Ariel and her husband, Prince Eric, have a little problem with their daughter, Melody, in the sequel to Disney's landmark
The Little Mermaid. Melody is threatened by Morgana, the evil sister of the sea witch Ursula (both voiced by Pat Carroll). Before you can say "Briar Rose," Melody's parents decide to keep their daughter's roots a secret, forbidding her to learn about the ocean while Morgana is around. Now the budding teenager secretly frolics in the sea with Ariel's old friends, Sebastian and Scuttle. When she learns the truth from Morgana, Melody becomes an unknowing pawn in her scheme--and Mom has to take to the sea again to help.
As with Disney's other made-for-video sequels, The Little Mermaid II looks and sounds wonderful (and reunites much of the same vocal talent). Four- to nine-year-olds who grew up with the original will certainly enjoy seeing the friends again. A new set of artists has come up with four catchy tunes and some fun new characters, including Tip and Dash, a pensive penguin and his blubbery walrus friend. Yet, where Beauty and the Beast had a deliberate Christmas-themed sequel, and Pocahontas told the tale of her historical trip to England, the plot here is very forced. It is pretty much a rehash of the first film with different characters. Tip and Dash are a reincarnation of Timon and Pumbaa, and Morgana is exactly like her sister, except thinner. Besides the stellar music, this unneeded sequel also misses another important aspect of the original--heart. --Doug Thomas
1 just as usual - another sequel!
Little mermaid was just the same as the first! The first one the story was complex and it fit nicely together, but they should have made another story line for it!
I liked seeing Melody but she took away Ariel's free spiritedness that all girls would like to copy.
The villian is the exact same! For the same goal too! It was totally predictable what would happen!!
I think the songs weren't all that except "For a Moment" that was cute. The jokes were corny and Scuttle is soooo dumb in this sequel!!! Honestly! In the first one he had SOME sense but in this one, he couldnt answer, "whats kickin'"!!!
Tip and Dash.. I think I've seen them somewhere before *cough cough* the drawings or the art didn't look that good.
COme on Disney!!! Make another movie stop with the sequels!
I was a BIG fan of little mermaid but this movie kinda ruined it.
sorry, but this sequel was just plain OK
2 A WORTHY SEQUEL !
Great animation, great plot, great songs, great new characters! A cute introduction of Ariel's daughter Melody. Worth seeing and owning!
3 What have they done to Ariel
Oh my goodness what have they done to the little mermaid.
They sucked the soul out of her and made an obnoxious clone aka her daughter.
This movie is very terrible. I believe the original isn't on sale anymore because if that were the case this movie would have been sent back to the vault in a hurry.
4 I wish I could give this one a billion stars!
I for one loved this movie and didn't compare it to the original. I loved the Lion King 2 (Simba's Pride) and didn't compare that one to the first one. I adore the Rescuers Down Under, but its not the same as the first one. And the sequel to Lady and the Tramp? I liked that one too. Yes, there are going to be changes when one waits years to make a sequel. I love the sequels for being movies in their own right. By the way, I am almost 22 years old and remember the first Little Mermaid very well. I've grown up on Disney, and out of the forty dvds I own, 80% of them are Disney.
Anyway, the Little Mermaid 2 is a great movie. The animation is even clearer and more beautiful than the first one, due to the changes in technology over the last decade, and the songs are just as catchy and fun. In fact, I watched it a few days ago and still have "Tip and Dash" stuck in my head. In my opinion, Disney did a great job with the story itself, making it believable and moving. The actors and actresses all give their best and it shows in the emotion the characters display. Melody is exactly what you would expect a lonely preteen princess to be--tortured by her secret desires and her need to fit in, yet her seeming inability to do so. And like all kids that age, she is convinced that she is the only one who could possibly feel this way and brushes off her mother's attempts to cheer her up with edited stories of her own childhood. She creates a situation and has to deal with the repercussions, and does so very well.
Jodi Benson proves once again that she is the only woman who could play the part of Ariel. Reprising her role from so many years ago, she now plays the part of the older, wiser, more mature mermaid-turned human, and does it perfectly. In addition to dealing with Melody's preteen anxieties, Ariel has to contend with her own feelings of loneliness and helplessness, as her years as a human and the wall that separates the castle from the sea also separates her from her family. There is a very poignant scene in which Ariel wades in the water behind the wall, just to feel the water again and to remember her life before. It moves me every time.
Eric gets a lot of screen time in this one, but he doesn't speak as much and really just stands off to the side, silently offering encouragement. He doesn't act as a prince, but a father concerned with the well-being of his only daughter and a husband worried about his wife's happiness. I don't think his voice actor is the same as in the first one. Triton's either.
I've rambled on long enough. I just want everyone to watch this movie and decide for yourselves if you like it or not. But please, don't compare it to the original. Just as younger siblings hate being compared to their older brothers and sisters, and children dislike being forced to follow in the path of their parents, so too are sequels not meant to be the exact replicas of the original films. Give the Little Mermaid 2 a chance to stand on its own.
5 Disney Trades Integrity for Easy Money.
O Disney, what's happened to you? You used to produce enchanting, heart-warming animated films that were loved by both children AND adults. They had beautiful musical scores, wonderful songs, great characters, and the best animation quality and style in the world. And then something strange happened. You started to make less impressive animated films that still had brilliant animation, but lacked both interesting characters and good music, and possessed storylines of a more politically correct nature. I'm talking about films like Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, and Brother Bear. None of these films are bad by any means, but this is not the same "Disney Magic" I saw in movies like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Disney's last few animated movies seem more like big apologies for putting so many white people in their fairy tales, rather than good stories that deserve to be told.
Then there's stuff like Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea, which is a cash grab by Disney and nothing more (just like the sequels to Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc). There is absolutely no reason for this movie to have been made other than to make parents part with some of their hard-earned money because their kids succumbed to the advertising. The animation is straight-to-video quality, the songs are uninspired, and the story is almost a complete copy of the original! Please, please, DON'T buy this movie! Turning out sequel after sequel to a beloved movie to make some easy money is a terrible way for a studio to operate, and the fact that the studio is Disney in this case just goes to prove that somebody in a high-level position at Disney has no idea what made their company so loved and admired in the first place!
A few months ago Disney announced that they were closing their feature-length animation studios. This is truly sad. If Disney had ignored the shrill naysayers of the world and kept on making high-quality animated films that people actually wanted to see and could care about, instead of pouring money into lame, preachy movies like Brother Bear, this wouldn't have happened. Poor Walt must be turning over in his grave...
6 Return is a typical fairy tale
This was a gift for my 7-year-old daughter. She really enjoys watching it but it is not her favorite. I watched it with her once and it wasn't bad but it didn't have the appeal that the first one displayed. The story centers around Arial's daughter going to the sea. Same idea as the first movie's plot, only reversed. Don't purchase this video expecting magic, but it is good entertainment for a young child. Our neighbor has two boys, ages 5 and 2, who also enjoy it.
7 ...
The movie wasn't horrible, some of it was pretty good and it was cool seeing Ariel's daughter. The movie wasn't great but it's not the worst film known to man either. My biggest complaint was that Ariel turns into her father pretty much. She isn't the same free-spirited person that most of us girls admired when were were littler...
8 this is not crap it's DISNEY !!! SO GET OVER IT !!
alot of people say that disney sequels are crappy movies,well they're not they're movies just like any other out there . i hate when people say this movie is pure crap .i liked it alot,the only thing i didn't like was that skinny old octopus lady replacing ursula.it's good to watch disney sequels sometimes,the one i didn't like was stitch the movie that was a bit boring,but still not crap!.
9 A Pleasant Sequel
This movie, I have to say, wasn't bad at all. The music wasn't as good, of course, but it wasn't a boring movie, except for some of the singing parts and I actually don't mind watching this movie once in a while. The plot is about Ariel and Eric, when Ariel gives birth to a daughter, Melody, and they call King Triton and his seamen and they give a grand ceremony and sing a song about Melody being the only child having been born of land and sea. Then, to provide an intersting plot, Ursula's evil sister, Morgana, spoils the ceremony and Ariel tells her dad that Melody must never know she's from the sea because Morgana will try to capture her. So, for 12 years, her parents, who build a wall in front of their mansion, shelter Melody from the sea. But eventually, Melody's curiosity gets the better of her and she finds ways to escape the wall. She collects sea shells that she finds underwater, but she stumbles upon a very important clue. It's an old shell with dirt caked on it and it spells Melody. After questioning her mother about the necklace, and after an argument with her mother about the sea, not to mention an embarressing 12th birthday party, Melody sets out to find some answers to her past, meeting some cute friends and some deceptive foes. Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle return, and the ending doesn't at all disappoint. A very worthwhile sequel!
10 Pretty bad.
Trying to make a sequel to the masterpiece that is The Little Mermaid was unlikely to work in the first place. The Little Mermaid stands out as one of the greatest animated movies ever, and certainly has some of the best music. This sequel falls short on many levels, especially music, and Melody is a big disappointment to those of us who appreciated how beautiful Ariel was. Melody's story is her mother's in reverse; she wants to be a mermaid, not a human. Morgana is just like Ursula, though she and Undertow the shark/piranha and Cloak/Dagger the manta rays are pretty funny. Ariel is a mother now and a kind of "blah" character. She isn't completely ruined, like Tramp or Simba, because at first she wants to share her past life with her daughter. It's Morgana's threat that causes her to hide Melody from the sea, King Triton, etc., and contain her within walls. Still, she and the Prince act very sterotypically in this movie and lack real character. Sebastian is back, luckily. Titanic Tip the penguin and Daring Dash the walrus--two young wannabe heroes who befriend and assist Melody--are an attempt at an arctic-dwelling Timon and Pumbaa. They're the comic relief and the silliness. Tip is Timon, the little wisecracker, and Dash is Pumbaa, the big, not-too-bright old soft guy. I see the relation here quite clearly. At any rate, this movie isn't too awful to watch on occasion, but do not expect the glory of the original Little Mermaid. I think this story could have been made into a much more decent film, had they left out some of the things that added to its corny/cheesy factor. For instance, how many times do we want to hear a parent say, "You deliberately disobeyed me"? That was ripped right from the Lion King (the only film in which it sounded sincere), and Jungle Book 2 also ripped it straight from there. Aren't there other, less cliche things to say to get the same point across? The ending is also a cliffhanger; Melody uses the trident to disapparate the wall, and everyone--humans and merpeople--join together in song and merriment. But then what? Does Melody choose to remain on land or at sea? We assume on land, but it's unclear. Either way, mysterious fates and endings can be very good, and it's not like most people will care one way or the other about Melody. So on the whole, it's worth seeing IF you enjoy animated movies and the first Little Mermaid, but won't be too touchy about a sequel that doesn't live up. Otherwise, I'd steer clear.
11 Sequel
Obviously, the sequel isn't going to be as good as the first. They never are. This is no different, the storyline is similar with all the characters resembling each other as well. Basically, Melody is Ariel, only in a much younger perspective wanting to be a mermaid (just like Ariel wanted to be a human in the first), Morgana is Ursula, only skinnier with her pet shark who is the eels. Tip and Dash are basically Flounder and Sebastian. I enjoyed Tip and Dash a lot, especially compared to the annoying Flounder. All the original characters make appearances, Sebastian is the crap that used to look after Ariel for King Tritan but now he's supposed to look over Melody for Ariel and Eric. Flounder is still around, yet fatter and his voice is more annoying, King Triton is now the worried grandfather instead of just the worried father. The real downfall here is Prince Eric, who is rarely in the movie but his voice is different and for the worst. He looks a bit different too, he has like blue eyes in this one which makes him look strange.
The storyline as I said is similar. Melody wants to explore the sea, she's an OUTCAST on land and SNEAKS out by going under the wall between the castle and the ocean. She meets Morgana, an EVIL OCTOPUS who has the POWER to TRANSFORM her into a mermaid (hint: with help from Ursula) and she can REMAIN a MERMAID if she STEALS the "pitchfork" (sorry I forget its name) from her grandfather, yet she doesn't know he's her grandfather. Melody captures it with the help of Tip and Dash and returns to Morgana. All the while Ariel has transformed back into a mermaid in hope to find Melody in the sea while Eric looks on land. Morgana TURNS on Melody and transforms her back into a human and keeps her underwater until she drowns. The shark crashes into the ice barrier and Melody is free, Ariel and Melody chat then realize that Eric and the rest of them are in trouble. Melody saves the day. That is basically the whole storyline.
Though very similar to the first one, this is still a good watch and would be a nice movie to show your little kids, especially since they probably wouldn't care if the first one is the original. It's a fun movie, not as romantic or as funny as the first but still fun. If you collect Disney movies or really enjoyed this one if you saw it, buy it. Other than that I'd just suggest you rent this one.
12 Rent it, Dont buy it.
I was ten years old when the Little Mermaid came out, and I loved it. I seriously wanted to be Ariel, I just loved the songs and the color.
Recently, I rented both the Little Mermaid and its sequel, the Little Mermaid II. WHile I am pleased that there is at least something out there for little kids these days, I was disappointed with the movie. I did not connect with Melody, and Ariel was like nothing I remembered. The only thing pleasing (and, I must say, humorous) was the presence of Sebastian. He alone retained the charm of the first film.
Of course, maybe the reason I didnt like this movie is that I am now an adult. But I gotta tell you, when I re-watched the original, it was still the magical movie that it was for me 15 years ago.
13 The Little Mermaid 2 - Return to the Sea
What if you learned you were half mermaid? You'd probably want to test your flippers. Melody, the daughter of Ariel and Prince Eric, certainly does! Disobeying her parents' warnings to stay away from the sea, Melody sets out to find adventure and make new friends. But danger looms when she becomes a pawn in the evil Morgana's plot to control the Seven Seas. Lively songs enhance this sequel to Disney's animated favorite The Little Mermaid.
14 Return to the Sea...WHY BOTHER?!
(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.
15 Pass on this one
Doesn't compare to the romance and fun of the original "Little Mermaid." Ariel needs to recover some of her spunk and Prince Eric needs something to do besides smile and look fatherly!!! Meolody is a spunky, adventurous character, but the rest of the movie is basically a rehashing of the first "Little Mermaid" story. Songs aren't as good.
16 As the song says: "Never be the same again.."
Yes, thats what I think. Movies can never be as good as the first one BESIDES for "toy Story 2"!!! This movie is REALLY pathetic. They took the first movie, added things here and there, and whalla! Here comes "The little mermaid 2"! EVERY THING was exactly the same! Couldnt they at least find a new bad chrecter? Why Ursolas sister? (Actualy not a bad idea..) The story is pretty much the same... Anyway, ENJOY!!
17 If it was an option, no stars...
When I was a little girl I fell in love with the Little Mermaid, now, at seventeen I decided to check out the sequal, at least there should be good music, Right? Wrong.
This movie is a pathetic attempt of Disney, while I liked the Lion King 2: Simba's Pride, Return to the Sea's characters are pathetic, it lacks all the romantic element the first one had and is replaced by a stupid child who can talk to animals, being the the only one in the kingdom who can, and not knowing she is a mermaid you'd think she suspect something, no?
Even the music is nearly the exact same as in the first, and this gives a bad name to the Little Mermaid.
18 Strong female roles
Much, much better than the orginal with females taking charge, and solving problems. The drama appropriately focuses on a child's curiosity and identity development rather than getting a man.
19 Utter Crap
Ariel was adventurous and fun in the original, in this one she wears too much lipstick, she's annoying, and she is incredibly boring! Don't waste your money. Like someone already said, time to eat flounder!
20 I love this Sequel
I have a 3 year old daughter, whom is now into all the Princess'. She watched Little Mermaid one time, and after the enchantment of the fins had her hooked to wanting to watch it every day. When Little Mermaid II came on Disney channel one night, it changed everything for her. She loves Melody, Ariel's daughter. No other Disney Princess movie represents a princess that has a mother. They are all passed on, or non existent. Melody and Ariel has a great relationship, like any young adolescence child and her mother would. I think this movie is a positive role model for children, and yet there is nothing to buy with Melody represented, which is a shame.
21 Not Worth your money
I think its not worth a dime. It is cheesy, a desparate attempt to relive the original, you're better of buying the original!!
22 Why?!! Why would they do this?!!
It was horrible. Totally unnecessary and pointless. The story stunk. The animation stunk. The music stunk. The film stunk up everything. I had to hire someone to come in and clean my DVD player because it stunk so bad after playing this drivel.
Listen to me very carefully: Don't ever watch this film, you may damage your DVD player or cause irreversible damage to your mind.
23 A complete reversal of the original
While the animation and songs are wonderful, the storyline of this movie is too much like the original, only reversed. Bringing a breath of fresh air to this so-so sequel is Melody, a preteen who has trouble fitting in with the snobbish youth in the kingdom. When she finds out about her connection to the ocean by accident, in typical Ariel fashion, she runs away and turns to Morgana, an Ursula wannabe.
After all the trouble Melody puts her family thru, this movie has a typical disney happy ending.
24 No... Just... No...
"The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea" is another piece of proof that Disney is running out of ideas and running out FAST. It's a FAR cry from the original.
The beginning makes absolutely no sense. She is the only person in the kingdom who can hold conversations with crabs and seagulls, yet she never suspects a thing. The other noble children laugh at her supposed klutziness... She's a PRINCESS, for the sake of heaven. At age 12, she is considered an awkward teenager, and to top it off, Sebastian manages to hide for 12 years before Ariel notices him around.
It gets little better when she meets Tip and Dash, who are so reminiscent of Timon and Pumbaa it's not even funny.
The majority of the songs are pointless and ill-placed. They have none of the memorability of the original soundtrack.
Generally, nothing but my love of Max Casella could ever compell me to watch this movie again.
25 No... Just... No...
"The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea" is another piece of proof that Disney is running out of ideas and running out FAST. It's a FAR cry from the original.
The beginning makes absolutely no sense. She is the only person in the kingdom who can hold conversations with crabs and seagulls, yet she never suspects a thing. The other noble children laugh at her supposed klutziness... She's a PRINCESS, for the sake of heaven. At age 12, she is considered an awkward teenager, and to top it off, Sebastian manages to hide for 12 years before Ariel notices him around.
It gets little better when she meets Tip and Dash, who are so reminiscent of Timon and Pumbaa it's not even funny.
The majority of the songs are pointless and ill-placed. They have none of the memorability of the original soundtrack.
Generally, nothing but my love of Max Casella could ever compell me to watch this movie again.
26 Swimtasic
It is a perfect movie,just like the little mermaid.
In the beginning it's very sad cause stupid Morgana (Ursala's sister) ruins Melenie's 1st or 2nd birthday party or something else.
Melenie Wants to become a mermaid!
In the movie Melenie meets Tip & Dash,Morgana,Morgana's Shark,Sabastian the crab,Flounder,Flounder's children,Scuttle,Her Grandpa,Her Mom As A Mermaid.
Please Buy The Movies (the little mermaid 1 & 2,And The Little Mermaid 2 Vidoe Game!!!
27 Great!
This is maybe the coolest mermaid movie!
The Little mermaid 2 is great for all ages.
Ariel and Eric don't want Melody [ Ariel's Child] to findout about Ariel's Mermaid roots.
I really like the part when Ariel turns into a mermiad.
She looks prettier. But what would Morgana [ Ursala's sibling, just a lot thinner] do to take control of Atlantica and the seven seas? Melody is brave like her mother. She looks a lot like Eric than Ariel. The hairstyle is like both parents. She could have stayed in Atlantica for a day. The Song " For A Moment" was a neat song. The other songs were... I don't know how to describe it but I think jumpy. It starts out when Melody as a baby on this ship [ i guess.. the Calvery] and King Triton gives Melody an Atlantica Locket then Morgana comes in the picture. King Triton doesn't want Melody hurt so He says " You can have anything you want, but don't hurt Melody." The rest.. See for yourself. Twelve years later Melody , now a a 12-13 year old likes to swim in the water and pretend that she has fins. SEE THE MOVIE FOR YOURSELF ITS GREAT!!!!!!
I would rate this ten stars. The best Disney yet!!
If you want magic... This is the movie for YOU!!!!!!!!!
28 Same story same plot
I am wondering if Disney will ever get tired of doing the same story and the same plot over and over again, and always the same ending all the time. I love animated movies, but I don't understand why ever has to have 2 or more directors working on the film, while live action movies have 1 director on the film? I can't even name a live action movie that has 2 or more directors. The forumal that works in a lot of the Disney movies, doesn't work here. Once again, a Disney animated movie that has either scary scenes or violence or both. Who ideas was it to do sequels for pretty much every Disney movie ever made. Mr. Disney did make any sequels to any of his films. As the movie opens, Ursual's evil sister Morgana (Patt Carroll who also voiced Urusal in the first movie) wants Ariel's (Jodie Benson) father King Trition (Kennth Mars) to give her, her evils siter's trition back to her. And then she shrinks her evil side kick to little, and hindes out, and when Morgona can't be found, Ariel decides that it would be safe for her daughter (Tara Strong) not to know of her home, her father, or anything about the sea, giving back to her dad the locket he give her with her name on it. A lot of this movie reminded me of Sleeping Beauty, which the daughter of a king and a queen amd thier daughterwas in trouble with the movie's villian. What's next Lilo & Stitch 2? Also this movie reminded him of the Lion King, in which the same thing happens again. I bet pretty soon we can expect the sequel to The Emperor's New Groove.
29 good film for children
Little Mermaid II is an excellent follow-up to the first movie. The original characters are all involved and continue to entertain. This is an exceptional movie for little children. There is enough mystery for the older youngsters, and a great deal of love and gentleness for everyone.
30 Only an Ok sequel to a brilliant classic
When I first saw this movie in ad I was immeditately pulled in by how colourful cover and was certain this movie would b just as good as the original. When I watched this movie I felt cold at some parts and why? Because it lacks the same feel and the animation is flat at times looks VERY sloppy (e.g. When Ariel is singing in the song For A Moment with Melody). Ariel's character is a bit pale when you look at her in the first movie. I have to admit I do like Melody a lot. The walrus and the penguin annoy me to no end because they're just clones of Timon and Pumba and they don't really add anything to the movie except comic relief. The songs were forgettable and boring (except For A Moment, I liked that one). The music, while not Alan Menken quality, isn't as horrible as everyone says. I think that if Return to the Sea had been made in the Feature Animation department of the Disney studio this movie would be a LOT better.
31 Good for a sequel
Kept my daughter entertained. She was happy to see familiar characters and particularly liked the seagull. Can't get a copy of the Little Mermaid for a reasonable price (ours was eaten by the vcr). It's a decent sequel.
32 Under the Sea... Again
Another of the string of animated sequels to some of Disney's most popular films, The Little Mermaid II is defiantly one of Disney's most uninspired films. The story revolves around Melody, the daughter of Ariel (the original film's "little mermaid"). Melody love the sea, but is not permitted by her parents to ever visit the sea after she was almost kidnapped by the Sea Witch Ursula's evil sister Morgana, seeking revenge the demise of her sister. If the plot of the young daughter who was forbidden to be part of the world she love sounds familiar, it should. It's the same plot of the first film turned upside-down. In addition to a weak plot, the songs are forgettable (and, at times, painful) and the characters are uninteresting, including not only the film's returning characters who are now meer shadows of their former selfs, but also the new additions such as Morgana's shark-turned-guppy henchman and Timon and Pumbaa clones Tip and Dash. All in all, it's not worth the time watching it unless you have small children who love Ariel and friends.
33 Wise to always be wary of sequels, no fear here
This movie is good but as most sequels that just cannot measure up to the original.
As you might remember from the first Ariel ( the Little Mermaid ) winds up living happily everafter with Prince Eric after the demise of Ursula. Starting in this movie, Ursula has a evil sister that vows to take revenge on the happy couples offspring who is the NEW Little Mermaid, Melody. Jump ahead 12 years and the conflicts similar to the first story, make way for Melody's new great adventure against the evil Morgana.
The story plot is fun and characters are darling. I don't feel that the music is as impressive as the first. It is worthwhile watch especially for little girls. ( This was a MUST for our collection, and I have 2 daughters )
34 If you've got a little girl, try this movie! You'll like it!
I brought this for my three year old niece and she loves it! She is a big fan of everything Little Mermaid. She has both Little Mermaid and Little Mermaid II and watches them everyday. Of course nothing can top the original but overall I think it is a good sequel and the songs are really cute. As an adult, I also don't mind watching it, which is saying alot because most kids movies become annoying after a while.
35 Good, but not as great as the original
I was first dying to see this movie when I was like 9. I got this on my tenth birthday. But I was a bit disappointed in this movie. The characters' personalities have changed. Ariel used to be a cheerful, spunky, and lovable mermaid but now she acts like her father, King Triton! And what on earth did they do to Flounder!? Now he's a father with children! I liked the Flounder in the first Little Mermaid movie. He was sooooooo adorable! I was annoyed with Morgana. Ursula used to make me scream, have nightmares, and make me unable to go to the bathroom at night. Boy, was she creepy! I liked the song "For a Moment". It was good. I liked how they added two new characters: an adorable penguin named Tip and a walrus named Dash (please correct me if I got them mixed up). And I liked their song. Let's not forget Melody, Ariel's daughter. I wish they've given her more detail other than just her tomboyishness. I would've given this movie 5 stars, but since this movie wasn't that good as the first Little Mermaid movie, this deserved 3 stars.
36 This was great!
I thought this DVD was awesome. It was very funny and it was nice to see how the once free-spirited Ariel, when faced with danger to her child, took on her father's over-protective attitude and then had to deal with the consequences. Melody was a bright, chipper child, Sebastian was his usual bungling funny self, and Scuttle was back scatter-brained as ever. This also introduced two new clumsy sidekicks, Tip and Dash who want to be heroes but keep falling short. Morgana wasn't as scary as Ursula, but she won't give the kids nightmares like Ursula did either. Very well done for an immediate production to video/DVD release.
37 Understanding the Power of Music and Scripting
THE LITTLE MERMAID II: RETURN TO THE SEA met my expectations for a direct-to-video film. It did not exceed them. Nor did they fall short. The 1989 original THE LITTLE MERMAID is a very formidable film, making the artistic success for a sequel a great challenge. To its credit THE LITTLE MERMAID II: RETURN TO THE SEA does unfold in a different direction than I had anticipated. The story is not entirely innovative but some of the particular plot situations were well thought out. In any story you have conflict and resolution and those are the aspects that I liked about this film. Some of the dramatics did rely on prior events, which took place in the original. That was thematically important to the overall story. One weakness of this film is the lack of character development. Character development was one of the strong points of THE LITTLE MERMAID. I watched THE LITTLE MERMAID II: RETURN TO THE SEA twice trying to determine if the film digressed in such a way to bolster my contention of this. What did THE LITTLE MERMAID achieve in roughly the same amount of time that this film didn't? And then it struck me that it was the music or more specifically the songs in the original that advanced the story line and defined the characters. That was the brilliance of lyricist Howard Ashman. He and composer Alan Menken developed songs in the original that in several minutes clearly defined Ariel's reckless but innocent curiosity about the humans above and her yearning to discover that world. Every song in the original bolstered the characters, advanced the plot or enhanced the significance of a scene in addition to being very melodic and well written. So in THE LITTLE MERMAID we were given a substantial amount of information and entertainment in a minimum amount of time. There is not a single frame of wasted footage in that film. THE LITTLE MERMAID II: RETURN TO THE SEA does not have the advantage of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman compositions. The instrumental score is very good but the new songs feel superficial. The animation especially during the underwater scenes is good. Morgana is not as menacing as her sister Ursula was in the original. Other than Ursula I believe all the main characters are back. Melody, Ariel's daughter gets to mingle with the old characters as well as meet new ones. I thought that was significant seeing that the scriptwriters were determined not to have Melody just copy what Ariel did in the original. It would have been a very good sequel for theatrical release. If that was done, there would have been a larger budget and the various shortcomings could have been corrected. I liked THE LITTLE MERMAID II: RETURN TO THE SEA. However, I believe that THE LITTLE MERMAID II: RETURN TO THE SEA will continue to have a definite audience with younger family members and there are actually some nostalgic moments that will no doubt attract teens and up who loved the original. I highly recommend this movie.
38 Wish there was a choice for "0 Stars"
Isn't Disney ever going to realize that sequels are not a good idea? I am a HUGE Little Mermaid fan, and I was really excited when I heard about TLM2, but it was really
. One thing I want to know is, this movie is set 10 years after the first one, right? Well, Ariel was only 16 in the original, and now in the sequel she has a 9-year-old child? Promoting teen pregnancy, are we? To have a child that old, she'd have had to gotten pregnant within the first year of her marriage to Eric, making her still 16, possibly 17 at the time of conception. Hello! I thought we were trying to discourage that??
And the cool thing out the first one was the whole rebellion thing right? Well, that's understandable, Ariel was 16 and she didn't agree with her father's strict rules and ways of life. She wanted a different life for herself than what her father wanted. But what does Melody have to rebel against? She's 9 years old for Pete's sake! What, are we looking to start a kiddie-riot? There is a major difference between a teenager rebelling for her freedom and a child disobeying her parents. Ariel was pushing for her indepenence and freedom. Melody was just a brat.
Also, the movie was just plain cheesy with the same plot (well, it's reversed as far as the water to land part goes, but basically the same) and some of the same gags from the first one. Especially considering that the music wasn't as good at the original. It just lacked the plot, characters, charm and magic that the original one had. Big disappointment.
39 Best 2nd I've seen
So many times the second movie just doesn't come close to the original. That isn't the case in this movie. My daughter LOVES this movie - even more than the original Little Mermaid. She has to watch it at least once a day. She obviously recommends it highly!
40 Under The Sea Again!
THis film was a notable sequel to the story of my favorite Hans Christian Anderson tale.The Little Mermaid is my favorite Disney Animated film to date. I loved everything about it. And, although the technology for animation has changed, the magic of characters and lyrics and musics is by far the best in this film still.
Now, to the sequael. It would make sense that Eric and Ariel have offspring, but what would he or she be like.
Well, typically the kids end up being completely unlike their parents. And this is no exception. Melody is curious, adverturous and often doesn't listen. This gets her into trouble.
This cause Atlantia and Ariels father King Triton to take action. Why? Who knew Ursela had a sister - that made sense! (Played again, brilliantly by Pat Carrol using a twist on her voice.
The story is fun and the music okay. Kids willlike this sequel but it still doesn't hold tha magic of the first that seem to hook adults all over the world.
The DVD extras are fun too!
41 Excellent!
Little Mermaid II is a great sequel to a wonderful movie. The animation is beautiful, the songs and the score are very well done, and the characters are fresh and original. I know there are a lot of naysayers out there who say that Ariel and Eric are "different" in this movie...well, duh, think about the time frame...they are both in their early 30s and parents of a twelve-year-old. Did you expect them to be the same flippant teenagers they were in the first movie? Now THAT would be disconcerting.
**Mild Spoilers Ahead**
I think the parallels to the first film with Ariel acting to Melody as her father acted toward her when SHE was a teen are humorous and well-placed in the film. It doesn't make Ariel BORING, it makes her real...how many kids grow up saying they'll never be like their parents and then, as disturbing as it is, find themselves growing more and more like them every year?
As for the plot, I don't think it's anywhere near a "copy" of the original...think about it. In the original, Ariel dreams of going up on land to explore, live life, meet real people with two legs, learn about all the things she's found on sunken ships, etc. and she does with Ursula's help. In LM2, Melody thinks she's a screw-up, a nobody, and she's upset with her parents for NOT letting her go into the sea because she doesn't know about the incident that happened when she was a baby at the beginning of the film when Morgana tries to kill her and Triton gives her that locket. It's more of a mystery to her...when she finds the locket, she needs to know what it means. She does that on her own...she has no intentions of becoming a mermaid until Morgana puts it in her head so the sea witch can get King Triton's trident. Two totally different stories.
Anyway, enough rambling. The movie is great. If you are a fan of LM1, Disney, or just good animated films, check out Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea. I have many Disney films on DVD and this is definitely one of my favorites.
42 In A Word--- Awful...
Disney has slapped another animated classic in the face once again with this sequel. I LOVE The Little Mermaid and was apalled by Return to the Sea... The script is cheesy and the songs are lackluster and unmemorable. The animation is not on par with the original film, but that's understandable. My biggest gripe, however, lies within the characters: the heroine Melody is made out to be an unruly brat; Ariel has suddenly transformed from the charming, somewhat naive young woman from the first film that we all love into some sort of overbearing housewife; the villain Morgana is nothing but a sad, over-cliched parody of Ursula (whom in my opinion was one of THE best Disney villains ever); even the comic relief side-kicks (Tip and Dash)aren't very funny. If you're a die-hard Little Mermaid fan and absolutely MUST see what happens in this movie, rent it-- don't buy it... Nowadays, it seems that Disney must slap a Roman Numeral II on every single masterpiece they've ever done... why can't they just leave them ALONE!? These bad sequels are ruining the original stories... Even worse, Disney's proved in the past that they CAN make good sequels (Toy Story 2, The Rescuers Down Under), so why did they have to utterly mess up The Little Mermaid II!?
43 ugh!!!
I'm a 14 yr. old girl who grew up watching the original movie. I was so excitied a bout a sequel! Then i watched....It is ALL WRONG!!!!!!!!!! Areil is just s another adult, she is so boring!! Sorry Disney but this movie ...I hope that you watch the movie to gain your own opion,but mine is one word.....dissapointed! oh well
l8ter, Kyra
44 Bad Bad Bad
The Little Mermaid 2 cannot compete against the first Little mermaid movie. Disney really should not have made a second part. It would have been much more better if it was left alone. This movie lacks the romance that the first Little mermaid had. Eric and Ariel don't seem to be so much in love as in the first movie. Marriage and responsibility seemed to have made them grow distance towards each other. They treat each other as friends rather than husband and wife. Their daughter, Melody is rather really annoying. They should never have made a second part to the Little Mermaid. Nothing can compare to the first one.
45 Little nothing.
from a Disney fan
...The storyline to most Disney sequels is usually bad. The same applies to this Little Mermaid sequel. I don't mind that the drawing has less detail than the original - that is understandable, but the story is really boring and predictable.
46 Another Boring Sequel!
The Little Mermaid was the film that brought Disney's Animation department back into the spotlight and box office sucess. Beauty and the Beast and many other greats followed which have all had sequels and or a tv show. These sequels are a disgrace to the original. The Little Mermaid II: Return to the sea is no exception with it's corney songs(definately not oscar winners like the originials) and fast wipped up animation. Not to mention it's scrawny ugly not scary villian, no match with ursula, and rushed same old plot line. Just buy or rent the originial. It's the Best!!
47 Preschooler loves this sequel
This sequel to The Little Mermaid is colorful and whimsical. I wish there were a few more songs, though. My daughter, a Disney Princess fan through and through, enjoys it very much. Overall, the movie is entertaining but the remarks made by Morgana being criticized by her Mom while growing up are bothersome to me. These lines were unnecessary and of little relevance to the story, except to make the movie a downer for a few minutes.
Although not perfect, Little Mermaid II was worth looking at, and most important, my little one enjoys it enough to replay it frequently.
48 What a treat to see Ariel and Eric again happily married
This DVD is a treat to watch. My daughter (4 1/2) loves it. She loves Melody, Eric & Ariel. It's a fun DVD to watch and we enjoy it so very much. Yes I said we. I adore Little Mermaid II just as much as my child. And oh how cute that Ariel reunites with her one and only flounder and he has his litle flounders, but leaves them to help his buddy "Ariel" and her daughter Melody. I think that is adorable. Oh, so does my daughter.
49 What the hell happened to Ariel?
Will the real Ariel please stand up? You have been replaced by a bad replica. She's a rigid, irrational parent who evidently learned nothing from her own story. The first movie ended with a meeting of the "merpeople" and the humans, but we find Ariel's teenaged daughter knows NOTHING of her roots? What kind of garbage is this? It makes no sense whatever when viewed in context of what happened in the original movie. Who wrote this? Where they the same people who ruined the "Lady and the Tramp" sequel? (Fortunately, due to this sequel, I rented "Scamp's Adventure" [see my comments there], so I didn't waste my money buying it.) Fire them, before they screw up again!
Then there's the otherwise re-tread of a story and the forgettable music. Yuck! Sheesh! Give me a break! Too bad I didn't rent it first; I may try sending it back to Disney and requesting a good movie to replace it, maybe when "Dumbo" comes out.
50 Time to eat Flounder
Like most people I loved "The Little Mermaid" when it came out and I was much younger. I still think it's a great movie which is why I feel like never buying another Disney product ever again because they completely ruined it with this sequel. If I had known how Ariel was going to turn out when she grew up, I would have been rooting for Eric to have caught her on the end of a fishing hook and had her for dinner. And if Melody wants to go to the ocean so bad I say fine. Take her out on a boat to the middle of the sea and dump her.
51 Recipe-made tried and true Disney
"Little Mermaid II" is not "Little Mermaid." It has many of the same voices, characters and a virtually identical plot. But technology, movie standards and changing interests from the time the first was made make this sequel different. The huge success of this film and the following Disney films caused the movie-makers at Disney to develop a system, a formula for good movies and pleasing family entertainment. All of the ingredients are there: A heroine, Melody (much in the form of the ever-popular Ariel,) A villian, Morgana (who takes after Ursula in almost every way) some conflict (over-bearing parents in the forms of lifeless Eric and equally one-sided Ariel) and a fairy tale ending (this one ends on a happier note than the first.) Add a splash of humor: two would-be heros, Tip and Dash (--- can you say Timon and Pumba from "The Lion King"? One's fat and kind, the other is cynical and small...) a wise-cracking evil henchmen, Undertoe (the shark who even resembles annoying Iago from "Aladdin") and of course the toiling (often tiny) chaperone, Sebastian (tries too hard and seems to be more of a parody of himself than a meaningful character.) Has the formula ever failed? It dosen't in "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea." The movie is pleasant and visually pleasing with forgettable but fun songs and characters. Great taken as what it is: a children's movie. Simply entertaining... a tried-and-true recipe-made film that will please the young at hearts and the slow to judge. Try to have some fun with this one.
52 Some Will Like It, Some Will Hate it
I felt that this DTV in particular was an improvement over such projects as TLK 2: Simba's Pride. Which in my mind is one of Disney's worst attempts at one of their all time greatest films. Aside from under developed characters and situations with TLK 2, this DTV featured a much more likeable if you would say, storyline. I think one of the most trying parts of a DTV is a good story which I'm sorry to say, TLK 2 lacks. Little Mermaid 2 features improved animation and what I will say as one of Disney's better attempts, and will be a real crowd pleaser if given the chance, with a viewer who has an open mind. What I'm saying is, if you don't like it, don't watch it. If your curious, rent it, and then be the judge. If you like "Little Mermaid" buy it you won't be dissapointed. Now you become the real "powers that be."
53 Kid Fave
My two girls really liked this movie. There weren't that thrilled with the cartoon on disney, it scared them, but this movie didn't.
54 Disney rapes Ariel for just a little more $
I was only about 7 when the original Little Mermaid came out, so I thought it was fantastic, magical...blah, blah,blah, and it probably was, so in a pinch of nothing to watch, I decided to check out the sequel. Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus, this movie was far below my wildest expectations. Poor quality songs, 100% predictable and boring plot, excruciating to watch. When Melody, Ariel's daughter, goes swimming she is a full human, no mermaid traits about her, and she can hold her breath for upwards of 3 minutes, keeping her eyes wide open in the saltwater the entire time. She swims past a random fish and it says, "Hi, Melody!", and she smiles at it. UNDERWATER! This is just one of the movies 78,000 major flaws. Disney cares only about money. Artistic, quality films are the same as corporate anima-garbage as long as it turns some kind of profit. Kids are smart, they can tell the difference between a good film and a bad one. Show them "The Little Mermaid II" and "My Neighbor Totoro", and see which one they want to own and watch again. What have they done to poor Ariel?
55 A good family movie
Ariel now has a daughter named Melody and lives on land. When Ursulas younger sister Morgana tries to take Melody away Ariel is faced with the task of not letting Melody near the sea or finding out about Mer People. When Melody grow up she logns for the sea and somehow finds out about Mer People. When she goes looking for them Morgana finds her. With Ariel be able to save he daughter?
56 MADE FOR VIDEO...enough said
I can only give this movie 3 stars. Made for video movies tend to be disappointing because of the lack of production quality. Disney has trained americans to expect eye-popping animation so when Disney comes out with straight-to-video-movies, disappointment is bound to set in. That's what happens with this movie. However, the little kids will love it. So there you go.
