MOVIE REVIEW: THE LITTLE MERMAID

 

The youngest of King Triton's daughters, Ariel is a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. Longing to find out more about the world beyond the sea, Ariel visits the surface and falls for the dashing Prince Eric. Following her heart, she makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to experience life on land.

Director: Rob Marshall

Cast: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy

Release Date: May 26, 2023 

Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance

Rated PG for action/peril and some scary images

Runtime: 2h 15m

Rob Marshall's live action The Little Mermaid is a colorful and lively remake that's elevated by a strong cast and lavish visuals.  This newest entry into Disney's live action remake cash cow isn't as inventive as 2021 Cruella instead it hews closely to the original which gives it an old fashion feel throughout.  There is a matter of changes like the much talked about change in the main characters race and a larger variety of ethnic diversity all around in addition to some lyrical tweaks, song deletions and additions.  Unless you are a diehard traditionalist these changes don't really affect the central story much, if at all, and are far less distracting than the realistic versions of Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle which takes some getting used to.  Changes aside, the film doesn't take long to hit its stride with wonderfully staged versions of classic songs like Part of Your World and Under the Sea which allows Marshall to splash a kaleidoscope of color and energetic camera moves that make those moments pop.  Ursula's Poor Unfortunate Souls already has hints of Chicago's When You're Good to Mama built into the song which perfectly pairs with Marshall's repertoire.  The songs and staging are excellent, and the cast is led by luminous Halle Bailey in what is sure to be a star making role.  Bailey possesses a natural onscreen presence which makes her performance undeniably likeable, especially once she starts belting out those classic songs.  She keeps your attention throughout, even in the film's latter half which starts to drag noticeably.  Jonah Hauer-King isn't able to match Bailey's turn as he comes off as bland and forgettable even with a solo song.  Melissa McCarthy is scenery chewing machine as Ursula with the aforementioned Poor Unfortunate Souls serving as her showcase.  Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina turn in solid voice work as Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle even though the random rap added for the latter feels a little out of place.  Javier Bardem isn't tasked to do much outside of sound stern and fatherly which does with general ease.  Together the cast keeps the film entertaining even though it loses steam as it moves into its final act which makes its extended runtime even more of headscratcher.  A bit of editing would have helped this film keep its energy going from start to finish.  That being said this live action redo of The Little Mermaid stands above most of the other adaptations due in large part to a well matched director and actors.

B

MOVIE REVIEWS: THE WOLFMAN

Sunday, February 14, 2010
MOVIE REVIEWS: THE WOLFMAN
IN THEATERS

 

THE WOLFMAN

Universal Studios resurrects the classic lycanthrope with this tale of a man who experiences an unsettling transformation after he returns to his ancestral home in Victorian-era Great Britain and gets attacked by a rampaging werewolf. When Ben Talbot (Simon Merrels) vanishes into this air, his brother Lawrence (Benicio Del Toro) returns to his family estate to investigate. Upon reuniting with his estranged father Sir John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins), however, he discovers a destiny far darker than his blackest nightmares. Ben is dead; the victim of a savage attack by a beast that keeps the superstitious locals cowering in fear every time the moon shines bright in the sky. Shortly after discovering his brother's true fate, Lawrence. swears to Ben's wife Gwen that he will bring her late husband's killer to justice. As a young boy, the untimely death of his mother caused Lawrence to grow up before his time. Though Lawrence had previously attempted to bury his pain in the past by leaving the quiet Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor behind, he discovers that you can't outrun fate when he's attacked by the very same nocturnal beast that claimed his brother. Not even recently arrived Scotland Yard inspector Aberline (Hugo Weaving) can dream up a rational explanation for the gruesome spell cast over Blackmoor, yet rumors of an ancient curse persist. According to legend, the afflicted will experience a horrific transformation by the light of the full moon. Now, the woman Talbot loves is in mortal danger, and in order to protect her he must venture into the moonlit woods and destroy the beast before it destroys her. But this isn't a typical hunt, because before the beast can be slain, a simple man will uncover a primal side of himself that he never knew existed. Screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker pens a film directed by Joe Johnston and featuring creature effects by special-effects makeup legend Rick Baker. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving, Art Malik.

Director: Joe Johnston

Release Date: Feb 12, 2010.

Rated R for bloody horror, violence and gore

Runtime: 2 hr. 5 min.

Genres: Action, Horror

Review:

More often than not, films that are beset with long production problem are destined to roll out as terrible films. Occasionally, a film will some how come together and find its way even with a myriad of trials and tribulations, Tombstone being one of the more recent examples that pop to mind. The Wolfman isn’t one of those films. Less its original director and after reshoots and delays, The Wolfman comes to the screen an unfocused mess. Joe Johnston took over the reigns after Mark Romanek walked off over creative differences. Johnston working in gothic horror is like watching a porcupine playing with a balloon. Johnson has no talent at building suspense or establishing characters as a result he drags down what is a fairly impressive cast. Benicio Del Toro gives what maybe be the stiffest most uninteresting performance of his career. He’s neither brooding nor conflicted instead he walks through scenes in an almost catatonic state only occasionally showing a glimmer of life. Anthony Hopkins crews scenery as readily as the Wolfman chews off appendages. In certain films Hopkins can be effective in this type of role but the script here is just a horrid unfocused hodgepodge that provides zero characterization. Emily Blunt is simply asked to look dour and speak in her natural British accent, nothing more nothing less. Hugo Weaving, like Hopkins, makes as much of an impression as possible but his effectiveness is severely limited as a result of the films massive flaws. Besides a bulldozer approach at direction from Johnston, whose over use of gore makes it more comic than scary, the script is wrought with issues. As mentioned the characters are all underwritten, the audience never has any idea what these characters motivations or connections are. This makes a film that is just over 2 hours long seem rushed but tedious at the same time. A major twist that could have been saved for the finale is just haphazardly thrown out in the open way too early in the game. The finale lacks any emotional bite and features a final battle that is funnier than it is dramatic. Kudos to Rick Baker’s practical effects which echo the work done in the original, sadly the CGI is mostly ineffective. Coupled with the fact that most of the outdoor scenes feel cheap and distinctly soundstagey this mess of a movie is neither enjoyable or scary.

D-