The 2023 Little Mermaid feels like it’s close to being self-aware about how funny it looks when an actual human talks to a crab or a fish and expects an answer.

But in the cartoon, the fish do a conga line. Animated fish bunny-hopping is a joy to watch − photorealistic fish doing it is a horror show. Animals have an uncanny valley, and Disney found it.

Although the most anticipated live-action Disney remake of the year officially premieres in theaters on May 26, The Little Mermaid made its world premiere on Monday, May 8, in Los Angeles.

Cortland Repertory Theatre’s production of the classic Disney musical “The Little Mermaid” opened Wednesday, finishing their ...

The live-action musical film is a remake of Disney’s 1989 animated fairytale production that starred Jodi Benson as the voice of Ariel. “The Little Mermaid” premieres in theaters on May 26.

Disney's 'Little Mermaid' remake drowns in a sea of digital murk The ocean is an uncanny valley in the latest misjudged "live-action" do-over from the Mouse House.

In 1989, the cartoon "Little Mermaid," coming after three decades of mediocre animation, ushered in a Disney renaissance that soon produced "Beauty And The Beast," "Lion King" and "Aladdin." ...

Now we have 22-year-old Halle, whose reprisal of The Little Mermaid resulted in the #NotMyAriel hashtag, racist remarks, a sudden wave of redhead purists, and hatred personified online.

And you see that with Ariel in The Little Mermaid, she is innocent. She’s also trying to navigate beyond the romance, which is the hallmark of so much of Disney.

The Little Mermaid 2023, PG, 135 min. Directed by Rob Marshall. Voices by Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay. Starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem.