Part 8/19:
Furthermore, the film's attempt to modernize through new songs—like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Scuttlebutt”—feels jarring and misplaced. The energetic, humorous spirit of the original is replaced by awkward rap sequences that break the narrative’s flow. Despite some positive aspects—Prince Eric’s improved character development and Ursula's charismatic Melissa McCarthy—the unfortunate visual aesthetic and tonal inconsistencies highlight the film’s superficiality. Audience scores of 95% from viewers contrast sharply with critic scores of 67%, emphasizing how nostalgia heavily influences perception.
In the end, The Little Mermaid exposes the limitations of modern realism, proving that the magic of the original was rooted more in imaginative expression than in literal visual fidelity.