment and gratitude imply she did learn from her mistakes.

[@WondrousJoJo]

@fcv4616 I respect your opinion... but... Honestly, I'm just not fully sold on that. Ariel states, "Daddy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I didn't know." This implies that she didn't know Ursula was manipulating her to get to Triton, especially since Ursula literally just told Ariel a moment before that she had nothing against her and that she really wanted Triton. It sounds like she's sorry that she unknowingly led him into Ursula's hands, meaning she isn't particularly sorry for ditching her family for her own selfish desires. In my opinion, there is nothing really concrete that shows Ariel is apologetic and understands her wrongs for being selfish and casting aside her family in favor of what she wanted. She knew full-well that she'd never see her family again and was barely concerned with the sacrifice. Now, I do believe that she probably only thought that her decision would only affect her (even though, it obviously wouldn't. She would go missing, and her family would have no idea and may think she died. Or, Sebastian or Flounder would eventually report to the King, and he would angrily come for his daughter). So when you think about it, what was her lesson that you feel she learned? Was she sorry for getting everyone involved and nearly bringing an entire kingdom to ruin? Sure, she can apologize for that, and she arguably did... but what did she LEARN? That 'daddy and my boyfriend will always bail me out so I can get what I want'? This is one of my biggest problems with Ariel herself. Ariel constantly thinks about herself and what she wants. An example was when they almost died from the shark chase. Just before the shark arrived, Ariel lowkey manipulated/bullied Flounder into doing something dangerous just so she could collect a shiny new thingamabob for herself. Literally, every support character in the film has bailed Ariel out in some way/shape/form MULTIPLE times... only for her to maintain her self-centered midset throughout the whole film.

[@justins6414]

Watched it also and completely agree with everything you said! Bailey has a beautiful voice and i dont think she did terrible but the whole story was pretty much changed 😭 The little Mermaid is my favorite disney movie next to Hercules and this live action was not it. You got a new subscriber ❤

[@moubalisalisa6317]

The story did not change at all. It’s so funny seeing this beta generation of incel men get worked up about mermaids. Where are the real men these days?

[@shippendales8543]

How was the story changed beyond minor plot points The start and end of the movie is pretty much the same as the animated movie The changes to me aren't drastic at all

[@NekoSakuraBlossom]

You forgot to mention they stripped the classic marriage scene with the rainbow at end 😭 maybe thats just me who was disappointed that was also gone. . I don’t get why they took it out. . 😔

[@wowkir]

Boys and girls of the world: Don’t listen to Disney. It’s alright to want love. It’s alright to rely on a partner and let them support you. You do not have to do everything on your own. Independence is not everything. Boys, be as masculine as you like. Girls, be as feminine as you like.

[@Leamichellefan2244]

Please don’t hate me, but I did not care for Halle Bailey and that’s not at all and please hear me out here. OK please hear me out here the singing sounded more like she was auditioning for American Idol. It was way over done she showed off way too much and then you have the acting which is the complete opposite i.e., emotionless Solis and flat but to be fair emotionless so listen flat is pretty much how you can describe the whole movie. Oh, and I meant to say I didn’t care for her performance. Sorry if that didn’t come out, dictation hates me.

[@blueberrysodaart]

Ok but this movies biggest crime? NO CHEF LOUIE!! 😭

[@WondrousJoJo]

I do hear complaints of them leaving the chef out... which means no "Les Poissons" for the fans who enjoyed it. 🥺 Side note: Blueberry soda sounds delicious!

[@SeasideDetective2]

JoJo, I share your annoyance with Disney being overly worried about children taking the wrong lessons from a fictional film. It's just as with the Indians in PETER PAN; no one over the age of four is going to think that's what Native people are really like.

[@RoseBaggins]

Heck, pretty sure a bunch of kids got interested in Indians because of Peter Pan. I know I did.

