Before Frozen came along, the only film which was Disney's first attempt at making an adaptation of a Hans Christian Anderson story, was the Little Mermaid and all I can say is that it was a good attempt. This was the film that really started Disney's series of animated hits, nowadays known as the Disney Renaissance and its another film with a Disney Princess in it (and certainly one that loves to show her cleavage to all you boys out there) and one with some memorable characters and songs. So with that in mind, let's go under the sea as we review the film and its direct to home media sequel and prequel:
The Little Mermaid
So in this story, we meet Ariel (voiced in all films by Jodi Benson), a mermaid who longs for the day to go to the human world. Of course all her animal friends as well as her father are against such things because of the danger it causes, but things take a turn for the worse when Ariel falls in love with a prince called Eric (voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes in this film only), thus forcing her father to destroy the treasure trove she has of stuff from the human world. She becomes upset, but soon after, she then meets a sea witch called Ursula (voiced by Pat Carroll) who grants her the ability to go to the human world as a human and is allowed to be human permanently, but only on the condition that she gets the kiss of true love and to give Ursula her voice as payment. She accepts and then goes to the human world, unaware of Ursula's real plan to take over Atlantica. It is a great film with great and memorable characters, a great story and some great songs such as Under the Sea and Part of Your World. A great start to the Disney Renaissance. 9/10
Return to the Sea
So following the last film, Ariel and Eric (this time voiced by legendary voice actor Rob Paulsen) now have a daughter called Melody (voiced by another legendary voice actor Tara Strong) and in a similar fashion to the first film, she longs for the day to become a mermaid and go under the sea. She comes across Ursula's sister Morgana (who just so happens to be voiced by the same person who voiced Ursula in the last film, Pat Carroll) who tells her that she can make Melody into a mermaid, but only temporarily without the power of King Triton's (voiced by Kenneth Mars in this film and the last film) trident and sends Melody out to find it. Meanwhile Ariel, Eric and their friends search the entire ocean for Melody while also attempting to thwart Morgana and her forces in the process. All leading into a climatic battle to save the ocean. This film very much felt like a copy and paste of the last film, just with using the opposite of the last film which was a mermaid wanting to be a human and this being the other way around. Despite this, I find this film to be well animated and well acted throughout. The battle at the end is no where near as great as the one in the original film, but its still pretty epic nevertheless (and yes I am aware that I may have unintentionally revealed a spoiler there). 9/10
Ariel's Beginning
So this prequel actually makes an attempt at being a better second instalment of the series than the sequel, though unlike Cinderella at least it is a much better film despite feeling like a rehash of the first one. Anyway so we find out that Ariel's mother who hasn't been present in the films thus far, is killed finding a music box which was given to her by Triton at the hands of pirates. Because of such an event, Triton then bans music across the ocean. Years later and it seems that Triton's girls have been taking on a strict routine by the hands of their governess who longs to be Triton's attache, currently filled in by the crab Sebastian (voiced by Samuel E. Wright in all films and his other appearances). Ariel gets sick of this life which then has her meet a fish called Flounder (voiced by Parker Goris in this film) who becomes friends with Ariel and takes her to a club he goes to that is full of music and it is here where Ariel begins her campaign against Triton's no music law. I have to admit, having no music in the world, would make it a very boring place and music is a key element in any form of art whether it be in films, television or even just on its own and this film really does make good in this remark. It may not be as climatic as the other 2 films, but its one that is a completely different plot to the last film, no rehashes whatsoever, and it works. 9/10
So that's all I have to say on this. Its a great series that makes us see what mermaids (if they were real) get up to in their world and also shows us that both worlds can be dangerous at times. Still, they are great films. Can't say any more than that. 9/10
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