Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. With mermaids forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
The 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid offers little that distinguishes it from the beloved 1989 animated original. The plot is a near scene-for-scene retread with minor additions that add runtime without meaningful depth. Halle Bailey's vocal performance as Ariel is genuinely strong and is the film's clearest asset, while the supporting cast is serviceable. Cinematography is competent but the underwater sequences suffer from murky, visually cluttered CGI that lacks the vivid clarity of the animation it tries to replicate. Novelty is extremely low — this is a formulaic live-action Disney remake that recycles the source material without a distinct artistic vision or fresh perspective. The ending follows the original beat for beat, offering no surprises or emotional payoff beyond nostalgia.