[@SeasideDetective2]

@@RoseBaggins What I mean is, I can say with confidence that no Native people were systemically oppressed by the Disney movie. By the time the movie was made, the "Indian wars" had been over for six decades, and Native people were more or less thoroughly integrated into Anglo-American life. (For that matter, the play itself was written in 1904 by a British author, and - for obvious reasons - British people had been unable to persecute Indians since the 1780s.) People today so often try to draw a line between "politically incorrect" culture and real-life injustices, but they don't usually have much to go on. Either nothing happened as a result, or it would have happened anyway.

[@sakurathornsickle5681]

I wish they’d done the castle in the movie for the intro. With beauty and the beast they actually used beasts castle for the opening and you can even see Belles village in the background. Wish they kinda did that here…

[@WondrousJoJo]

I agree 100%. I literally just saw that castle again. They show it as part of the "sneak peak" on the Blu-ray disc for the 'pin collection' re-release of the OG film. Also, that was one of the only things I liked about the BatB remake.

[@joraluzmala]

Conercing the Scuttle swimming scenes: In the original he is a Seagull. While they can swim (or rather float), they are rather bad divers. The new version of Scuttle is a northern Gannet, a bird that hunts for fish in deeper waters and is therefore a better swimmer and diver. Dont know why they felt the need to change the gender though Also what happened here to Atlantica is the same as Neverland in the cursed Peter Pan and Wendy movie: Its the complete draining of magic and wonders from those originally magical places And yeah: The movie completely glossed over the close bond Arielle and Triton have in the original movie. There, Triton is (at least thats how I am interpreting this) in conflict with his own duties as a father but also a king. His youngest being so free spirited makes him constantly worry about losing her in a similar way he lost his dear wife Queen Athena, so he does everything to keep his daughter safe, but doing so he also does many things wrong (when he destroys her collection in her grotto for example, but in the scene afterwards his facial expression says ist all, like „oh my god what have I done). In the new version they hardly seem related at all

[@WondrousJoJo]

I actually don't even really mind Scuttle switching seabird families. The gender swap was absolutely unnecessary. I have a sneaking suspicion that they did that so that any character who is actually somewhat capable of helping Ariel is female instead of male. You know Disney no longer wants to show males helping females. And since this movie's Flounder is so small and weak compared to the original, Disney probably doesn't see him as a "threat" to Ariel's heroism. 🙄

[@missladyhaha]

I was honestly kinda shock they didn’t use any of the Broadway songs in the film. Like “she’s in love” by the sisters and flounder…even “one step closer” by Eric would’ve been better than his solo

[@deonlouw8686]

I agree, one of the disappointing aspects of the film is Triton's palace, which, in this live-action version, resembles an anthill more than a majestic underwater dwelling. The grandeur and sparkle of the palace in the 1989 animated film were a visual delight, immersing viewers in a vibrant and enchanting underwater world. Unfortunately, the live-action adaptation fails to capture that same sense of awe and wonder, leaving Triton's palace feeling dull and lacking the magical allure of its predecessor. Moreover, the omission of certain iconic scenes is a missed opportunity to recreate the magic of the original. The opening scene, where the ship emerges from the fog, crashing through the waves, set the tone for the adventure that awaited us. Vanessa's haunting walk along the misty shore and the climactic ending with Ariel rising out of the water after Triton's transformation were moments etched into the memories of fans. The absence of these scenes in the live-action adaptation feels like a disservice to the rich tapestry of the story, depriving audiences of the visual spectacles they were eagerly anticipating. One aspect that felt out of place was the new additions to the musical repertoire. While the film includes new songs, they struggle to capture the essence and brilliance of Howard Ashman's iconic compositions. Instead, they adopt an unmistakable Lin-Manuel Miranda sound, particularly evident in the song "Scuttlebutt." While Miranda's talent is undeniable, the stylistic shift feels jarring and out of sync with the established tone of the film. A more delicate and seamless integration of new songs in the style of Ashman could have preserved the musical magic of the original while infusing the adaptation with fresh melodies. There is a reason why the 1989 animated classic worked so well-it struck a perfect balance between storytelling, music, and visuals. It touched the hearts of millions and became a cherished part of our childhoods. The live-action adaptation suffers from the misguided notion that change for the sake of change alone is necessary. Instead of complementing the existing story, these alterations leave more questions than answers, and the soul of the original tale seems lost in translation. Unfortunately, the era of live-action remakes may one day be remembered in the same breath as Disney's direct-to-video sequels of the '90s-unimaginative cash grabs that failed to capture the essence and magic of their predecessors. While the intention may have been to introduce beloved stories to new audiences, it feels like a missed opportunity to reimagine and enhance the timeless tales that captured our hearts. In conclusion, the live-action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" struggles to capture the same enchantment and awe-inspiring moments that made the 1989 original a classic. The lackluster portrayal of Triton's palace, the omission of iconic scenes, and the mismatched musical additions all contribute to a, mostly, disappointing experience. As fans, we hold a special place in our hearts for the original film, and the live-action adaptation fails to recreate that same magic. Change should be approached with care and respect for what made the original work so well. If we continue down the path of uninspired remakes, we risk diluting the legacy of these beloved stories.

[@lessismore8533]

The 90s WAS the Disney Renaissance era tho. Way better than todays stuff

[@AlexandraRammstein]

Ariel in this movie has selfish , stupid, know-it -all, toxic, traitor, careless to almost to kill people with carriage, and boss girl. Original Ariel was rebellious, funny, loving, caring, EMOTIONAL, friendly, sometimes stupid, accepting help of friends and her love, bonding with father even rebel and etc 😊

[@WondrousJoJo]

The "Girl Boss" aspect is so annoying to me. Growing up, even as a male, I always admired strong female characters. My biggest issue with this Girl Boss archetype/era is that they tend to be these perfectly flawless characters who can handle any and everything without any help. They're also often devoid of any real personality or quirks. How well-developed or good is a character who has 0 flaws or things to improve on? What does she learn from others if she can do everything by herself? This is what made Mulan so likable, for example. She was flawed and quirky but also strong and capable. Through the other characters, she not only learned more about herself, but she also inspired others. This version of Ariel doesn't do that. This Ariel knows just about everything and has talents that she magically gains out of nowhere at just the right moments (like steering an entire ship). If that's not a "MarySue," I don't know what is. OG Ariel may be a wreckless, bratty little daddy's girl, but at least she was better written.

[@travelbymagic5889]

I surprisingly loved the movie compared to other Disney live actions. BUT hearing your view points on some things, I definitely agree. I felt that the love story was there and that they had good chemistry throughout the movie, but I do agree the kiss was lacking that spark. And one thing I wanted to note, the scene where Triton comes back to life, what Ariel said was actually worse than what you remember. She really said “I wasn’t alone, Eric was there.” 😂 I literally laughed because that’s literally what happened, he was just there but didn’t help. And I hated they didn’t let him help Ariel at least in some way, because that’s what helps prove to King Triton that not all humans are bad in the original. Also, I really was upset that they didn’t show the transformation scene when King Triton turns Ariel into a human and she turns around and sees that her dad doing this for her. They totally left that scene out and she makes no mention to her dad about it 🤦🏼‍♀️ But of course, it bec she can’t have any men helping her 😂 Overall, I loved it! I think it could’ve have been a perfect film if they had kept the original stuff in, but overall it’s better than most live actions I’ve seen for Disney.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Wow, that IS worse! You're right! Ugh...poor Eric, he got the shaft. Also, I was waiting for some iteration of that sparkly blue dress near the end too...but yeah, no, Triton is a man, and in this film, men can never help women----even if he's your father. 😕

[@azurastar3223]

They have the new Ariel in one of the parks, and because of those bland dresses, she looks like a random park goer Disney Bounding more than anything. The girl that plays her is cute, but the dress makes her look like a servant compared to the other princess outfits

[@suzygirl1843]

@@WondrousJoJo I loved it. I watched 3 times already

[@booksaremybag4684]

@@suzygirl1843 The movie sucks and blackwashed a European story

[@UNDEFINEDpreSENCE]

@@booksaremybag4684🙄🤦🏾‍♀️

[@yoselinreyes6718]

The ending with Ariel killing ursula annoyed me, another thing that really ticked me off was that while we know Ursula is Triton’s sister and was banished from the kingdom, we never really found out why there was so much bad blood between the siblings. What did Ursula do to get herself banished from her family? Her home? All we learned is that “she liked to cause trouble between merpeople and humans”; but why? As a whole after watching this movie 3 times… I missed the transformation dress, I needed that wedding, why is Max no longer an old english sheep dog? Why is chef Louis gone?… I loved his interactions with Sebastian… this movie had the potential to be great, but it failed for me. I liked it; But I absolutely adore the animation little mermaid. I really wanted this movie to be amazing; it saddens me to say its not.

[@nukita718]

I also found it cringey during the live action where Ariel apologizes to her father. Since Eric was entirely useless throughout the movie, she just told Triton "Eric was with me the whole time." Like, girl, SHOW DONT TELL! The audience is not dumb.

[@yoselinreyes6718]

@@nukita718 true, they really downplayed Eric as a character at the very end. In reality every time I think of this movie I get mad at how they made really dumb decisions with the film. Like I said it had great potential but they F’ it up. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Mehhhhhhhh]

Because Ursula is a murderer. In this version she literally has skulls decorated all over her lair maybe that's why Triton doesn't like her.

[@TonkaJay]

"Life is full of tough choices, isn't it."😄 I said it along with you. That is a good line.

[@WondrousJoJo]

😄💜

[@jumiamoooney6785]

The first was good because the producers team had a dedication in their works, you can see that in any scenes of the animation, how the colors were used and the characters design was perfect and the plot was well written but this live action is a lazy copy (ctrl c ctrl v) of the animation with a touch of modern feminist

[@maiteenataliaarocho3540]

The romance was stale and felt as if they were better friends than lovers.

[@jjokkomi5260]

I ABSOLUTELY HATE THE REMAKE, as a The Little Mermaid fan I was so disappointed. I have a lot to say about it, I have a lot of complaints and problems with the remake but i'll just say that for me THE ROMANCE IS DEAD in this one, the changes made the movie confusing af and made no sense whatsoever. For me, visually wise, it didn't meet my expectations, the CGI, EVERYTHING is trash. One of the message that I got from that remake is that WOMEN CAN ONLY BE BADASS WHEN MEN BECOMES USELESS. I didn't like the remake ONE BIT, it was rubbing me off the wrong way.

[@Nemo-kk7qg]

I love the final recommendation: For people who like the sea, maybe, because there is a lot of sea in it. 😂

[@WondrousJoJo]

😂

[@kitsorcerer]

Atlantica. THANK YOU! Literally no one is talking about the major downgrade we got. The cartoon set the standard for a mermaid kingdom and the LA got rocks. One of my critiques of the film was that the movie couldn't decide between realism and fantasy. We got both nd it didn't work

[@BlueCherryNice]

I mean, with Atlantica looking like that I kinda understand why she would want to escape xd Also if she has never put her head above the water, how does she love the human world? She has never seen a human and yet sings how she want to be one? Lolz. It makes no sense. Ursulas song? Ugh. So stiff and lifeless. Nowhere near to the original. Ariel without any emotions on her face during the whooole song and making her not care about her family at all. Its just so stupid... They had a chance to make an epic, visually beautiful movie with all the underwater colorful corals and fish and gorgeous mermaids... If only they had stick to what all of us loved in the original one... I dont need another poor girlboss movie, no thank you. Girls can be independent and brave and still have a great romance where he helps her

[@WondrousJoJo]

Hahaha! I'd want to leave Atlantica, too, with it looking like that.

