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Film Title: The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning

 Best for ages: 6 and up.

Movie Website: Click Here

Year Released: 2008

Rated: G (US)

SYNOPSIS

   Disney hits us with a Little Mermaid prequel with "Ariel's Beginning".  The film starts off with Ariel as a child and her father and mother rule the sea and the kingdom of Atantica.  However one fateful day Ariel's mother dies fatally and her father, King Triton bans music from his kingdom. Ten years later Ariel is much older and lives in the palace with her father and her sisters. Each day always seems the same when Ariel and her sisters are awaken every morning by Marina, one of her fathers hands. Sebastian is the kings right hand crab, and always makes sure that Marina has the girls ready and on time every morning. Secretly Marina is trying to get Sebastian job. Ariel, upset with doing the same routine everyday defies her fathers rules and is sent to clean barnacles off the palace walls. While doing so, she meets Flounder who is singing on the outskirts of the castle walls. Ariel likes what she hears even though it almost gets her imprisoned.   She sneaks out one night and follows Flounder to a secret underground club, where she finds none other than Sebastian singing with a band, while other fish and sea animals are dancing and having a good time. However on her return trip with her sisters, the place gets raided and Sebastian and the gang are jailed. Now Marina is running the show at the castle and has plans to rid the castle of it's king and princesses.

VIOLENCE/GRAPHIC CONTENT/language

   There are a few things that might be a concern to parents, but it's not as bad as some of the things that happened in the first Little Mermaid movie. First and foremost, they is not any bad language used in this movie, but there are plenty of demanding threats, Jealous fits of rage, and plenty of complaining. The villain of the film; Marina, is kind of a prelude to Ursula, and even has the same eel like creatures help her with her dirty deeds. She plans on using them to kill Sebastian, Flounder, Ariel and the gang, and a big battle breaks out between them. Flounder does get violent and punches and hits the eels with his tail, as do many of the other characters during the battle. During that same scene Sebastian fools Marina into going though a tube like piece of coral where he traps her violently. Arial life is almost taken when Marina breaks free and tries to kill Sebastian and Arial risks her life to save him. Other things include Arial being sneaky, lying to her father and sisters and sneaking out during the night into dangerous waters to see what's around.

OVERALL VIEWS

   The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning will only be available on DVD, the movie is mainly a character film that gives us the story about how all the characters in the original film meet and became such good friends. The movie had the same look and feel of the original Little Mermaid film and the animation is very similar as well. A lot of the actors who voiced the characters in the first film return to their roles such as Jodi Benson as Ariel and Samuel E. Wright as Sabastian. Sally Fields also joins the cast as the voice of the villainous Marina Del Ray.

  Overall, it's not a bad little film, but I still think the original film is the best in the trilogy. The movie is short and runs only about 77 minutes.  The DVD does have plenty of features such Deleted Scenes, a Mermaid Discovery Vanity Game, A sing along option which when turned on during the movie will display the words of the songs so you and your young ones can sing along, and a Backstage Disney feature which takes you behind the scenes look of the animation of the film with director Peggy Holmes, as well as a a behind the scenes look at The Little Mermaid play on Broadway.

   It's a fun filled DVD like no one other than Disney can put together, and for young girls (and boys too) this DVD is just another one to add to the collection for them to enjoy. I would say ages six and up this film is for, but that's if your child is sensitive to a little animated violence. If not than I think ages four and up are ok.

BUY THIS MOVIE.