The Little Mermaid (November 17, 1989)

This is the film that kicked off the Disney Renaissance, a period of box office success and artistic and technical innovation. It reinvigorated a lackluster Disney Animation who had only seen three true financial and critical successes since The Jungle Book back in 1966, The Rescuers, Who Framed Rodger Rabbit, and The Great Mouse Detective. This film follows Ariel, a young mermaid who feels constrained by her father and the realm of the sea and longs to walk upon land. She makes a deal with Ursula to be given legs, in exchange for her angelic voice. The catch is that, if she fails to secure true love’s kiss her tail will return, and her soul will become Ursula’s. Early on in the film there is the song “Part of Your World” which sums up Ariel’s desire to be human. She has never quite fit in with her fellow mer-people, possessing an unusual curiosity for the surface dwellers who her father deems dangerous and forbidden. Ariel, behind his back, has gathered many small gadgets and articles that have floated down to the sea floor from the ships above and she loves trying to figure out their purposes. I can relate to her feeling of being out of place and feeling she is meant for something different (and perhaps a secret longer for love!) She may be naïve towards the way of the world, but I commend her inquisitive nature and seeking to understand those different than her (though this often gets her into trouble). I also understand where her father, King Triton, is coming from. Ariel is his favorite and youngest daughter and as such he feels an extra responsibility to protect her from the harms of the unknown world. He may be the King of the Sea, but he is powerless outside this domain. He goes about this admirable goal in the wrong way, inadvertently pushing away the one whom he wishes to hold close, but his heart is in the right place. Moving on Sebastian the crab, Flounder the fish and Scuttle the seagull are Ariel’s closet companions and the encourage her curiosity, accompany her on adventures, and attempt to supervisor her (and save her when she runs into danger). They are humorous but not overly so; they are endearing not annoying. Prince Eric is one of the more notable princes in that he is given a lot of screen time. This, unfortunately, does not give him extra characterization and he ends up being just another heroic and likable Disney prince with no backstory or substance (he is very charming, though). Ursula is a fantastic villain, though I wish she were given a backstory as to why she wishes to become the Queen of the ocean. But she sure does have a killer song, “Poor Unfortunate Souls” which lays out her contract to Ariel in a catchy and easily understood manner. Two additional songs of note are “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl” both starring Sebastian and both standouts in their own ways. The former expounds upon the benefits of the sea while the latter attempts to “set the mood” and try to encourage the budding romance between Prince Eric and Ariel. Overall, The Little Mermaid is a great start to this so-called “Disney decade” though it is not without its problems, such as weak characterization. But its strengths outweigh its faults and it is well worth watching as it holds up even decades later.

Final Rating: 7.5/10