The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (September 19, 2000)

This is the direct-to-video sequel to The Little Mermaid. The animation style is very bland with the original characters having different enough designs (Prince Eric in particular I did not recognize on first sight). It looks particularly cheaply done even compared to the other DVD sequels. Most of the main voice cast reprise their roles, with the exception of Prince Eric’s and a few others (and his is not even close!) Ariel and Prince Eric have a daughter, named Melody who is born “of land and sea.” Because of this, and the events of the first film, Ursula’s sister, Morgana tries to kidnap her in order to get King Triton’s Trident. In order to protect her daughter, Ariel forbids Melody from ever swimming in the open sea (which she promptly ignores (taking after her mother!) This would have worked better if they had, you know, moved inland! But because of Prince Eric’s obligations- which Ariel now shares, I suppose they cannot leave their seaside kingdom. The actual concept of having a child of the land and sea (Like a female Aquaman) is interesting but, unlike Aquaman, Melody is not charismatic or likable. Her voice grates on my nerves (though she is voiced by the talented Tara Strong) and she is overall annoying. Ariel, for her part, kept the secret of her true nature and Morgana’s plot against her so it makes sense why Melody would be curious but for some reason I do not feel sympathy towards her. Additionally, would it not have been easier for Ariel to teach her daughter about the sea? Considering it is so easy for king Triton to change Ariel back into a mermaid (which also lessens the weight of Ariel’s decision in the original film!) This story is terribly similar to that of The Lion King II, but it fails to be as enjoyable. The villain, Morgana, is basically a knockoff Ursula, lacking her intelligence, charm, or magic. Overall, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea is not worth watching. Its plot is boring and cliché, the original characters stripped of their pleasant personalities while the new ones are plain annoying and simple minded.

Final Rating: 1/10