The Little Mermaid is old-fashioned. Its characters, plot, and scenes are integral to pop culture. However, its undercurrent of sexism manifests in silencing, objectification, brutish fathering, lust glorification, and an unsure ending sold as a happily-ever-after (with Ariel surrendering her life for an unfamiliar man). There's a strong-willed female lead, a compact narrative, interesting fantasy elements, and a theme about prejudice. The voice acting has some range, motivations are defined (though flat), and the comedy mostly works. Still, the romance is rushed, and there's no growth or moral. All told, The Little Mermaid is thin on meaningful drama and thick with passive misogyny.
Conversely, The Little Mermaid is a technical powerhouse. It has peak hand-drawn animations, iconic character designs (though oddly sexualized), incredibly popular music, and a clear fairytale tone. Its energetic imagery uses lighting, framing, color, angles, and movement. The sound is built from scratch with cartoonishness, stings, ambiance, and action. Its editing adds dissolves, match cuts, pacing, rhythm, inserts, intercuts, cross cuts, and a concise runtime. The cast employs experienced veterans with distinct voices. Overall, The Little Mermaid represents both the good and the bad of the past, uniting craftsmanship, a quintessential story structure, and outdated implications.
Writing: 5/10
Direction: 8/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Acting: 7/10
Editing: 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 10/10
Production Design: 10/10
Casting: 7/10
Effects: 10/10
Overall Score: 8.1/10
Commentaires