[@AdaLina-uj5dl]

hey! Great review! I watched movie in English and as it is not my native language and I had no subtitles, there were things i did not understand in the movie. So if there is something i write is incorrect, i do apologise. So my main misunderstanding was the ending. I did not get why Ariel who wanted to live above so much decided to start going sailing on the ship! That does not make any sense! I understand they wanted to explore some uncharted lands, but seriously! why not start from their island and places nearby? So she went out of the ocean to start exploring ocean on the ship. That looked stupid to me. Of my god, Eric! he is so handsome and nice guy, but yet sooooo useless. I hate when they do that to characters. In the cartoon, when he killed the witch, he basically proved himself useful and earned respect. Now, just meh. That is a waste. Although i loved the actor, he really looks like Eric from the cartoon. Eric's mother. Okay, he is adopted (anyway i actually did not understand how it happened), but seriously!!!! Future king is adopted and he is basically noone? I do not think that any kingdom in the history of mankind would do that, only their bloodline would inherit the throne. And again, it makes him even more useless. He not only does anything to prove he is worthy, he even doesnt have noble origin. Poor Eric, really! Vanessa shows much more emotions than Ariel. Once Ariel got back into a mermaid, her face shows no emotions. She knows she is in trouble and will get in the hands of sea witch, but her face literally shows NOTHING!!! no fear, no surprise, no emotions at all! like she does not care. But Vanessa is really great, the actress really did the best, I only wish Ariel could be at least more like her. Honestly, i can type forever. I expected the film would be much worse, but it is just okay. Little mermaid would remain my most favourite cartoon (shares the first place with Sailor Moon and i see me and you share the same passion haha), I am sorry i did not have so many positive emotions from this movie. I guess it was bearable for me to watch only because of Eric, he is too handsome haha. But seriously, meh. And as a women myself i see nothing wrong in leaving what you have for a man, if he is a good and worthy guy. Sometimes it is worth a try and embrace a chance to be with someone you love. So I never understood why people blame Ariel for that, she wanted to live on the land and it happened that she met someone great! so why not try? Anyway, I wish i liked movie more

[@CordeliaWagner]

Arielle in the Classic Movie wanted to be a human before she met Eric. She left nothing for Eric, Triton fullfilled the wish she had from the start. Eric is just the cherry on top of her cake. A good cherry, he is a decent guy. Your english is very good by the way! Try to rewatch your favourity childhood movies in english, so you don't need subtitles that distract you. You just have to get used to spoken words. Your level of writing proofs that you already are very good at english! Best wishes 🍀🐞🦄🍾🥂

[@WondrousJoJo]

That's an excellent point about the ending! I never thought of that! It does appear that she gives up her dream to follow his. That usually wouldn't be that big of a deal if Disney wasn't already known for totally overdoing female empowerment. Most people who finally get their dream (in this case, it is her living on land) wouldn't be satisfied after only 3 days of being exposed to a small part of ONE island. I will say that exploring uncharted waters can lead to Ariel seeing more lands/islands and human life...so it wasn't a total miscalculation by Disney... but still. Unfortunately, yes, I found Eric to be so useless. Ariel did almost everything. How did they think it was progressive to reverse the roles to pre-"Disney Renaissance" times?? So instead of the woman doing almost nothing, now she's the major active person, and the masculine heroic male is just... the sideline helper who is mostly a damsel??

