THE LITTLE MERMAID

“But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers so much more.”

Hans Christian Andersen

Whatever you think of the Disney live action remakes, they are here to stay. With around 20 in the bag - depending on if you count the likes of Maleficent and Cruella -, at least ten more currently in development and billions of dollars already made, they will be a mainstay in cinemas for years to come.

Whereas the likes of Dumbo floundered critically and - at least compared to some of the others - commercially, The Little Mermaid shows that, while on a business side they might be cynical cash cows, there is still fun to be had with these reimaginings.

While there have been a few small changes to bring the story more up to date with modern day sensibilities, and clear up a plot hole or two - a welcome move in my opinion - The Little Mermaid follows pretty much the same plot as the 1989 original.

Ariel (Halle Bailey) is a mermaid fascinated by the human world. On a stormy night she saves the life of, and simultaneously falls in love with, Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King). Taking advantage of her desire to be a part of his world, sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) concocts a spelt allow her to do so.

Anyone who has seen the original will know how the story goes, and anyone who hasn’t will likely be able to guess, but the story is not where The Little Mermaid excels.

Where it does, is in the performances (mostly), the music, and the visual and sound designs throughout.

The visuals and sound designs especially are excellent, giving the under water and above water their own distinct feel. Under the sea, the sound of the water is a constant, yet unobtrusive, presence, and the dangers of this world are made car right from the start.

On land, sound is slightly crisper, and the dangers have a difference face, helping to convey Ariel as a fish out of water.

The classic songs aren’t overhauled - why would they be - but each performer is given the ability to put their own spin on them, and Lin-Manuel Mirandas presence is felt in the original songs written for the film.

In particular The Scuttlebutt - a really fun rap which allows Daveed Diggs (as Sebastian) and Awkwafina (as Scuttle) to shine - is immediately identifiable as a Miranda song, and an incredibly welcome addition to the soundtrack.

Halle Baileys voice is excellent, demanding the audiences attention every time she starts to sing, but it is not just her voice that is impressive. Her performance in general proves any racist that protested her casting to be the bigots that they are.

Considering that for large portions of the film she has to be silent, conveying everything merely through facial expressions and body language, but she manages this with ease, making these sequences some of the more enjoyable in the film.

Melissa McCarthy, though, is the true scene stealer. She uses her limited screen time to forge a particularly memorable place in Disneys history putting a spin on Ursula which compliments Pat Carrolls performance from the ’89 original.

There are issues, however.

Coming it at 135 minutes The Little Mermaid is not so little, especially compared to the sub-90 minute original.

As is often the case longer does not mean better, and when the story is itself is already a little thin on the ground the film may have been better served using its additional runtime to flesh out the universe a little.

Instead we have scene upon scene that could be tightened up, and ultimately a film which could, and probably should, have been at least half an hour shorter

And while I have praised the majority of the performances, it pains me to say that Javier Bardem is miscast is King Triton. At one point it felt like he was attempting to do Nick Cage, leaving me spending the rest of the film wishing I was watching Nick Cage. Or at least someone who could match the energy of the film.

The Little Mermaid is an imperfect film, but when it is good, it is very good.

Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy elevate it to one of Disneys top tier live action remakes, and Lin-Manuel Mirandas new songs are a welcome addition to the soundtrack.

Whether it will hold the same appeal on streaming as it does in the cinema, I’m not convinced. I feel as though a top quality screen and - even more importantly - a top quality sound system is important to the experience.

But if you do manage to catch it in the cinema you will, for the most part, have a blast.