REVIEW: Halle Bailey Shines In Disney’s New Live-Action The Little Mermaid

Halle Bailey stars in the new live-action The Little Mermaid, and it’s nothing short of spectacular. Glitter Magazine attended the premiere and was able to experience the film in Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, making it a visual treat.  

As though it wasn’t enough that our childhood memories are filled with Danish author Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 tale of The Little Mermaid, creating whimsical dreams for young and old of the most famous mermaid in the world, Ariel, Disney does something even more incredible by gifting us the live-action reimagining of the studio’s Oscar-winning animated musical classic starring Halle Bailey as Ariel.

Bailey stars alongside Melissa McCarthy (Ursula), Javier Bardem (King Triton), Daveed Diggs (Sebastian), Awkwafina (Scuttle), Jacob Tremblay (Flounder), Jonah Hauer-King (Prince Eric), and Noma Dumezweni (Queen Selina).

Rob Marshall (Chicago, Mary Poppins Returns) serves as the director and producer, and the remarkable score was created by Hamilton and Encanto’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also served as producer along with composer Alan Menken and John DeLuca as co-producer.

Disney brings back all of the great music from the original animation, The Little Mermaid, including “Part of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and “Kiss the Girl.”

Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda have written three new songs and one new reprise for this film which include “Wild Unchartered Waters,” performed by Eric; “For the First Time,” performed by Ariel; “The Scuttle Butt,” performed by Scuttle and Sebastian, and an additional reprise of “Part of Your World,” for Ariel.

Eric’s new song is amazing and breaths new life and perspective into the film. His love for Ariel is awe-inspiring, including the coy romantic “Kiss The Girl” number. It was incredible to enjoy the music with Dolby Atmos, a premium, immersive sound that actually moves all around you. We definitely felt a part of Ariel’s world visually and with the amazing music experience.

Halle Bailey’s voice will bring tears to your eyes. Literally, fans at the premiere were in their emotions, with Melissa McCartney declaring that Halle brought tears to her eyes on first hearing her voice on set. Bailey has that wow factor that gives this film more than that Disney magic. The studio landed a gem when they cast her as Ariel.

On-screen, we can’t say enough about how beautiful Ariel looked, from her costumes, hair, and makeup, as well as the colorful animation. Seeing this in Dolby really took it to the next level with vibrant underwater scenes that were colorful and majestic. Dolby Vision brought darker darks, brighter brights, and a remarkable color range giving us a vivid viewing experience.

One just sat in awe of how angelic Halle Bailey looked with her vibrant red hair and beautiful complexion juxtaposed with her magnetic blue and green mermaid tail. This new Ariel will definitely resonate with fans, young and old. Halle as Ariel is the gift that keeps on giving for young girls with updated lyrics for “Kiss the Girl,” which are just more appropriate for the times we are living in and the next generation of conscious young viewers.

The Little Mermaid satisfies all you could have imagined in a live-action adaptation. The same poignant story is there with some incredibly creative scenes highlighting the Caribbean and a young mermaid’s dream of being a part of a world unlike her own.

Melissa McCartney as Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton were stellar, and Daveed Diggs as Sebastian was a treat from beginning to end. Awkwafina as Scuttle and Jacob Tremblay Flounder were equally as fun to round out the cast with an amazing performance of ”Scuttle Butt” that will have this soundtrack on replay as you dance around your kitchen at home. Jonah Hauer-King was everything regal as Prince Eric with a spectacular performance, and Noma Dumezweni swooped you into the story as the stubborn Queen Selina.

The Little Mermaid is in theaters now and best seen in Dolby Vision; run, don’t walk for this beautiful viewing experience.