The studio finds its feet.

Rating: 7/10 (1 July 2020)

'The Little Mermaid (1989)' pretty much acts as a blueprint for all the Disney musicals that follow it, establishing the studio's 'modern day' formula from its story structure to its song choices. There's no denying how influential the picture is, really. Having said that, its own influences are equally as evident and it's clearly an extension of its predecessors. The film tells the tale of a young mermaid princess who longs to be on land and so, in a moment of pure face-palming naïveté, makes a deal with a soul-collecting sea-witch. Along the way, there are several catchy songs and plenty of water-logged chuckles. The thing has oodles of charm, which mostly mitigate its few story issues and typically predictable nature. It's vibrant, well-animated and lively, as fun to look at as it is to listen to. I mean, 'Under The Sea' is an absolute bop, and Sebastian's face-off against an angry chef is almost just as enjoyable. As a whole, the flick is constantly entertaining. It sits in the upper tier of Disney's catalogue, for sure. 7/10