The beginning of a new age, the end of a legacy...

Rating: 10/10 (3 March 2006)

Disney's Classic retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tale is not only one of the greatest animated films in history, but one of the greatest films period. But this movie is also bittersweet when taking into consideration that it was the last Hand painted animated film to come out of Disney (films from that point on were colored using computers)- but it ushered Disney into it's second Golden Age. In the 80's, besides going through many changes in business, and technology (VHS was big business for Disney films)- Disney was struggling with it's animated films. In 1989, with the release of "The Little Mermaid" Disney pulled out the highest grossing animated film to date, and started a new era of Disney Masterpieces from Beauty and the Beast to Aladdin to the Lion King and on through the end of the 90's But the animation, the characters, and Oscar winning music, Disney created one of the most unforgettable and most loved Disney films ranking with Cinderella and Snow White. Although the moral of this version can be misinterpreted, it is meant to convey the classic Disney message of not giving up on your dreams, it follows Ariel, a 16 year old Mermaid Princess obsessed with the human world, and dreams of one day being on land. One fateful day, Ariel saves the life of a handsome prince from a shipwreck and is determined to get her heart's desire. When the sea witch, Ursula is more than happy to help, Ariel, so happy to be able to have her dream lived out, is unaware of Ursula's true intentions, and trades her voice for legs, and sets out to win her prince.
Although the story strays a bit from the original story, opting for a less tragic ending, the film still (after 15 years) brings back that childish happiness I felt when I first saw the movie (having seen the original story, I was more than pleased to have a Happy ending.
I can't wait to have children of my own and be able to see their faces as they discover this movie for the first time.