[@AdaLina-uj5dl]

@@WondrousJoJo I am not against of women having some power. But she was not doing nothing in the original, she saved Eric and i wish he returned her a favour. In the cartoon they were both decent and brave. Now brave and strong is only Ariel and I feel sorry for such a great character as Eric. He deserved better in the movie

[@AdaLina-uj5dl]

@@CordeliaWagner Thank you very much! I will definitely rewatch, just sometimes it is hard to catch some words when they speak fast. And about Eric, yeah he was the cherry on the top and people who say that she left only for him did not really watch the original. And he was worthy and decent guy. I wish they made more stories like that and not only focus on independent women. You can be independent and at the same time happy with a great partner, and in the oroginal they both saved each other and it looked better than Ariel being the only hero

[@CordeliaWagner]

@Ada Lina I am not a native speaker myself. Everybody learns different but rewatching my favourite childhood movies without subtitles helped me a lot! You force your brain to learn faster. That doesn't cause brain injury! You just adapt faster when you don't have "the lazy distracting" option. Your brain aka you is much smarter than you think!

[@k1988smith]

I'm waiting for the movie to come to Disney Plus because I'm tired of supporting these lazy remakes in theaters. I'm cool with paying my DPlus subscription fee but I will not buy ticket!! I knew I was going to hate the movie just from the few articles I read about the unnecessary changes they were making! Who said let's make our villain have better moral center and why do they still have a job?!!? To make a villain better they would actually need to be less morally inclined and not the other way around!!

[@fcv4616]

I liked the remake, but I prefer the original animated film. And I agree that the romance in the new film was one-sided. The writers were so adamant in showing that Ariel didn’t give up her voice for a man, that when she finally is on land and meets Eric for the first time, I didn’t buy that she was excited to see him. And I don’t get why they changed the lyrics of Kiss the girl. Such a harmless, cute song ruined just because some touchy people with no capacity to understand context thought that the original was problematic.

[@WondrousJoJo]

I would have included a whole rant on Kiss the Girl... but for time's sake, I left it out.

[@Disneyfan82]

All because feminazis and snowflakes wanted the original to be problematic

[@ladymariam7128]

Disney should just stop remarks .. and create new movies, I am very confused that most people thinks Disney remakes are awful and they just won’t understand and will still go on and on with remakes .. The part of Ursula saying [ body language ] was cool thing to add to her character, do they think that this sense is like too sexual for a movie?? Coz I didn’t even think of it in any dirty way when I was young lmao The idea that women should not get help is very toxic and unrealistic, feels like an idea from a teenage girl who just found out about feminism

[@user-jz4nu2jc8x]

Eric literally helped Ariel during the battle with Ursula, so I dont know where this “women should not get help” bs is coming from lol 🤣🤣🤣

[@CordeliaWagner]

Feminism isn't about not accepting help when in need. Plus Eric didn't ask Arielle if she is okay with him finishing Ursula in the Classic. She was a thread for EVERYONE and not just Arielle. He did what a guy who sees the tread has to do to stop the threat. Ursula would have undone all of his kingdom since it is a nation that lives nearby the Ocean and Ursula is a Psychopath that wants to control everything and hates humans herself. He did it for all the right reasons.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Ursula is a manipulative witch who says what she needs to get the contract signed. She appealed to the shallow and more surface aspects of what a teenage girl may concern herself with. Ariel is also naive about the human world, so Ursula, a more experienced mer-person, uses that against her and exaggerates the truth about human culture. There was NOTHING wrong with the original dialogue, and Disney made a big problem out of nothing.

[@CordeliaWagner]

Toxic people create drama out of nothing.

[@mzalchemy9236]

@@WondrousJoJo I agree that there was nothing wrong with the original dialogue of Ursula since she is the villain after all so no one took what she said to heart. If anything, they should’ve been more concerned with removing that lyric from Under the Sea (which came off quite racist in the original) “the black fishy sings”. In the original they had a fat black fish who sings horribly. I see in this new live action that they chose to KEEP that lyric.

[@clairelin0216]

The reason why the original animated version took out the part of Ursula being Ariel's aunt was because the backstory wouldn't help the plot progress forward in any way, now I've seen what they did with it, I can only say that the original animation's writers were right in taking out that part so when Eric killed Ursula it's not going to be like "He just killed someone on his wife's side of the family." kind of thing and Ursula was simply a villain who was hungry for power.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Exactly! As we've all said before, the movie pretty much got it right the first time.

