The Film That Rescued Disney

Rating: 10/10 (19 February 2009)

Sixteen year old mermaid princess Ariel dreams of becoming part of the forbidden human world. When she falls in love with the handsome (and human) Prince Eric, Ariel makes a bargain with the wicked sea witch Ursula  in exchange for Ariel's voice she is made human for three days during which time she must make the prince fall in love with her and seal the deal with a kiss. Unfortunately for Ariel the path to true love doesn't exactly run smoothly.
The Little Mermaid rescued Disney at a time when animated films were a dying breed. The movie is beautifully drawn, the characters brought to life by a team of talented animators. Aside from head-strong yet lovable Ariel the audience will fall in love with her naïve sidekick Flounder, her scatter-brained seagull friend Scuttle and the ever-watchful Jamaican crab Sebastian. The sea witch Ursula is a brilliantly evil, slimy squid who should strike terror in the hearts of children everywhere and on land gallant Prince Eric is surrounded by a bevy of colourful characters to keep everyone amused, from his stuffy adviser Grims to the insane French cook Louis.
The story is fresh and constantly exciting, helped along by the amazing and catchy musical numbers. Songs such as Part of Your World and Under The Sea have become timeless Disney classics and the score is beautifully executed.
With enough double entendre humour to keep the adults amused and enough colour and magic to keep the kids entertained, this is a true Disney classic  a gem that paved the way for more Disney animations such as Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. The Little Mermaid is a visual treat and a wonderful film, enjoyable for all ages.