Movie · 2023 · Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Romance · 2h 15m · PG · English
Curator score: 3.0/10 (814.9K ratings)
Watch and you'll see, some day I'll be, part of your world!
Overview
The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. With mermaids forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.0/10
IMDb: 7.2/10
Letterboxd: 3.10/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 67%
Metacritic: 59
TMDB: 6.3/10
Director
Rob Marshall
Production
Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, Marc Platt Productions
Cast
Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, Jessica Alexander, Martina Laird, Emily Coates, Christopher Fairbank, John Dagleish, Matt Carver, Jude Akuwudike, Lorena Andrea, Simone Ashley, Karolina Conchet, Sienna King
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, emotionally earnest live-action remake with a strong lead performance and enough visual charm to satisfy fans of the original, but it also inherits the usual remake bloat and some uneven CGI and new-song choices. It works best as a family-friendly spectacle and a star vehicle rather than a definitive update.
Best for
families looking for a colorful Disney fantasy
viewers who love the original story and want a modernized version
fans of big musical fairy tales
audiences especially drawn to Halle Bailey’s performance
Skip if
you want a bold reimagining instead of a faithful remake
you’re tired of Disney live-action adaptations
you’re sensitive to inconsistent visual effects
you prefer sharper, more subversive fantasy films
Overview
This live-action version leans hard on sincerity, romance, and spectacle, and it mostly succeeds when it trusts its star. Halle Bailey gives Ariel real warmth and wonder, which helps the film feel less like a corporate exercise and more like a genuine fairy-tale dream. The underwater world is often beautiful, and the emotional beats land better than expected for a remake of such a familiar property.
Worth noting
The film is less convincing when it tries to expand the original with new material. Some additions deepen the characters, but others feel like standard remake padding, and the new songs are uneven. The visual effects also vary in quality, which can blunt the magic whenever the movie should be at its most transporting.
Bottom line
Still, as a family adventure with romance, music, and a classic good-vs-evil structure, it’s easy to see why it connected with many viewers. It’s not the freshest Disney update, but it is one of the more watchable ones, especially if you’re here for the emotional payoff and the central performance rather than reinvention.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Framesofnick (2★) · 13858 likes
I watched it high and Sebastian was freaking me the fuck out
jonathan fujii (3★) · 9434 likes
I know a Lin-Manuel Miranda song when I hear it
I’m talking to you Scuttlebutt
jeaba (3.5★) · 8106 likes
ariel lowkey a freak for wanting feet that bad
Emma 🔆 (3.5★) · 4959 likes
When Halle sang I cried, when Halle danced I cried, when Halle got legs I cried, when Halle smiled I cried, when Halle cried I cried