[@hollydimitrie7889]

Great review, yes this movie failed my childhood also. I loved the OG Ariel movie and I was soooo worried about this one bc I am not really a fan of the other remakes (except the Aladdin one was pretty good and Lion King was ok) and this is my all-time favorite movie. But yeah you hit on all the right points and so glad you are speaking about it bc I am really not allowed to because all i get told is that it's bc I am white and I am just upset that they made Ariel black and I am racist. And it has nothing to do with that at all. She sang beautifully and she was pretty. The costume/creative design team really hurt us also in my opinion.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Thanks, Holly. I agree. Halle was beautiful, and her voice is phenomenal. It has nothing to do with her race, either. I didn't care much for the film because several of the changes they made did not in any way strengthen the story or impact, in my opinion. We should be able to say these things without being branded as raci$t or a race traitor (in my case 🙄😮‍💨). It's like, the smallest complaints we have, here come the guard dogs to try to silence us.

[@hollydimitrie7889]

@@WondrousJoJo yeah its sad people are acting like this. and so sorry that you are being called a race traitor thats horrible. xxhugs

[@lucapeyrefitte6899]

I feel like we were robbed of having a carribiean prince, it would’ve been perfect in my eyes

[@Rozziefeatherschneider]

I tried to watch it. My friend that i went to the theater with (they paid) fell asleep and I walked out halfway through it. It was really bad. There was nothing redeeming about it IMO.

[@WondrousJoJo]

I personally didn't think it was THAT bad lol. I don't think I've ever walked out of a theater during a feature. I usually stick it all the way through (I'm looking at you, Beauty and the Beast 😑). But hey, at least it was free for you.

[@ibegtheepardon4950]

Its kind of ironic how they claim to be against mysogyny and then imply that the woman has to do all the work in a relationship.

[@WondrousJoJo]

That part!

[@Huh9631]

On a positive note, I love your shirt! Purple looks rly nice on you💜

[@WondrousJoJo]

Thank you so much!!! I appreciate that! Purple is actually my favorite color! :D

[@Huh9631]

@@WondrousJoJo awesome! Purple is a pretty cool color

[@elizabethashley42]

Animated Scuttle was the sidekick GOAT and I like seeing him appreciated. I was so annoyed by this weird live action change.

[@WondrousJoJo]

Thank you!!! 💜 I feel like HE is so overlooked! The older I get, the more and more I understand his character, hahaha!

[@lexirandolph3378]

For under the sea, the song lost its OOMPH. It was a lot lighter, no where near as heavy and excited. It fell wayyy flat. Also, I don't like the direction they took it with Ariel for it, either. She's supposed to be aloof and unfocused during the song 😗 I'm also just.. ughhhh not happy they made Scuttle a girl. The old man, cooky charm is unbeatable.

[@sekanstar3243]

Stop giving them the excuses of because it's a live action it can't be as colorful as the cartoon, if they can't do it, then don't do it, there's no high demand for a live remake or any demand at all as a matter of fact, if we pay our hard earned money and precious time on this it better be as good or even better than the original, otherwise why would we bother? But thank you for the detail review ♥️

[@TheLoneReni]

Fathoms below and the intro to the OG Little Mermaid was used basically as an establishing scene and a way to not only hype up the audience for what you could be in store for under the ocean. Hyping up King Trident and how powerful he is. He controls the seas! Which is also a subtle set up so that when Ursula is revieled to want his power, we understand what this means for BOTH worlds. It also acts as a subtle audience transition with the fish going deeper and deeper below. Its a transition that makes us ask where we're going and lets us know we're not in kansas anymore and the musical score there... GODS ABOVE the music and how it builds up tension flawlessly. How we'd only seen sea creatures we knew before that moment and then swells when we see the first mermaid. God that entire sequence is nothing short of magical and it was built up perfectly. Fathoms below and the opening scene are so important for ALL the set up for the rest of the movie, so even if its minor... it was meant to be. God I could go on about so many subtle set ups and little things that used to be made with brillant intent in these films but id be here for weeks 💀

[@amycollins5984]

I would like to see Disney animation film that teaches kids that asking for help, no matter what gender

[@WondrousJoJo]

I feel like Encanto kind of did a good job of that.

