Run Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Rating: PG (mild violence scenes)
Summary(IMDB.com): A young reporter and his niece discover a beautiful and enchanting creature they believe to be the real little mermaid.
My Review:
When I first saw the magical tail of The Little Mermaid in the trailer months ago, I was so excited! Sadly, this movie had a flat plot, no Little Mermaid elements, and a seemingly-low budget.
The Magic of the Mermaid:
The movie opens with a beautiful hand-drawn introduction about the Little Mermaid's story, and it made Hans Christian Anderson's tale come to life. The Little Mermaid within the introduction was naturally an aquatic centerpiece.
When the main star, Elizabeth the mermaid (weird for a mermaid name), was introduced, it was a truly magical experience for the viewer. Much like the little girl, Elle, I was mesmerized by her beauty! Her tail had multiple pectoral, pelvic, and ankle fins. Elizabeth also had innocent features that reminded me of Ariel. Poppy Drayton, who played Elizabeth, was a fantastic actress, and kept up the illusion with no bubbles or other discernible issues. Her voice is dreamy and she had a kind disposition.
Take a look at some of these photos:
*Credit goes to Mermaid Wiki*
Sadly, this is where the magic stops. Drayton seriously carried the rest of this film.
Rushed Plot and Poor Effects:
The main antagonist of the film is an evil wizard named Locke, who I guess represented the evil sea witch from the original story. The actor's performance was overly dramatic, best suited for Broadway, and did not comes across threatening.
The movie spirals down a cheap rabbit hole toward the end. It's almost like they ran out of money! The scenery is extremely fake looking with horrible CGI and very cheesy battle scenes as well. At one point, it's the middle of the night, and then in the next scene, it's day time!
The only reason you should see this movie is to watch Poppy Drayton's amazing acting. Because of the bad graphics, rushed ending, and overall bland plot that has nothing to do with The Little Mermaid, I give this movie 2 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie