The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid (1989)

  • 90% of critics liked it
    (52 reviews)

  • 83% of users liked it
    (818,706 ratings)

Disney's The Little Mermaid was the first in a series of blockbusters that restored the venerable firm's reputation as the world's premiere animated-feature factory. The title character is a precocious teenager named Ariel, the daughter of Triton, king of the Sea. Against her dad's wishes, Ariel… More

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In Theaters
Nov 15, 1989 Wide
On DVD
Dec 7, 1999
Buena Vista Internationa

Critic Reviews

  • , TIME Magazine

    You could wish upon a star and not conjure up a more joyous animated movie than this graceful retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen tale.

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    Within the apparently necessary aesthetic and ideological limitations (such as making the hero and heroine Americans surrounded by foreign servants a la Pinocchio), the animation manages to be fairly energetic.

  • James Berardinelli, ReelViews

    A fantastic success.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    May represent Disney's best animated feature since the underrated Sleeping Beauty in 1959.

  • Janet Maslin, New York Times

    A marvel of skillful animation, witty songwriting and smart planning.

Read all 19 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • Bethany M


    A childhood favourite and a classic!

  • Jennifer X


    Ariel is the sexiest Disney princess of them all. That's gotta be worth something. That scene where she writhes around on the sea floor longing for hot Prince Eric and a pair of legs is positively pornographic.

  • Jameson W


    Great story, excellent musical score, classic animated film!

  • Conner R


    Again Disney makes a movie that should only appeal to little girls, appeal to almost everyone who likes good storytelling. I can't really explain what makes this such a great movie in particular; it's just a combination of everything. The animation is perfect, the characters… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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