Poor early reviews for live-action ‘The Little Mermaid’: seen as a predictable remake.

Early Reviews of Disney’s Live-Action “The Little Mermaid” Starring Halle Bailey

Excitement has been building for Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” starring Halle Bailey as Ariel. However, early reviews from a private screening held by director Rob Marshall have left some viewers underwhelmed.

The Good and the Bad

Critic Courtney Howard had mixed feelings about the film, tweeting that it was “charming, but incredibly spotty.” While the cast, including Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, and Javier Bardem, gave it their all, the film couldn’t escape its animated legacy. Howard felt that it was best when it leaned into campy bonkers, but limited its fantasy elements for no reason.

Variety contributor Simon Thompson had a similar take, calling the film “endearing but uneven.” While it didn’t deliver the magic of the animated classic, there were plenty of creative touches from Marshall to keep the audience engaged. Bailey and McCarthy gave great performances, and Daveed Diggs and Awkwafina provided solid comic relief.

However, Kirsten Acuna from Insider felt that the remake fell victim to the same fate as many other live-action adaptations. While Bailey and McCarthy gave great performances, the film was mostly a paint-by-numbers remake that couldn’t hold a candle to the original.

Gizmodo contributor Germain Lussier had a simple message for moviegoers: whatever you’re expecting to see is what you’ll get. If you’re excited for the film, you’ll like it. If you’re skeptical, that’s valid too. While Bailey and McCarthy gave great performances and the songs worked, the film felt unnecessary and disjointed.

The Cast and Crew

Despite the mixed reviews, “The Little Mermaid” has an impressive cast and crew. Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken, who did the music for the 1989 animated version, created the musical soundtrack. Bailey plays Ariel, McCarthy is Ursula the Sea Witch, and other cast members include Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Bardem as King Triton, Dumezweni as Queen Selina, Tremblay voicing Flounder, Diggs voicing Sebastian, and Awkwafina voicing Scuttle.

While some critics were unimpressed, others raved about the film, calling it “magical” and “one of the better live-action adaptations.” Most reviewers had positive things to say about Bailey’s performance as Ariel.

(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids’ entertainment content.)