It害羞草研究所檚 not Rob Marshall害羞草研究所檚 fault that Disney害羞草研究所檚 latest live-action retread doesn害羞草研究所檛 really sing. 害羞草研究所淭he Little Mermaid,害羞草研究所� a somewhat drab undertaking with sparks of bioluminescence, suffers from the same fundamental issues that plagued 害羞草研究所淭he Lion King,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淎laddin害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淏eauty and the Beast.害羞草研究所� Halle Bailey might be a lovely presence and possesses a superb voice that is distinctly different from Jodi Benson害羞草研究所檚, 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害羞草研究所檚 ship. Even Ariel害羞草研究所檚 bright red hair. Combined with the wonderful songs and lyrics by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, it害羞草研究所檚 not hard to understand why it helped fuel a Disney Animation renaissance.

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

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

Speaking of Scuttle, the cute cartoons that stood in for Ariel害羞草研究所檚 seagull, crab and fish friends have been replaced with horrifyingly accurate depictions of said animals. Awkwafina害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 have this problem as much, mainly because once they go out of the water he害羞草研究所檚 essentially hidden under the surface. Daveed Digg害羞草研究所檚 Sebastian gets off easy, looking the most pleasantly cartoonish. But then there害羞草研究所檚 that Jamaican accent that they decided to carry over (and this in a movie that adds a line about consent to 害羞草研究所淜iss the Girl害羞草研究所�).

Visibility is a problem for more than just Flounder, too. Sometimes 害羞草研究所淭he Little Mermaid害羞草研究所檚害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所� I wasn害羞草研究所檛 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 害羞草研究所淯nder the Sea害羞草研究所� number, you even start to empathize with Ariel a little bit. It is the exact opposite of the 害羞草研究所� Avatar: The Way of Water 害羞草研究所� experience.

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

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MPA Definition of PG: Parental guidance suggested.

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