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The Little Mermaid

Name: The Little Mermaid
Director: Rob Marshall
Released: 2023
Duration: 135 min

Representation Score

8.3/10

Excellent

2023

Director

Rob Marshall

Runtime

135 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film stands out most through its groundbreaking casting of Halle Bailey, which breaks traditional racial archetypes in the fantasy genre. By placing a Black protagonist at the center, the production broadens the scope of high-fantasy world-building. While the racial representation is innovative, the narrative structure remains rooted in conventional frameworks. The central romance follows a traditional path, and the moral landscape stays largely binary. Ultimately, the film offers a progressive update of the original material. It combines a modernized look with a storyline that still relies on well-known romantic and moral clichés.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Little Mermaid have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story follows a traditional romantic path centered around a relationship between Ariel and Prince Eric, which assumes everyone is straight or cisgender. The film avoids harmful stereotypes but does not include characters with non-binary gender identities.

How does The Little Mermaid portray gender?

Good

Ariel is portrayed who play a significant role in driving the story, driven by intellectual curiosity and a desire for independence. The film challenges the 'damsel in distress' stereotype by making her proactive decision-making the main driver of the plot.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Little Mermaid?

Excellent

Casting Halle Bailey changes the visual landscape of the film, moving away from a single racial identity. The diverse cast of merfolk and humans feels like an integral part of the world-building.

How does The Little Mermaid represent religion and culture?

Fair

The narrative explores the tension between the underwater kingdom and the human world. While morality is mostly black-and-white, the tension hints at a subtle critique of isolationist traditions.

Does The Little Mermaid include disability representation?

Fair

The film lacks prominent depictions of neurodivergence or physical disabilities. Physical challenges are shown as environmental obstacles rather than nuanced explorations of lived experiences.

Present on Screen

Groundbreaking casting of Halle Bailey disrupts traditional racial archetypes in fantasy.
Ariel is depicted as a proactive character driven by curiosity and independence.
The diverse ensemble integrates various identities naturally into the world-building.

Limited or Absent

The romantic arc adheres to a strictly conventional, straight-centered framework.
There is a lack of nuanced representation regarding neurodivergence or physical disabilities.
The moral structure remains largely binary and lacks deep cultural critique.

Official Synopsis

The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. With mermaids forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.

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