Movie review

Disney's Little Mermaid remake goes swimmingly despite new so-so songs

The biggest problem with the majority of the live-action updates to classic Disney animated films is that they haven’t been updates at all, choosing to merely regurgitate the moments audiences know and love from the original in a slightly repackaged form. That’s great for nostalgia, but if that’s all viewers wanted, they’d just go back and watch the original.

The Little Mermaid falls into much the same trap, although the filmmakers get at least a little credit for trying to offer something new. The story, of course, remains the same, as Ariel (Halle Bailey) has a fascination with everything above the surface of the ocean. Her rebellious nature, at odds with strict King Triton (Javier Bardem), leads her to spy on a ship with Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) and his crew, putting her in position to save Eric when the ship crashes into rocks.

Now totally enamored of Eric, Ariel is convinced by the sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) to give up her voice for a chance to live on land and make Eric fall in love with her. Trouble is, despite the help of Sebastian the crab (Daveed Diggs), Flounder the fish (Jacob Tremblay), and Scuttle the seabird (Awkwafina), Ursula has no plans to let Ariel succeed fair and square.

Directed by Rob Marshall and written by David Magee, the film clocks in at nearly one hour longer than the original, going from 83 minutes to 135. They accomplish this feat with the addition of several songs, including ones “sung” by Ariel while she is without voice, a relatively clever way to get into her thoughts during that long stretch. There are also additional scenes that give Prince Eric more of a backstory, making him more than just a pretty face on which to hang all of Ariel’s hopes and dreams.

The new songs are hit-and-miss; Ariel’s “For the First Time” is a fanciful number that fits in nicely, but “Wild Uncharted Waters,” a solo song for Prince Eric, feels unnecessary, and the less said about “The Scuttlebutt,” a rap performed by Scuttle and written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the better. What most people want to see are how the original songs are done, and they come off well for the most part. The actors’ voices are uniformly good and the staging is engaging.

Other changes seem half-hearted, at best. A vague environmental theme broached at the beginning is quickly dropped. The cast is very multicultural, but haphazardly so. The film is obviously set on and around a Caribbean island, making it natural for The Queen (Noma Dumezweni), Eric’s adopted mother, and other islanders to be Black. But giving Ariel “sisters from the seven seas,” allowing for mermaids of several different races and ethnicities, feels odd and forced, and a little creepy given that King Triton is supposed to be the father of all of them.

The fact that Bailey herself is Black, while great for representation, is neither here nor there in the context of the film. Bailey has a voice that is equal to everything she is asked to sing, and her silent acting is excellent in the middle portion of the film. McCarthy makes for a great Ursula, bringing both humor and pathos to the role. Hauer-King, who bears a similarity to Ryan Gosling, plays Eric in a more well-rounded manner.

The live-action version of The Little Mermaid, like almost all of the Disney remakes, never truly establishes itself as its own unique thing. Still, it’s a thoroughly pleasant watch with some nice performances, which clears the bar for success for this era of Disney history.

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The Little Mermaid opens in theaters on May 26.

Photo courtesy of Disney

Melissa McCarthy in The Little Mermaid.

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Two-Five-Eight

Deaf performers and audiences get spotlight in new Dallas variety show

Photo courtesy of Prism Movement Theater

Rebekah Covington is one of the hosts of '258.'

The Dallas-based Prism Movement Theater is reimagining what accessible performance can look like with its upcoming 258 (Very Interesting) Deaf Variety Show, a cabaret-style celebration of Deaf performers, Deaf culture, and visually captivating art forms.

Directed by Alix Gavin, Rebekah Covington, and Jeffrey Colangelo, the show promises an evening of dance, circus, clowning, fire performance, and ASL poetry, all intentionally designed with Deaf audiences in mind.

“For years, we’ve had the feeling that Prism’s unique approach to wordless theater would work excellently for the needs of Deaf audiences,” says Colangelo, Prism’s artistic director. “After collaborating with Deaf artists Rebekah Covington and Alix Gavin, we discovered we had the chance to create something that didn’t just make theater accessible, but truly centered Deaf experiences.”

That focus drives every element of 258. Too often, Colangelo explains, “Deaf-accessible” productions require audiences to glance away from the action to watch an interpreter, an arrangement that can cause them to miss pivotal moments. This time, the interpreters aren’t off to the side translating for Deaf audiences. Instead, they’re there for the hearing crowd, translating a show that is performed entirely in ASL and visually rich movement.

“With our upcoming Deaf Variety Show, we’ve designed the performances so the audience will never have to turn away from the action to enjoy it,” Colangelo says. “ASL becomes the movement art we focus on, with our hosts, Alix and Rebekah, speaking entirely in ASL to introduce the acts. It’s truly a show designed by Deaf artists for Deaf audiences.”

Still, hearing audiences are more than welcome. “We highly encourage them to attend as well,” Colangelo adds. “They’ll get to immerse themselves in Deaf culture, while enjoying a night filled with poetry, fire, clowning, and circus.”

The show’s name — 258 — comes from ASL slang meaning “very interesting.” It’s an apt descriptor for a production where every act, from Deaf dancer Kenjuto Jerome to Deaf comedian Sabrina Mercado, has been curated for maximum visual and cultural impact. Clowns Shanthany Wilkerson and Jonah Gutierrez bring physical comedy into the mix, while the glow of candlelight and the intimacy of the cabaret format create a communal atmosphere.

Performances will take place at multiple Dallas venues:

Artstillery Building – August 22 & 23 at 7:30 pm
Bachman Lake Recreation Center – September 5 at 7 pm
Dallas Children’s Theater – September 13 at 7:30 pm

Tickets are $15 and available at prismmovementtheater.org/tickets.

For Prism, 258 is part of a larger mission. Since 2017, the company has expanded its work in underserved Dallas communities, producing original movement-based theater that blends inclusivity, artistry, and community engagement. With 258, which is supported by a Moody Fund for the Arts grant, they’re taking that ethos further, ensuring that Deaf audiences aren’t just accommodated, but celebrated.

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