The Little Mermaid is set to release theatrically on 26 May 2023. The film is the latest instalment in the Disney live-action remake circuit.
The film’s trailer employs the same nostalgia-driven marketing gimmicks that Disney has been recycling over the past years. If you look up ‘The Little Mermaid side-by-side’, you’ll find a number of user-made movies that make aesthetic comparisons between the 1989 Disney hand-animated success and the trailer for the upcoming live-action remake directed by Rob Marshall. The trailer ultimately serves as a reminder that Disney will continue to use this old marketing strategy.
The problem with these remakes is that they are so fixated on being ‘progressive’ that a few changes to dialogue to seem more ‘woke’ are oftentimes the only original thing about these films. And even then, these films still tend to lack substance or fail to strike a chord with younger audiences, often feeling condescending.
If we look at the recent Cinderella remake, for example, we can clearly see how this tired take on these classic stories has failed. Although a feminist retelling of an old fairy tale will always be welcomed, the screenplay focuses so heavily on its female-empowering message, it feels like we are being whacked over the head with it.
Despite the film having yet to be released to the general public, it has received mixed reviews from film critics. Many critics have praised Halle Bailey’s performance, claiming that her charisma has breathed a new life into the classic tale. Other critics have criticised the film’s lack of originality, dismissing it as another cash grab.
Either or, there is not much else to be said until the film is released. Hopefully, the film won’t fall into the same category as Disney’s other recent remakes.
