My Movie Review on The Little Mermaid (1989) (Plus, a Bonus) · 5:32am Mar 1st, 2021

Greetings and salutations, my friends.

This is your friendly film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.

Today, for the ninth and final installment of my "February Festivity", I'm gonna give you guys my take of Disney's "The Little Mermaid". The animated version from 1989 to be precise.

Here's the rundown of this tale:

Ariel is a 16 year old mermaid who has been fascinated by humans and the surface world for as long as she can remember. Everyday, she travels around the ocean to collect human objects that sunk underwater, despite her father, King Triton, frequently insisting that humans are dangerous and that she shouldn't have anything to do with them.

During a terrible storm at sea, though, Ariel saves a human named Prince Eric from drowning after his ship is destroyed. Having fallen in love with him in the process, Ariel becomes determined to see him again somehow. When a devious sea witch named Ursula catches wind of this development, she offers Ariel a way to interact with Eric without compromising her identity as a mermaid: By turning her into a human.

But, if Ariel doesn't get Eric to kiss her in an act of true love within three days, she'll not only turn back into a mermaid but become Ursula's property.

With the help of her friends Flounder the fish, Sebastian the Jamaican crab, and Scuttle the seagull, will Ariel convince Eric that she's the one for him? Or fail to win his heart and become Ursula's prisoner?

I have to admit, this movie was something I've been wanting to do an analysis of for quite a while. Whenever I've even thought about what to review for my "February Festivity", "The Little Mermaid" came to my mind the most because of the romance between Ariel and Eric playing a big part in the story. And, of course, I couldn't resist having another opportunity to analyze an animated film by Disney.

So, what do I think of this movie?

I really can't lie, this movie has a reputation that is not without reason. To put it simply, it's AWESOME!

For instance, the direction and story by John Musker and Ron Clements were all spectacularly well-done.

The one thing I will admit is that the film was a little more quick and straightforward in some areas than I remembered it being. That's perfectly okay, though, because I thought the film still paced itself really well and that everything tied together flawlessly. The characters managed to drive the plot forward with style, and the filmmakers gave the movie a sense of fun and creativity that made it undeniably entertaining. The movie practically brimmed with heart and emotion, each being particularly fueled by the developing romance between Ariel and Eric and the friendships both characters share with others. The film also had a wit and humorous spirit that made it extra enjoyable, the funniest moments often revolving around Sebastian and Scuttle.

The animation was amazing as well.

Even though I've never read the book of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen, the art style and visualization is something that I believe would make the author proud. It was like seeing a storybook brought to life, and everything about it not only represented Disney finding solid footing to stand on but felt like it was exactly the kind that Andersen would've used and created had he been around to helm the project. The underwater settings were especially gorgeous to watch, and I can tell that the animators were having a lot of fun animating the characters.

The voice acting, casting, characters, and character development were fantastic, if I may add.

It's hard to pick out who the best vocal performers and characters are out of everyone, really. Largely because each character has a quality and personality that helped them stand out and because the vocal performers portrayed them with passionate flavor. But, there are many characters and vocal performances that I'm proud to honorably mention:

When it came to voicing Ariel, Jodi Benson literally rocked the house! Everything about her performance was not only powerful but felt like she actually became the character rather than just supply the voice.

And yes, I will admit that there were decisions Ariel made that didn't exactly translate her as a bright sort of character, but I found them to be understandable. She only signed Ursula's contract because she desperately wanted to see Eric again, and because of her fights and disagreements with her father, she thought all she'd ever do was upset him. Emotions and fears are elements that can cause people to do things without thinking them through, and that's a quality I believe everyone has. Including me.

The real things that help Ariel be a great protagonist are that she's kind and loving, and she's not afraid of standing up for herself or for others either. She's someone that people can relate to as well, in that she has dreams and desires to be independent and make her own choices. The character development she had throughout the movie made her far from one-dimensional, I'll tell you guys that.

In addition to this, Christopher Daniel Barnes did a wonderful job voicing Prince Eric, and Eric himself wasn't without personality and growth either. Samuel E. Wright and Buddy Hackett were also phenomenal in the roles of Sebastian and Scuttle, and I loved that both characters showed themselves to be truly loyal friends rather than just mere comic-reliefs. Likewise, Kenneth Mars brought an incredible amount of power, emotion, and authority to the character of King Triton, and the character wasn't without personality and growth outside of just being a king either.

Lastly, Pat Carroll was wonderful in the role of Ursula, and the character herself is definitely one of the best Disney antagonists around. The decision to upgrade Ursula from a mere minor in the actual book to someone with a prominent part was a very creative choice on the part of the filmmakers, because if that wasn't done...well, I'm not sure how the film would work without her since she helped move the story forward while bringing excitement and intrigue.

The wonderful thing about Carroll's performance as Ursula was that she portrayed the character with a theatricality and sense of humor that was absolutely fun, and the car salesman-type con artist vibe she incorporated helped to truly make Ursula a unique antagonist. Similar to Benson with Ariel, it was like Carroll was able to become Ursula and do more than just provide the voice. With all that being said, I'm surprised Carroll wasn't inducted as a Disney Legend by the company considering the role's pretty much her best known and loved. Plus, the character's deceitful and cunning nature, as well as her charisma, make her someone that people would hardly expect, and there was a sense of growth in her that made her all-the-more intimidating.

Finally, the music by Alan Menken, and the songs by both him and Howard Ashman, were magnificent.

With this movie being the very first of Menken's collaborations with Disney, I can tell that the two were absolutely born to work together. Not only did Menken's score carry something that made it feel bigger than any score done in previous animated Disney films, but it carried a sense of emotion. The songs that were made for the movie by Menken and Ashman also had a bounce and rhythm that made them instantly brilliant to listen to, and they perfectly match the feelings and personalities of the characters.

In conclusion, "The Little Mermaid (1989)" is another winner of Disney's filmography, and my watching it again has helped me see precisely why it's credited for starting the "Disney Renaissance" period. I'm happy to end this year's "February Festivity" by making my own analysis of it, that's for sure.

So, I rate "The Little Mermaid (1989)" five out of five stars.

Before I conclude this post, I'd like to show you guys this new paint-by-number that I completed not too long ago:

I worked on it from October 12, 2020 to February 19, 2021, and I think part of the reason for why it took so long was because I distracted myself with other things a lot. I often had to improvise on the painting because there were some paints that I unexpectedly ran out of, but I think everything worked out well.

What do you guys think?

Of this movie? The review I made? And of the painting?