Everyone grew up watching Disney movies, or at least knowing the most popular ones. Live adaptations, like the next one The little Mermaid movie, have been a trend over the past decade. Speaking of The little Mermaiddon’t you think this is the worst fairy tale story of all?
We talk about the plot and some traits of the characters in itself because all the other elements in it – music, animation, etc. – are all majestic in their own way. Jodi Benson’s rendition of “part of your worldis always a musical bop.
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Watching The little Mermaid as a kid, it’s probably fair to look at it as the way kids widen their eyes at the concept of mermaids and talking fish. But, revisiting the movie as an adult makes you want to list all the red flags and give Ariel a lecture on “How to Find Your Worth.” ‘Cause in all honesty, there’s so many reasons why The little Mermaid is the most problematic of all Disney films.
toxic parenting
As parents, we are always worried about the safety of our children, and King Triton might as well feel the same for his 16-year-old daughter. Ariel is in her teenage years, a crucial stage where exploration and discovery usually occur. Yet King Triton’s fanaticism towards humans still causes conflict between him and Ariel. He won’t even give her a little autonomy over herself. And what kind of pathetic father gets angry, throws a tantrum and destroys his daughter’s collection?
Absent mothers
Disney has been criticized for always depicting absent or deceased mothers. With the exception of Disney Pixar Brave, most of their stories don’t feature the fascinating wonders of mother-daughter bonding. It’s high time for the studio to change the story format because we want to show the world that mothers play a huge role in a child’s life.
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Oversexualization
We get it, Ariel is a mermaid, and not all of them are supposed to have underwater clothes, but that goes beyond their swimsuits. The film repeatedly reinforces that Ariel’s values reside in her looks, not her mind. Ursula, the sea witch, tells the young girl to always pay attention to her body language. Even Prince Eric’s right-hand man said she was “quite the vision”.
Internalized misogyny
Why are older women always the bad guys? Ursula’s story is rooted in her jealousy of Ariel’s youth and beauty. Women are always pitted against each other, always about who looks better. The misogyny in this movie stinks.
Bad example for young girls
Ariel ditched her mermaid tail and angelic voice to be with the man of her dreams. Wait, isn’t that a bit too much? She literally sold her whole identity to fit into the mold of a guy’s ideal girl. It’s not just about changing her hair color or giving her wardrobe a makeover – Ariel has totally transmuted the very essence of her being. We absolutely do not support this mission.
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What do you think of Disney The little Mermaid? Is the story suitable for young audiences? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
