Ani-mer-woman, won't you swim my way-ey...

Rating: Null/10 (1 April 2004)

In the animated world, mermaid's have seldom if ever been portrayed like this.
**SPOILERS AHEAD**
The back of the box reads "somewhere under the sea, and far beyond your imagination...", but I can't help but think about how close to reality t.v. this film is. With Ariel's fiery red hair and headstrong, rebellious attitude, this had to take place somewhere near Ireland. Her father, King Triton, has a bad temper. So does the antagonist, Ursula. OK, the chef is french, but nevertheless he tries twice to murder Sebastian, a reggae singing crab. (Who can be pretty vocal in his own right). Is this family dysfunctional? Well, if Triton fathered seven daughters, where's his wife? They all seem to be about the same age. The poor woman probably left the marraige due to stress. Triton also hates humans, which in these days would be perfect fodder for "The Jerry Springer Show".
It's no wonder, given this current state of affairs, that Ariel wants to be a part of the human world. Unfortunately, this is forbidden in the mer-world. But Ariel's thirst (no pun intended) for knowledge has driven her to the surface several times to collect treasure's in a secret trove. But, this isn't enough. So after a falling out with Triton, she turns to Ursula the sea witch and gets a 72 hour stay with her true love, Eric. But, the price is high. Ariel signs away her life and gives up her voice in exchange. So, what's a woman to do? Well, she obviously knows how to write, since she signed the contract. They simply could've exchanged love letters and kissed. But, Ariel is so taken with Eric she must not have thought about this as an option.
After a close brush with fate in a blue lagoon, Ursula realizes Ariel's craftier then she thought. She turns into a mysterious enchantress who casts a spell on Eric. One would think at this point that Ariel would see him as a player who falls for any woman that comes along. But, as is the case in real life, he stands dumbfounded on the altar, rushing into a quick marriage with little or no thoughts of the consequences. In the end, Ursula's spell is broken, but she isn't about to go down easy. Her transformation into a giant near the end is one of the best moments ever captured in an animated film. Eric and Ariel marry, and live happily ever after, even though they've only been together for three days. It is a wonderful film, but after thinking it through this also could have taken place off the California coast...