Hans Christian Anderson’s, “The Little Mermaid” captivated many as they waited for another black Disney princess to emerge.
Played by Halle Bailey, King Triton’s youngest daughter Ariel expresses her compelling interest in the land and the people that inhabit it. Ariel’s interests in humans and land life cause her to stumble upon Prince Eric, whom she immediately falls for. Ariel’s immediate affection for Eric causes her to become infatuated with the idea of them being together, so much so that Ariel travels to the deep, dark depths of the ocean to ask a certain sea witch for help.
At the beginning of the film the watcher meets Titron (Ariel’s father) and Ariel’s sisters ( Tamika, Perla, Caspia, Indira, Mala, and Karina) during a family meeting; however, Ariel is off observing gadgets that have been dropped by Eric and the other humans while sailing. After being chased by a shark, Ariel and Flounder wander home to an angry Titron who wishes for Ariel to not end up like her mother, who was killed during an altercation between the creatures of the sea and the humans of the land.
Upon seeing the bright light that is emitted from fireworks, Ariel rushes up to the surface to get as close to the ship as possible. She observes the many men on the ship who are dancing, singing, and chanting “Heave ho” (carry/lift something). Shortly after, a storm forms and the ship struggles to stay above the surface. Eric’s attempt at steering the ship leads the ship to catch on fire and everyone falling overboard. However, Ariel saves Eric and returns him safely to land.
The film is excellent, it allows little girls to see a princess of the same race/skin tone/ethnicity. By seeing Ariel push for what she wants, little girls can learn to never give up and continue fighting for what they want no matter how big or small the obstacle in their path may be. The relationship between Prince Eric and Ariel also showcases an interracial couple and shows people that love isn’t based on ethnicity or skin color.
The Little Mermaid is a perfect movie for anyone to watch no matter their age or preferred movie genre. I would give the movie a 10 out of 10 due to the bright colors and cinematic scenery.
