A Solo Date with the Little Mermaid
I love watching movies alone at the cinema. Somehow that’s my time with a good creation (though some have been rather disastrous like that travesty Alboradha). Anyhoo, I went to watch the much debated Little Mermaid movie on my own last weekend.
I had heard a lot about the casting of Halle Bailey but because I watched it after the hype had died down, I was able to focus on the film as a whole and not just her.
Disney with Alan Menken’s music – Little Mermaid in particular – shaped my childhood. Those songs are committed to memory for life. It was what we as children and teens identified with – a rebel girl standing up to her father and to stereotypes of what a relationship should be and with whom.
The movie starts with Hans Christian Andersen’s quote “But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore she suffers so much more”. It was a powerful reminder of the true story of the Little Mermaid who never gets her Prince which Disney changed to the current happy ending.
The movie sticks to the main cartoon storyline pretty much. But a few anomalies did stand out. Like Prince Eric being from a shipwreck with an adopted Black mother when he was white. Somehow the deliberate casting of many people of colour seemed a bit forced at times. I did not particularly feel this about Halle Bailey – she had red hair and I noticed that. And she was fine for the role.
Overall the singing was very good – I noticed that Halle Bailey sounded more a modern teen whereas Jodi Benson’s rendition suited my childhood with far more innocence and passion in her voice. My only criticism of Halle Bailey is that I felt her acting was not great. Her singing voice is lovely though.
Jonah Hauer – King’s portrayal of Prince Eric is so good. Besides his good looks and cheeky dimples, his passion and his emotion are so real. And the man can sing. Phew. But he also reminded me that Eric stays on the burning ship to save his dog Max. And that is truly the sign of a decent human being.
The Kiss the Girl scene is so beautiful and romantic – I honestly wished for such an experience in my life. It was very real and very intense. Far better than swiping right and corny pickup lines. Lol.
I wasn’t too excited with Sebastian’s voice. It lacked the blustering of the crab in the cartoon. King Triton was good though and so was Ursula. The portrayal of the seven sisters as the Seven Seas was very nicely done – that inclusivity fitted in well.
All through the movie I was bouncing in my seat and shaking to the music or holding back tears coz it was so nostalgic, so much fun and so heartening. The CGI of the whole film is amazing and so beautifully done.
The whole notion of exploring unknown territories and finding new frontiers seemed rather apt to me at this point in life. I feel I am on the verge of such things and I have come to accept that these are good. If one is to truly embrace their best version then the comfort zone ain’t gonna be where that’s at.
Here’s to wild unchartered waters.
