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Out of the Sea and Into a New World: An Analysis of The Little Mermaid (2023)
What makes this film more than another fish-out-of-water tale?
Anyone who knows me will recognize that The Little Mermaid (2023) was one of my most anticipated films of the year. I have been craving this film for years and years to the point that I despaired over the fact that I might never get to see it come into being. But I saw it! I prevailed, and the movie still sits rent-free in my head when I want to page back through it.
What did this film do for me that made it so memorable? Let me guide you along. Take me by the hand.
An “Ordinary” Love Story
Honestly, to me, what gave this movie its beating heart was truly the relationship between Ariel and Eric.
Part of this is due to some realignment of the characters and their motivations. Yes, Halle Bailey’s voice is stunning, but what defines Ariel in this film is not her voice — but rather her ever-growing desire to learn more about the human world she has never been able to touch. Though the Ariel from the original 1989 film also shared this curiosity, it’s expanded upon in this version to such great heights that your first thought isn’t that Ariel gave up her voice and fins just for a silly crush. No…
