‘The Little Mermaid’ live adaption initial reactions are out

The first reactions for the live adaptation of The Little Mermaid are out after it premiered on May 8th. The flick stars Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King, Awkwafina and more.

According to Yahoo! Entertainment, the response is fairly positive with viewers claiming that it is “close to being the best live-action Disney movie,” as well as “an absolute joy to watch.”

Most of the viewers were full of praise for Bailey’s portrayal of the red-haired mermaid. Movie critic from The Direct, Gillian Blum claimed that “Halle Bailey IS Ariel.”

Although, not all reactions are positive, with critic Courtney Howard calling it “Charming, but incredibly spotty.” however, she too praised the cast for their dedication to their parts.

Insider’s Kirsten Acuna critiqued that it’s “a mostly paint-by-numbers remake that’s isn’t as good as the animated masterpiece.”

The movie will be coming out for general audiences on May 26th.

The film originally faced significant backlash due to its casting choices, with many expressing their anger at black actress Hailey Bailey being chosen for the role of Arial, who is white and red-haired in the original animated film.