• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Scuttle, voiced by Awkwafina, Flounder voiced by Jacob Tremblay, and Halle Bailey as Ariel appear in “The Little Mermaid.” The OSV News classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.(OSV News photo/Disney)

Movie Review: ‘The Little Mermaid’

May 25, 2023
By John Mulderig
OSV News
Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews

NEW YORK (OSV News) – The idea of updating a classic film is always a dangerous one. But, provided there’s a better motive at work than mere hubris, it can work.

Such, emphatically, is the case with “The Little Mermaid” (Disney), director Rob Marshall’s live-action remake of the beloved 1989 animated musical derived from Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale. Using technology not available in the waning days of the Cold War, Marshall and his team serve up a charming fresh take on the timeless story.

As before, the action centers on Ariel (Halle Bailey), the sea creature of the title. When Ariel’s insatiable curiosity about life on dry land leads her to fall for a human, Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King), the romance causes a conflict with her overprotective father, King Triton (Javier Bardem).

Upset and isolated, Ariel falls prey to the machinations of her estranged Aunt Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), a scheming, embittered octopus. Ursula agrees to cast a spell that will temporarily turn her niece into a human being so she can woo and be wooed.

But Ursula’s real goal, of course, is not to help Ariel but to use the lass as a pawn in her plot to seize power from her brother Triton. So it will take the aid of Ariel’s two closest companions, harried crab Sebastian (voice of Daveed Diggs) and scatterbrained gannet Scuttle (voice of Awkwafina), to bring about a happy ending.

As scripted by David Magee, Ariel’s adventure is too scary for tots, but will delight all others. As children tap their feet to “Under the Sea” and other tunes composed by Alan Menken – the late Howard Ashman’s lyrics are supplemented by new ones from Lin-Manuel Miranda – adults will find the themes underlying the movie pleasingly balanced.

Thus dad and daughter learn complementary lessons from Ariel’s experience and ultimately demonstrate their enduring love for each other. There’s also a message about not drawing negative conclusions about a whole group based on the misbehavior of some. Eric, moreover, is as inquisitive as his sweetheart – and we learn that such openness to new things pays.

These moral points come wrapped in a bright, upbeat spectacle within which a crucial kiss represents the outer limit of passion. There’s nothing shopworn about Marshall’s skilled and sprightly repackaging – old-fashioned in the best sense, it’s a high-quality, family friendly summer treat.

The film contains potentially frightening scenes of characters in peril and of thoroughly stylized violence. The OSV News classification is A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Read More Movie & Television Reviews

Movie Review: ‘Padre Pio’

Movie Review: ‘The Boogeyman’

Videogame Review: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’

Shia LaBeouf: ‘I fell in love with Christ’ to portray Padre Pio on screen

TV Review: ‘Mrs. Davis’

Videogame review: ‘Tin Hearts’

Copyright © 2023 OSV News

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Assault outside Planned Parenthood office leaves pregnancy center employees shaken
  • Movie Review: ‘Padre Pio’
  • Missionary of mercy priest: ‘Be Christ to all people’ in a world ‘hungry for the Word’
  • ‘God’s Scribe’: Father Breighner retires popular column after more than 50 years
  • Bishop Victor Galeone, former Archdiocese of Baltimore priest and bishop of St. Augustine, dies at 87

| CURRENT EDITION |

| 2023 Attorney General’s Report |

Abuse survivor reflects on John Merzbacher’s death

Archbishop Lori affirms support for transparency in addressing sexual abuse

Believe us: Survivors express anger, hope following release of attorney general’s report

‘Good is stronger than evil,’ Archbishop Lori proclaims at Easter Mass

Maryland attorney general acknowledges that church has changed response

| Crisis in Ukraine |

After visit to Ukraine, Swedish cardinal says he hopes for ‘just peace’

Ukrainian church leaders cite lack of information on Vatican initiatives

Cardinal Zuppi, pope’s peace envoy, talks about war in Ukraine

Vatican secretary of state calls for ‘creative’ peace efforts in Ukraine

US Ukrainian Catholics greet Zelenskyy-Pope Francis meeting with elation, concern

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

| Movie & Television Reviews |

Movie Review: ‘Padre Pio’

Movie Review: ‘The Boogeyman’

Videogame Review: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’

Shia LaBeouf: ‘I fell in love with Christ’ to portray Padre Pio on screen

Movie Review: ‘The Little Mermaid’

| En español |

Expertos esperan avances en salud, discapacidad y ministerio hispano en la reunión de junio de los obispos de EE.UU.

La comunidad católica de Uvalde marca doloroso aniversario con Misa y oración

Una encuesta revela que la mayoría de los estadounidenses ‘rara vez’ o ‘nunca’ asiste a servicios religiosos

Defensores católicos de la migración piden una política justa al expirar el Título 42

¿Qué se espera con el fin del Título 42?

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Dodgers’ faith night ‘not enough’ to address controversy over LGBTQ+ group, anti-Catholic concerns
  • Last week, I got to just be Mom
  • Nevada’s Catholic governor who campaigned as ‘pro-life’ signs some abortion protections into law
  • Pope names Cardinal Farrell next head of Vatican City high court
  • Senate approves House-passed debt ceiling deal, avoiding default
  • Profit-at-all-costs is not a good business model, pope says
  • Farewell and thank you
  • ‘God’s Scribe’: Father Breighner retires popular column after more than 50 years
  • Expertos esperan avances en salud, discapacidad y ministerio hispano en la reunión de junio de los obispos de EE.UU.

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED