Search - The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea [Special Edition] on DVD

The Littlest Mermaid

Xeneri | 07/25/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Little Mermaid revisited more than 10 years later....Ariel has a daughter, Melody, who has no knowledge of her mom's mermaid ancestry. Melody yearns for the sea in the same way that her mom longed for land. This eventually leads to a new flip side version of the original "Little Mermaid" when Morgana (the just as evil but thinner sister of Ursula - both voiced by the deliciously whiskey voiced Pat Carroll) hatches a sheme to enchant Melody into a mermaid as revenge against Ariel....Surprisingly, this made for video sequel is not too bad. It helps that many pf the original actors came back to reprise their roles. A good sequel, especially for the younger set."

Rent before you buy.

J. M. Yarbrough | Hesperia, CA United States | 10/17/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Before I saw this movie, I knew it wasn't going to measure up to the original movie so I didn't have high expectations. This is probably why I ended up liking the movie to a certain degree instead of being completely disappointed.It's basically the same plot as the first movie - Ursula's sister wants to rule the sea and uses Melody's desire to become a mermaid to her advantage. While the movie is predictable, there were certain parts that gave me a warm glow. It was nice to see Ariel change from her proper-and-prim attire and return to the sea as a mermaid. There's a nice duet between Ariel and Melody about "sharing one moment" in time. It almost captures Ariel's original wistfulness and longing. Prince Eric, as usual, isn't capable of saving the day or even himself. Sebastin's schtick seems to be old to the point where his whining can be grating. However, on the plus side, there are two new song-and-dance characters which serve as a comic relief to detract from the predictable plot.I recommend renting this movie first before making a purchase. I got the DVD as a belated wedding present and I'm glad I have it, but I can't honestly say I'd have personally bought it myself - not without a huge markdown in the price. Keep in mind that while it's not the greatest movie ever, it's not exactly bottom-of-the-barrel either."

Not up to the original, but great nonetheless...

A. Rossetti | MILFORD, DE USA | 09/20/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having been a fan of the original Little Mermaid for years, and having two children who are big fans, our household couldn't wait for the release of this sequel. We weren't let down. I admit I was somewhat apprehensive after the Lion King 2 sequel, which was much more frightening than the original, but as my 2 1/2 year old said after watching this movie "it didn't scare me!", so I was quite relieved. The kids absolutely loved the movie and were glued to the screen. They've watched it twice in the span of about 20 hours now.The 4 star rating is somewhat misleading, as on its own, it would probably be a 5 star movie. The reason I could only give 4 stars is that I couldn't help but compare it to the original, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who will do so. That said, the movie was quite good, although not quite up to the standards of the original. The music was somewhat repetitive, and not as gripping as the original, but was still entertaining. Sebastian, as always, was a treat, and the new characters introduced mesh quite nicely with the existing cast.The DVD extras include a trivia game, animated storybook, and an 8-minute short cartoon "Merbabies", which my children loved.In summary, I would certainly recommend this sequel to anyone who enjoyed the original, as well as all fans of Disney."

Return to the Sea...WHY BOTHER?!

Amanda J. Mickey | El Cerrito, CA United States | 04/28/2004

(1 out of 5 stars)

"(as posted on IMDB.com.)Okay, as a long time Disney fan, I really -hate- direct-to-video Disney sequels. Walt HIMSELF didn't believe in them. He believed in "AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER" being the end of it. But this one...REALLY ticked the taco. There were so many ripoffs of other Disney films in this, it wasn't funny. Quick summary, if you don't already know...: Melody, the daughter of Ariel and Prince Eric, is born. Ursula's sister, Morganna (who basically looks like Ursula, if she were to dye herself green and go on the Ally Macbeal starvation diet) shows up and, after trying to do the newborn tyke in, and failing, prophesizes (sp?) doom for the characters. After that ordeal, Ariel goes into a lapse of being like her father, and refuses to tell Melody about her mermaid heritage, and later on, forbids her to go near the sea. Well surprise surprise. Melody finds out, being the stubborn brat she is, and runs away, then makes a deal with Morgana to become a mermaid, in exchange for something. (Gee does THAT sound familiar?) She becomes one, but in her half of the bargain, has to retrieve her granddaddy's Trident and bring it back to the sea witch. While doing THIS, she runs into a couple of outcast animals, a penguin and a walrus named Timon and Pumb--huh? wait...no! that's not Timon and Pumbaa! or is it? Could of fooled me. Anyway, i'd like to reveal more, but pretty much anything that could be guessed to happen does. OK so...long story short. This movie "borrows" too much from other (better) Disney films...and does it horribly. Come on...Tip and Dash? Why not just make Dash obscenely flatulent and make it an even more obvious ripoff! Ugh. Not to mention, the total character butchery of Ariel's persona. She's gone from being a freespirited, headstrong woman, to a clone of her father. Not good at all...they're basically telling us the sweet, firey little mermaid we've known to grow and love is dead. Plus Melody herself isn't such a great character either...she's damned annoying! And bratty! Not to mention what they've done to Flounder. Ugh...anyway if you decide to see this piece of created-mainly-for-profit-reasons, no-imagination, Eisner-sponsored crapfest, I suggest maybe waiting 'till its on the Disney channel or some other tv station. Because, it's not even worth the price of a rental."