[@amycollins5984]

@@WondrousJoJo yeah. I meant a new story where the main heroin feels like she has to do everything on her own but then learn is that it’s okay to ask for help and it doesn’t make you any weaker

[@naurrrre]

wow, no no disney won’t like that, the protagonist should be girlbossing! otherwise people on the internet would call them weak or not empowering

[@amycollins5984]

@@naurrrre I just think it be good to teach kids and adults that it’s okay to ask for help don’t listen to people online

[@BrcRosa]

I love that Scuttle was your favorite character and fhat you feel protective of him. I think I will have more appreciation for him the next time I watch the OG Mermaid. I always liked him. He olayed his part really well. But now i think I'll appreciate him more knowing he has so much love out there.

[@MrTbk1701]

Sometimes when something is not broke you don’t have to fix it. Disney maybe broke that’s why their doing all these remakes. 😂 But the original will always be my favorite. I’ve been drawing since I was a kid. I’m 47 now and the first photo I saw back in 88 I was hooked (no pun intended). To this day I can draw her in my sleep. The new songs were not memorable. At least in the new Beauty and the Beast the Beast’s song is good. ❤

[@WondrousJoJo]

Exactly! Disney went wrong when they felt like they needed to "correct" the "issues". I'm not against SLIGHTLY modernizing some of the elements of the original film... but they did way too much.

[@dgurlie-0273]

Very good video and it’s not just because agree with every single thing you said. Every time I try to point out to someone the problems in this movie and how it doesn’t compare to the original, I get mocked, bashed, or ignored completely. If movies like this keep being successful, then they’re just going to keep making them and Disney Will continue to lose more and more money. But anyways, I wanted to point something out that seriously bugged me the whole movie, and I know this because they were flaunting this change in every interview and article before the movie even came out: Ariel doesn’t seem to love Eric at all. In the original, you saw she how love struck she was when she first saw him. When she saved him from drowning, she had such a crush on him that she sang about wanting to be with him, then it went into Part of Your World Reprise. She wants to be human WITH him. It makes sense because the lyrics say, “I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I know something’s starting right now. Watch and you’ll see, someday I’ll be part of your world!” Halle Ariel doesn’t even look like she’s in love with Eric. She saves him from drowning and just wants to see if he’s ok. She didn’t seem to care about him at all as long as he was alive, you know? She just went back to collecting stuff from shipwrecks and never once mentioned Eric or admitted she loved him. So what was the point of Part of Your World Reprise if she wants nothing to do with Eric and is more content to just collect things from shipwrecks? I mean, really, she just goes back collecting things, not once mentions him. She’s not acting any differently, so how could her sisters tell she was in love? Every character is saying Ariel is in love with Eric, but the directors want to make it clear, and it’s also clear in the movie that Ariel doesn’t have feeling for Eric (amnesia spell or not.) She’s even sad to leave her family in the end. I’m like, girl, what do you want?! Gosh, I can’t stand what they did with this movie. Is bombing over seas, so we’ll see how it does.

[@WondrousJoJo]

I obviously agree!

[@KeitieKalopsia]

I agree with pretty much all of this, but Ariel would not be the only Disney Princess to kill someone. Mulan killed the whole Hun army. She has gallons upon gallons of blood on her hands and she’s still a fave. Imo the murder isn’t the problem; the removal of Eric’s agency is.

[@WondrousJoJo]

The murder takes a backseat to Eric's agency, I agree.