It含羞草研究社檚 not Rob Marshall含羞草研究社檚 fault that Disney含羞草研究社檚 latest live-action retread doesn含羞草研究社檛 really sing. 含羞草研究社淭he Little Mermaid,含羞草研究社� a somewhat drab undertaking with sparks of bioluminescence, suffers from the same fundamental issues that plagued 含羞草研究社淭he Lion King,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淎laddin含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淏eauty and the Beast.含羞草研究社� Halle Bailey might be a lovely presence and possesses a superb voice that is distinctly different from Jodi Benson含羞草研究社檚, but photorealistic fins, animals and environments do not make Disney fairy tales more enchanting on their own.

The essential problem is that the live-action films have prioritized nostalgia and familiarity over compelling visual storytelling. They try to recreate beats and shots from their animated predecessors, defiantly ignoring the possibility that certain musical sequences and choices were enchanting and vibrant because they were animated, not in spite of it.

There was, in the 1989 film, a sparkling awe to everything. The underwater castle. The mermaids. Eric含羞草研究社檚 ship. Even Ariel含羞草研究社檚 bright red hair. Combined with the wonderful songs and lyrics by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, it含羞草研究社檚 not hard to understand why it helped fuel a Disney Animation renaissance.

Anyone who has gone through the recent Disney含羞草研究社檚 live-action library would be right to approach 含羞草研究社淭he Little Mermaid含羞草研究社� with caution. Still, there含羞草研究社檚 excitement as the camera takes us underwater to give us our first glimpse of the mermaids 含羞草研究社� even after a somewhat ominous quote from Hans Christian Anderson that begins the movie (含羞草研究社淏ut a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers much more含羞草研究社�). You can含羞草研究社檛 help but be hopeful. But the first mermaid that comes into focus doesn含羞草研究社檛 so much evoke wonder as it does a flashback of Ben Stiller含羞草研究社檚 merman in 含羞草研究社淶oolander.含羞草研究社� The technology is better, sure, but the result is about the same. Worse, as we spend more time with them, following Ariel含羞草研究社檚 multicultural sisters as they gather around their father King Triton (Javier Bardem), it含羞草研究社檚 hard to shake a distinctly uncanny valley feeling. It含羞草研究社檚 like gazing in on roundtable of AI supermodels with fins.

For all its pizazz, everything about this 含羞草研究社淟ittle Mermaid含羞草研究社� is just more muted. Miranda含羞草研究社檚 new songs are odd, too, and don含羞草研究社檛 seem to fit. Prince Eric含羞草研究社檚 (Jonah Hauer-King) makes sense, maybe even Ariel含羞草研究社檚 in-her-head anthem after she gives her voice to Melissa McCarthy含羞草研究社檚 Ursula, but did Scuttle really need a song, too?

Speaking of Scuttle, the cute cartoons that stood in for Ariel含羞草研究社檚 seagull, crab and fish friends have been replaced with horrifyingly accurate depictions of said animals. Awkwafina含羞草研究社檚 comedy charms can only go so far while looking like an actual seagull who might be after your chips at the beach. Close-ups of its beady blue eyes are unsettling, though it was probably a good call to go blue over gold, which looks a bit demonic even in the cartoon. Sometimes it seems as though the editor is trying to minimize the unpleasantness by quickly cutting away from Scuttle. Flounder (Jacob Tremblay, who also voiced Luca) doesn含羞草研究社檛 have this problem as much, mainly because once they go out of the water he含羞草研究社檚 essentially hidden under the surface. Daveed Digg含羞草研究社檚 Sebastian gets off easy, looking the most pleasantly cartoonish. But then there含羞草研究社檚 that Jamaican accent that they decided to carry over (and this in a movie that adds a line about consent to 含羞草研究社淜iss the Girl含羞草研究社�).

Visibility is a problem for more than just Flounder, too. Sometimes 含羞草研究社淭he Little Mermaid含羞草研究社檚含羞草研究社� underwater sequences just look too underwater. Things are cloudy and dull and hard to see, once again probably in the name of authenticity, but straining to see what Marshall and the scores of VFX teams have labored on for years is not a pleasant experience. This could be a projection issue 含羞草研究社� I wasn含羞草研究社檛 in an especially high-tech theater with color enhancing upgrades. But that also means anyone without access to things like Dolby Vision around the world will have this issue, too. When Sebastian brings out the most colorful fish he can find for the 含羞草研究社淯nder the Sea含羞草研究社� number, you even start to empathize with Ariel a little bit. It is the exact opposite of the 含羞草研究社� Avatar: The Way of Water 含羞草研究社� experience.

含羞草研究社淭he Little Mermaid,含羞草研究社� a Walt Disney Co. release in theaters Friday, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for 含羞草研究社渁ction/peril, some scary images.含羞草研究社� Running time: 135 minutes. Two stars out of four.

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MPA Definition of PG: Parental guidance suggested.

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