The Little Mermaid

[Once Upon A Dream]

Does he have fans?.

[EricJ]

No Once. It's for the money. End of discussion. Moving on...

Actually, with the glut of other cheapquels, we keep forgetting LM2 was one of the FIRST times Disney was experimenting with sequels, and they were just feeling their oats and trying to make up for past "inadequacies"--

Used to be back in the 80's, they literally thought they had no movies to sequelize outside of "Rescuers", "Fantasia" and "Mary Poppins". (And although we know what happened to the first two ideas, you don't wanna know what they were doing with the third. )
At first they thought they could only do series with Aladdin and prequel adventures with Ariel...Then, when Lion King and Pocahontas were open-ended enough to make "real" sequels, they thought "Hey, this wasn't so tough, after all!--'Prequel adventures', what were we thinking? Let's give those girls a real Part II! "
(Unfortunately, the Toon Studio was self-cannibalizing even back then, so we got the "new parents" angle of Lion King II mixed with the Timon & Pumbaa push--With a little of Dalmatians-mania Cruella at the time, as it turns out Ursula's sister liked salt-and-pepper coifs.)

As for "Black Cauldron" ideas of vidquels being strategically used to sneak-resurrect back-catalog flops that new generations were too young too have heard of/been stigmatized against, THAT came later...

[Ben]

Yes, although I was obviously joking.

[Once Upon A Dream]

Why not a Black Couldren sequel? that could work! Taran and Princess Eilonwy are merried and Princess Eilonwy became an old hag,but when their son is captured by big from the first film,they must rescue him,yeah,that could work.

[Dusterian]

Okay, I figured out how to make my siggy work, I was doing it wrong.

Anyway, Once, it's not that I think they used Ariel because she's a great character, I think it's because she's a popular character. Money and popularity go hand in hand.

This movie's pleasing only some Ariel fans. We still don't know how she came to love humans, and she didn't care this much about music. Can you believe it? She fights so hard to get music back, music connects her to her mother, and then she gives up her voice?

And at first Ben's idea didn't sound possible, but maybe since Disney doesn't care about ruining the original, and to make it more popular, for some re-release, they would make a Black Cauldron sequel...

[Dacey]

I'm actually a she, but yeah, I was

Sorry. My bad.

[Once Upon A Dream]

This movie's pleasing only some Ariel fans. We still don't know how she came to love humans, and she didn't care this much about music. Can you believe it? She fights so hard to get music back, music connects her to her mother, and then she gives up her voice?

Well,she didn't had any other choice,Ursula is the only one who could help and she wanted her voice,Ariel whouldn't want to give up on that but if that's her only way,then she whould give up on that.
They should talk about her love for the human world too but every Princess movie as a motive (In Cinderella it's time,in Aladdin it's treasures) so in The Little Mermaid it's music so they should talk about that too.

[Dusterian]

But Ariel missed rehearsals and concerts. She didn't seem to care for music eccept as a way to express her thoughts and feelings, like in "Part of That World".

The music ban just doesn't make much sense for Triton, either. It's funny, in the original he gets angry at Ariel for missing a concert, when, according to this prequel, he will get angry at Ariel for being in a music club.

They shouldn't have done the banned music idea. They should have done something similar to the ideas fans were talking about (but not too similar, because they could get sued or in trouble if they used a fan idea).

In Cinderella and Aladdin in sequels, it dealed with things they wanted. Cinderella always wanted to be a princess and keep her prince, Aladdin always wanted treasure and Jasmine. Ariel never looked like she wanted music. I'm sure she loved being able to sing, but she loved the land above the sea more.

[Once Upon A Dream]

Maybe she had music most of her life so she thought it will be alright if she missed concerts?.
Triton does seems out of character,I thought if Marina or Ursula has done something to him but if they didn't then it doesn't really make sense,even because of his wife.
She didn't wanted music in the original because she have it all the time,but maybe she whould want it if there's no music in Atlantica like in this prequel? is there a way the plot can deal with both music and Ariel's love to the human world?.
But she does love being music and she loves her voice and being able to sing but yeah,she liked the human world more,but I need to see the film.
Oh,and

I download the movie and it turned out to be an original DVD!!! but... the features doesn't work still

[JustinWilliams]

My DVD arrived today!:P The film's actually surprised me. Didn't have high hopes but it's better than Little Mermaid 2 which I found to be tolerable. Better animation and quite funny too. The menus and features are pretty good with about 40 minutes of extras - i particularly enjoyed the feature about the Broadway production. It's lovely to see traditionally animated work come from Disney and this, and advances on this standard, are most welcome.

[Dusterian]

Well, Once, that's what doesn't make sense. Ariel is very close to the age she was in the original movie, it might be two years before. So she didn't have music for very much of her life, and she also didn't have knowledge of the human world, either! So it's very close to the time of the original movie, but the original movie acted like they had music and Ariel loved humans for a while.

Here's what I think: the movie will be good for having Ariel's personality and voice, and maybe the animation, songs, and humor. But as for plot, making the characters like they were in the original, and giving a wider scope of TLM fans what they deserve...not good.

But you already saw the movie, so...will you wait till it comes out officially or do you want to give your thoughts now?

[droosan]

I've been a longtime fan of Ariel's sisters.

For many years they were forgotten, 'neglected' characters .. but a couple of years ago, someone at Disney (correctly) realized that they had six additional bona-fide 'princesses' that they'd not yet done much with. A few toys and knick-knacks began showing up in the Disney Stores and parks .. but it was really something like this DVD which I'd been waiting for.

And it does not disappoint!

Sure, this may be Ariel's 'beginning' .. but IMO, her sisters stole the show.

[Once Upon A Dream]

I have seen it now,it's really great best sequel ever .
Well,if she's 13 or 12 years old in this film then maybe it does make sense but if it's a year before she met Eric and fell in love with him then it doesn't really make much sense.
I think they can show Ariel's love for the surface world and they can have the music banning plot if they want.
droosan-Yeah,they were great (Maybe exept Attina who was bossy and annyoing),and they were funny.
Aquata:*Gasps* Mr Fuzzyfinckle???.
Arista:He's really cute,and he likes me.
Aquata:And my pillow?.
Arista:That's for Mr Fuzzyfinckle.
And...
Andrina:Don't look but dinner is all over your face.
XDDDD.

[Daniel]

I saw it yesterday, via renting and really enjoyed it. With all the mixed reviews, I was expecting to be let down again, but nope! Spoilers ahead, but I don't think anybody cares.

I liked the change of pace, having Sebastian being the narrator. Finally getting to see Athena was great! I loved the song she sung, very nice. I am a bit disappointed how much screen time she got, though. When she dies, it doesn't hit as hard as you would expect. It's still very sad, so don't get me wrong. I thought the few seconds leading up to the death could've been better; the way the scenes go. I've seen complaints about why she didn't just swim/jump away, now having seen it, I think it's understandable. I mean, she's in shock!

With the sisters, I'm with droo all the way. I am so happy they finally got some much needed attention. I liked them all, yes even Attina, and admired each of their personalities. I thought the whole situation with one of them wanting to kiss a boy was unneeded, though.

Onto Marina, you know I - like a lot of you - was disappointed when we found out Ursula wasn't going to be in this movie and that this new villain wasn't related in any way or that her motive sounded lame, but... I liked her .. a lot. Sally Field did a terrific job. As a Disney villain she fits in that category of not real evil like Ursula, but more along the lines of Aunt Sarah from Lady and the Tramp. I dug the song she sang, it's stuck in my head as I type. Oh, and I liked the little nod when she's on the rock and the water slaps her, nice seeing Scuttle again! As for her sidekick, Benjamin, I thought he was cute. His character is so sweet, he reminds of the king from Alice in Wonderland. His design is great and I loved his voice; gentle, like Piglets. A shame he's in jail at the end of the movie too, although I guess that shows he really does like Marina as friend, willing to go in it with her.

Not one of my favorites and definitely not the 'best sequel ever', but a darned good movie. As for comparisons with LM:II (since you knew it was coming. ) obviously I thought it was MUCH better. When III ended, I didn't have the feeling of disappointment or anger that I felt with II. "Beginning" even had closure, something "Return to the Sea" was missing. Yes, I thought the ending was a cliffhanger of sorts; Melody uses the trident to disparate the wall, and humans and mer-people join together in song, then what? Does Melody choose to remain on land with her parents, or sea with her grandfather? We assume the former. Consider she meets that mer-boy at the end, it makes it even more of a thinker. Ugh.

At the very least, if you like the original, I say give this one a rental. Woo, it's been awhile since I've written this much.

[Once Upon A Dream]

I"m glad you liked it,Daniel .
About your review:
(Spoilers):

About Athena-Couldn't she throw the music box into the water and then jump insted of gasping while seeing the ship? and I"m not sure if the pirates attacked them,I mean,they started they "attacked" after everyone jumped into the water and they didn't even attacked Athena,the ship crushing her could have been an accident (And they might have died with her,like what happened to the sailors in the original teaser),or she was so shocked she couldn't move?.
The one that wanted to get kissed was Adella.
I think Marina is very much like Yzma.
They should have told about Ursula thought (Like,while Ariel,Flounder,Sebastian and the band were on their way to the place with the music box Sebastian could tell about Ursula tried to attack Atlantica but Triton stopped her and it was before Ariel was born).
And yeah,the opening was sad (And Athena's Song was beautiful) and when Tirton sang was also very sad).
Also I have to say-In the film,the series and even in Little Mermaid II Atlantica was an enchanted kingdom,in this movie it was gloomy until Triton opened the music box in the end and it came back to normal.
Also Triton was very selfish in this movie and I didn't liked how he treated Ariel and her sisters like soldiers,and he thought he's a god but he was also like that in the original movie ("I don't need to know him! they"re all the same").
And I still don't understand how Marina found the club.