Widely criticized even before its theatrical release, did the live-action of The Little Mermaid finally avoid the predicted drowning? If it sometimes suffers from comparison with the original animated, this Disney-branded journey of excessively long duration for the plot (2h15) has the qualities and faults of the entertainment giant with big ears: a beautiful cast with nice special effects, but (charming) characters a little hollow. We will pass by the half-hearted performance of Javier Bardem as King Triton, unconvincing and sluggish, floundering in the middle of the ocean, or that of Jonah Hauer-King, the new fashionable star of Holywood, certainly irresistible with his dimples but particularly silly during his reunion with his girlfriend. As for Flounder... A disaster. A distorted photorealism, far, very far from the prowess of the avant-garde Avatar: The Way of Water. Not everything is to be thrown away in this aquatic soap opera. In the original version, actors and rappers Daveed Diggs and Awkwafina lend their voices respectively to Sébastien, the faithful crab, and Eureka, this endearing but somewhat stupid seabird, bringing an undeniable comic force to these secondary characters, while Melissa McCarthy emerges as the true villain of the film with her Machiavellian laugh and her garish eye shadow. The actress with the look of a drag queen and the presence of a Broadway star, stands out by taking great pleasure in playing the terrible sea witch Ursula. The captivating Halle Bailey, for her part, sweeps away all the controversy surrounding her skin color with the flip of a well-felt fin by irradiating the screen with her simple presence. With a pretty siren's voice and large, candid eyes, Beyoncé's little protégé silences all her detractors by carrying this musical comedy by Rob Marshall on her frail shoulders. A usual guarantee of efficiency which unfortunately this time did not convince the editorial staff...

The Little Mermaid
From: R. Marshall
With: H. Bailey, J. Haueyr-King, J. Bardem
Genre: Science fiction
Theatrical release: May 31, 2023

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