It’s a far cry from perfect, as pretty much every Disney live-action remake will ever be, but there’s quite a lot to love about The Little Mermaid. From its treasure trove of excellent performances to its dazzling eye for spectacle via a respectable-at-best attempt at beefing up the story, the Mouse House’s latest can safely call itself one of the queen bees of the craze.
Of course, there’s effectively zero debate over the film’s most prominent linchpin, and she’s currently spending her time being grateful for The Little Mermaid‘s overwhelming domestic success.
We all knew that Disney’s latest was going to do quite the number on the box office (domestically speaking, at least), but achieving that same ambitious goal is perhaps all the more reason to celebrate as loudly as possible, and Twitter, in a refreshing turn of events, couldn’t be happier for Halle Bailey‘s big moment.
It’s certainly a poetic outcome for the star, who faced more than a bit of hardship when the world first received the news of her casting. Indeed, after seeing her not only be at the center of the box office’s mightiest player, but to also deliver a watershed performance after all the sneers and harassment she faced from grown men who suddenly cared about the genetics of fictional marine life, Bailey’s success is one that deserves the world’s cheers.
The Little Mermaid does have its issues, and it certainly isn’t beyond critique in quite a few respects, but considering what it’s giving to so many generations of Disney fans – especially young Black girls feeling the wonder of seeing themselves as a mermaid on the big screen – it’s best to heed these faults with a hefty supply of asterisks.
The Little Mermaid is now playing in theaters.
