Review 298: The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid is (in the words of Roger Ebert) a jolly and inventive animated film, one that reaches back to the older days of Disney animation
Based on the fairy tale The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, A beautiful mermaid, Ariel (Jodi Benson), is fascinated by the human world-much to the dismay of her father King Triton (Kenneth Mars), ruler of the Mer-people. Ariel spies handsome Prince Eric (Christopher Barnes) and falls hopelessly in love. Sebastian (Samuel E. Wright), the crab, is sent by Triton to keep an eye on Ariel, but he cannot stop her from saving Eric's life during a storm at sea.
Meanwhile, Ursula (Pat Carrol), the sea witch, plots to grant Ariel's wish to be human and marry her prince, but only as part of a larger scheme to gain control of Triton's undersea kingdom.
The plot is one of the most tricky, clever, warm and well realized plots Disney has ever produced. The Little Mermaid is a much different fairy tale than Disney's previous films, the characters, for instance, for like real people, like people we know e.g. Ariel is like a typical 16 year old girl, she's independent, she thinks for herself and she wants to lead her own life just like we all do when we reach her age but her father Triton struggles to let her be free.
Another powerful theme in this film and indeed one of the strongest themes of Christian Anderson is the urne to be part of a world you are not: Ariel wants to be part of the human world not just for Prince Eric but because she thinks the grass in greener on that side of the world.
Self-Sacrifice is also a theme in film: The Little Mermaid, to a great extent explores what you have to give up for love: Ariel gives up willingly gives up her voice to become human and get close to Eric. It's not until she becomes human that you realize what she's going through.
It's also a story about going from one level to another level both metaphorically and literally: Ariel wants to become a human and at the same time she becomes an adult.
Writer/directors Ron Clements and John Musker's animation direction is precise, the animation (creating a world "Under the Sea") is all marvellous, the production design is astonishing (the world under the sea looks absolutely spectacular), the character design is incredible (all the fish a mer people look sensational), the musical numbers are amazing, the score by Alan Menken is beautiful, the songs (Part of Your World, Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl) by Menken and Howard Ashman are lively and fun, the drawings are wonderful, the colours are rich, the action scenes are exciting, the comedy is excellent, the scenery is breathtaking and it's well paced.
The voice cast is brilliant, Jodi Benson is wonderful as Ariel, she has all sweetness, charm, grace and youthfulness of a classic Disney princess and on top of that she's a fully realised female character, she thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously, she thinks for herself, she doesn't just hang around waiting for her true love to rescue her. Because she's smart and thinks for herself, we have sympathy for her scheming.
Christopher Barnes is excellent as Prince Eric, after Ariel saves him from a shipwreck, he becomes determined to find her but with Ariel having given her voice to Ursula, he doesn't realize she is the one. Also they way he interact with Ariel whilst she's human is played so well.
Samuel E. Wright is also terrific as Sebastian, like all the best royal advisers, his loyalty to King Triton is well rounded and like Triton he wants Ariel to be safe Under the Sea.
Also he gets into some tricky situations with a French chef which provides us with a few good laughs which is nice.
Jason Marin is really likeable as Flounder, he's like the best friend to Ariel and is very suportive of her disire to see the human world. He also scares easily which is one of the comic delights of the film.
Buddy Hackett is hilarious as Scuttle the seagull, despite his erroneous information on human things, Scuttle provides support and advice when he learns that Ariel has to win Eric's heart in three days. And that shows he has a big heart.
Kenneth Mars is fabulous as King Triton, he delivers the right amount of presence and the fatherly love to create a real father. I think apart from Ariel he has the best character arc because he too is struggling: He is struggling to let Ariel go and see that is a good side to human beings. And his love for Ariel really moves me. He loves Ariel so much but sometimes being a dad is tough because you need care and look after your daughter but when she gets to a certain age you have to let go out into the open to lea her own life.
Finally, the most real aspect of the story is the struggle that Ariel has to be free and see the human world and the struggle that Triton has to let her be free because he's afraid of humans and loves his daughter and doesn't want to loose her. And thats a situation, I think, people of all ages can relate to. We all through the phase of growing up, becoming a teenager and wanting to lead our own lives right?
And Ariel and Triton's struggles are a great example of that.
Patt Carroll makes for one of the best Disney villain as Ursula, she is so seductive, malicious, persuasive manipulative, deceptive and downright nasty and she will stop at nothing to take control of Triton's kingdom - and all because she was banished.
