Rating: G
Run Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Summary( IMDB.com):
A Mermaid's Tale is an enchanting modern fairy tale, the story of Ryan, a 12 year old girl forced to move with Matt, her father, to the dying fishing town where he was born, and to live with Art, her crusty mean old grandfather. As she tries to fit in and make new friends she discovers a secret cove, home to a playful pod of dolphins and Coral, a mysterious girl. As they become fast friends, Ryan learns that Coral is a mermaid and uncovers a secret that will help the girls both save the town in a touching, mythic story of friendship and redemption.
My Review: With its beautiful coastal scenery and underwater cinematography, I first believed that A Mermaid's Tale would a new favorite for me. However, there were some issues with both the plot and acting that ruined the illusion of mermaids.
The mermaid in this movie is named Coral. She is very bubbly, bright, and sweet, reminding me of Aquamarine. I believe the tail was borrowed from Hannah Fraser, world-famous mermaid performer, who also makes an appearance in later scenes.
The actress who played Coral has a gorgeous stage presence, but she had some issues swimming in the tail. She squints underwater and blew a lot of bubbles, which ruined the magic. Some of the mermaid's powers include holding their breath like dolphins, legs on land, and healing abilities.
Ryan is the main teenage character alongside her mermaid counterpart, Coral. When Ryan first meets her mermaid friend, she accepted it so easily! She is not a child where the belief in magic is still real, so I wasn't sure how a teenager wouldn't question the sudden arrival of a mythical being. The girls' constant giggling and teen squealing also gets annoying. Unfortunately, all of the characters in this movie accepted the reality that mermaids exist without a single doubt or question. For the swimming issues, characterization, and unrealistic views of mermaids, I give this movie (**) 2 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie