The Little Mermaid,
directed by Rob Marshall
(Walt Disney, 2023)

Back in the early 1990s, I could honestly say I hadn't seen a Disney cartoon in many years. But my girlfriend at the time wanted to go see Beauty & the Beast in the theater, and I couldn't wrap my head around doing such a thing on purpose. She insisted that Disney had entered a new age, however, and to prove it she rented The Little Mermaid, which I watched unwillingly -- at first.

Let's be honest, I loved it, and in the decades since I've enjoyed many modern Disney movies, both as a discerning adult and as an indulgent parent. I've rewatched The Little Mermaid on several occasions, and each time I was impressed by the dazzling animation and music.

The film featured the vocal talents of Jodi Benson as Ariel, Samuel E. Wright as the helpful crab Sebastian, Christopher Daniel Barnes as Prince Eric, Pat Carroll as the sea witch Ursula, Buddy Hackett as the misinformed seagull Scuttle and Kenneth Mars as King Triton.

The story, like so many Disney classics, was drawn from well-trodden folklore, although they (of course) revised the original sad story by Hans Christian Andersen to provide their audience with the anticipated "happily ever after" conclusion.

So, what made it so special?

The animation is spectacular, compared to earlier Disney cartoons. The music and vocal performances are superb. A special nod goes to music writer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, who gave us so many memorable earworms, from the forlorn "Part of Your World" to the lively "Under the Sea," the fun "Les Poissons" to the romantic "Kiss the Girl" and, of course, Ursula's dramatic villain piece, "Poor Unfortunate Souls."

It is rightly considered a classic, and it ignited a new era in Disney filmmaking. It was the first of many flashy, memorable new animated films, many of which I have thoroughly enjoyed on an adult level while sharing them with my kids over the years.

Then, Disney seemed to hit a wall. While the company was buying up some very profitable franchises, with Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe foremost among them, they seemed unable to produce as much top-notch original content. Somewhere along the way, they decided that a series of live-action remakes of their classic cartoons was the way to go ... to mixed results.

I haven't been inspired to see many of this new line of movies, but I decided to take my kids to see the updated The Little Mermaid in the theater ... in part because I was curious to see what Disney had done with the classic that sparked the studio's renaissance, and in part because I was irked at all the righteous conservative tears over the casting of a black actress as a mermaid. Because, um, apparently fantasy characters should only be white-skinned. The "real" Ariel, as so many people proclaimed on social media, had skin like milk and hair like a carrot, and anything else is an outrage. It's "woke," they screamed to the heavens, and Disney must suffer for it.

Ridiculous. All other considerations aside, Halle Bailey gives us an amazing Ariel. I have no complaints about her acting, which is expressive even when she's denied use of her voice, but it's her singing that is truly phenomenal.

Moreover, the movie gifts viewers with stunning underwater realism, although the decision to go hyperrealistic with the sealife creates some conundrums. There are, after all, a bevy of anthropomorphic fish and birds and such, but the big, menacing shark is simply a mindless beast who isn't big on conversation. Flounder, who is not a flounder, is a friend, while other fish are food. When, for instance, Scuttle dives in and eats a fish right beside Ariel and Flounder, how did she know it wasn't someone who would have been integral to the plot? Would she, if circumstances allowed, eat Flounder?

The very realistic appearances of sea creatures such as Sebastian and Flounder are a little disturbing when you see them talking, but by and large the CGI works. I was, frankly, stunned how well Ariel seems to exist in an ocean world.

Melissa McCarthy is on point as the sea witch Ursula, offering dramatic and sinister flair as all Disney villains should. She is a surprisingly good singer, too. Javier Bardem makes a fine King Triton.

Oh, and Jonah Hauer-King is surprisingly good as Prince Eric. While in the cartoon he was little more than a cardboard cutout, here the prince gets some personality and backstory. He even gets a song.

Speaking of songs, the movie boasts a few new ones, some of which might prove memorable, and deletes a few; regrettably, the delightful "Les Poissons" is among the casualties. Even the fan-favorite "Under the Sea" suffers a bit, given the more realistic interpretation of the setting. Sure, Sebastian still sings about the musical talents of the surrounding sea life, but we no longer get to see it.

The movie features the vocal talents of Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder and Awkwafina as Scuttle. Other cast members include Noma Dumezweni as Eric's queenly adopted mother, Art Malik as Sir Grimsby and Jessica Alexander as Vanessa, Ursula's deceptive alter-ego.

My 10-year-old daughter said the new The Little Mermaid is every bit as good as the 1989 animated version. My 10-year-old son says the new movie is even better than the original. I have to agree with my son. Ultimately, we probably didn't need a live-action remake of the animated classic -- but I'm glad they gave us one anyway. The existence of the new one doesn't change the original cartoon at all; now folks have a choice what to watch.