The Little Mermaid has music and laughter and visual delight for kids of all ages, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
Based on the fairy tale The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, A beautiful mermaid, Ariel (Jodi Benson), is fascinated by the human world-much to the dismay of her father King Triton (Kenneth Mars), ruler of the Mer-people. Ariel spies handsome Prince Eric (Christopher Barnes) and falls hopelessly in love. Sebastian (Samuel E. Wright), the crab, is sent by Triton to keep an eye on Ariel, but he cannot stop her from saving Eric's life during a storm at sea.
Meanwhile, Ursula (Pat Carrol), the sea witch, plots to grant Ariel's wish to be human and marry her prince, but only as part of a larger scheme to gain control of Triton's undersea kingdom.
The plot is one of the most tricky, clever, warm and well realized plots Disney has ever produced. The Little Mermaid is a much different fairy tale than Disney's previous films, the characters, for instance, for like real people, like people we know e.g. Ariel is like a typical 16 year old girl, she's independent, she thinks for herself and she wants to lead her own life just like we all do when we reach her age but her father Triton struggles to let her be free.
Another powerful theme in this film and indeed one of the strongest themes of Christian Anderson is the urne to be part of a world you are not: Ariel wants to be part of the human world not just for Prince Eric but because she thinks the grass in greener on that side of the world.
Self-Sacrifice is also a theme in film: The Little Mermaid, to a great extent explores what you have to give up for love: Ariel gives up willingly gives up her voice to become human and get close to Eric. It's not until she becomes human that you realize what she's going through.
It's also a story about going from one level to another level both metaphorically and literally: Ariel wants to become a human and at the same time she becomes an adult.
Writer/directors Ron Clements and John Musker's animation direction is precise, the animation (creating a world "Under the Sea") is all marvellous, the production design is astonishing (the world under the sea looks absolutely spectacular), the character design is incredible (all the fish a mer people look sensational), the musical numbers are amazing, the score by Alan Menken is beautiful, the songs (Part of Your World, Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl) by Menken and Howard Ashman are lively and fun, the drawings are wonderful, the colours are rich, the action scenes are exciting, the comedy is excellent, the scenery is breathtaking and it's well paced.
The voice cast is brilliant, Jodi Benson is wonderful as Ariel, she has all sweetness, charm, grace and youthfulness of a classic Disney princess and on top of that she's a fully realised female character, she thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously, she thinks for herself, she doesn't just hang around waiting for her true love to rescue her. Because she's smart and thinks for herself, we have sympathy for her scheming.
Christopher Barnes is excellent as Prince Eric, after Ariel saves him from a shipwreck, he becomes determined to find her but with Ariel having given her voice to Ursula, he doesn't realize she is the one. Also they way he interact with Ariel whilst she's human is played so well.
Samuel E. Wright is also terrific as Sebastian, like all the best royal advisers, his loyalty to King Triton is well rounded and like Triton he wants Ariel to be safe Under the Sea.
Also he gets into some tricky situations with a French chef which provides us with a few good laughs which is nice.
Jason Marin is really likeable as Flounder, he's like the best friend to Ariel and is very suportive of her disire to see the human world. He also scares easily which is one of the comic delights of the film.
Buddy Hackett is hilarious as Scuttle the seagull, despite his erroneous information on human things, Scuttle provides support and advice when he learns that Ariel has to win Eric's heart in three days. And that shows he has a big heart.
Kenneth Mars is fabulous as King Triton, he delivers the right amount of presence and the fatherly love to create a real father. I think apart from Ariel he has the best character arc because he too is struggling: He is struggling to let Ariel go and see that is a good side to human beings. And his love for Ariel really moves me. He loves Ariel so much but sometimes being a dad is tough because you need care and look after your daughter but when she gets to a certain age you have to let go out into the open to lea her own life.
Finally, the most real aspect of the story is the struggle that Ariel has to be free and see the human world and the struggle that Triton has to let her be free because he's afraid of humans and loves his daughter and doesn't want to loose her. And thats a situation, I think, people of all ages can relate to. We all through the phase of growing up, becoming a teenager and wanting to lead our own lives right?
And Ariel and Triton's struggles are a great example of that.
Patt Carroll makes for one of the best Disney villain as Ursula, she is so seductive, malicious, persuasive manipulative, deceptive and downright nasty and she will stop at nothing to take control of Triton's kingdom - and all because she was banished.
The Little Mermaid has music and laughter and visual delight for kids of all ages, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic.
Comments
Post a Comment