57 MADE FOR TV...what can I say
I can only give this movie 3 stars. Made for video movies tend to be disappointing because of the lack of production quality. Disney has trained americans to expect eye-popping animation so when Disney comes out with straight-to-video-movies, disappointment is bound to set in. That's what happens with this movie. However, the little kids will love it. So there you go.
58 Great... Another Disney Sequel
When I was six, The Little Mermaid was my favorite movie. I must've watched it at least 20 times. I had the doll, the clothes, everything. Times have changed and I'm 17 now, but I still like it. Last night, I babysat for a 3 year old who wanted to watch this sequel. It wasn't that horrible, but it was nowhere near the excellence of the original. First of all, I hated what they did to the original characters. Ariel has more or less turned into her father.(What is it with Disney sequels? They did this to Simba in the Lion King sequel too.) Flounder has turned into an older fish with many children, and Sebastian into an old crab that complains a lot. Personally, I found this rather disturbing in comparison with the characters' spunky personalities of the original. Secondly, the movie lacked one really great song. They tried though. There were songs every few minutes, but none of them were on the level of "Under the Sea" or "Part of Your World". Third, the villain was Ursula's sister. And, the two of them might as well have been twins because she was exactly like her sister, except less frightening. Ursula gave me nightmares when I was little. The scene at the end of the original where she becomes really big scared me to death. The end of this movie did not even remotely frighten the three year old I watched it with. She found it really funny. (Actually, that could be a good thing depending on your opinion.) Ok, now that I've complained about my main problems with it, I'll talk about the good points. Melody, Ariel's daughter, was the best part of the movie. She was a younger version of Ariel in the first movie. (I could write a ton of similarities between them) She was in many ways a typical 12 year old, which I found appealing. I also liked the scenes dealing with Melody's birthday party. They were cute and pretty entertaining. All in all, this movie isn't as awful as it could have been. It will most likely entertain kids under the age of 6, but older fans of the original shouldn't waste their time watching it.
59 Wonderful Music ! not as goood as the first ! wonderful Cast
This I think is a tad bit better than the first , here's why I think that . The Music is Just to die for ,songs like ,For a Moment , Tip and Dash adventuers slash explorers , Land and sea (Reprise) . For another thing the cast is so gooooooooood , Some Voice talents have returned from the oringal like Jodi Benson (Ariel) and Sameul E Wright as silly Crustainon Sebstian ! Melody has a gorgeous voice ! Yo don't you think this Movie dierves a decent 5 stars ! Great Job disney , Composers way to go , and casting diector you have good taste ! Over all this is on top of thel list for Greatest Movie of the year Thanks Disney !
60 Serious questions
This 2nd episode of the Little Mermaid raises serious questions that I feel deserve to be addressed.1. Compared to the palace in the Little Mermaid, there seems to have been a decline in the informality in dealing with the royal family. For instance, in the first Little Mermaid, the palace staff, servers, washerwomen etc, address Prince Eric as "Eric" and freely discuss the idea of introducing him to "nice girls" as if he were simply one of the family. In the Little Mermaid 2 Ariel is addressed as Your Majesty by all and sundry. This represents a worrying trend toward a less egalitarian monarchy.
2. Despite being married for around 13 years, Ariel and Eric have had only one child. Given the era I assume reliable contraception was not available. This raises the question of the difficulty that may be being experienced by the mermaid and human in conceiving a baby together. We may have to wait for later episodes to see if little Melody is capable of bearing children, or suffers the fate of other offspring of mixed breeds, eg mules and ligers etc. Given the breakdown in barriers between the Merfolk and humans, this is something King Triton will have to bear in mind before allowing anymore crossovers. It would make King Triton's angry words in the Little Mermaid "You're a mermaid, he's a human" scarily prescient. A second explanantion for the lack of children could simply be the lack of marital relations between Ariel and Eric. It is possible that out of fear of what may happen to further children at the hands of Morgana they have simply abstained. That might be why Eric walks around so stiffly. Certainly the smooching going on during the finale suggests a real tension release and that Eric might just be getting lucky that evening. If this is the case I'm sure we can look forward to more little swimmers frolicking merrily in the future.
61 Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Brother
DON'T Get this, this is a real stinker. I was a great fan of the little Mermaid. When I was young in fact I practically memorized it, now I'm older and don't like it quite so much, but I can still see that this movie, as a sequel stinks.First of all, I am really tired of these spirited spunky girls, who yell at their mothers, disobey their mothers, and then their mothers say sorry to them! Isn't something wrong here?
Second, correct me If I'm wrong but I beliave this Is the same thing that happened in the first Little Mermaid. Oh yes except that Melody wants to go back to the sea instead of out of the sea. Big diffrence.
Thirdly, It seems so silly that Ariel and Eric wouldn't just TELL her why she couldn't go to the sea, instead of just telling her she just can't.
Fourthly, I HATE most of the new lines, like 'Its too late Mommy!' Isn't that awful? Personally, If I was Ariel, Melody would get some good hard whacks, exactly what is coming to her.
There are many more and I could go on and on. But these are the basic reasons.
62 Disney Downhill
I use to be really big into Disney. I collect movies that please me, and often there sequels. Disney seems to be running out of ideas and hince forth they bring out sequals. I watched Little Mermaid 2 with my mom, and we both had to litterly glue our selves down because we were so boarded. About the only person that enjoy the movie was a little girl about 2 years old, and even then she was hardly sitting still. I remember when a movie wasn't a musical. Now a days there is a song every 5 seconds. About the only good point to this movie is if you have the first one and you are a collector of this series then buy it. I'd suggest watching it one, on mute with sub titles. Unless of corse you are a big muscial person. The plot is an every day plot, not to mention a reversal plot to the first one.
63 Ewww.
Adults are antagonizingly bored, and even children don't like it. The songs are ill-written, the plotline sent from the doldrums, and the voices of characters who are not from the original film are stilted. The songs are overabundant and drawn out to painful lengths. To quote my three year old niece when we were watching the opening of the film: "When are they gonna stop singing? I don't like this movie." From the mouth of babes, eh?
64 Washed out.
The story and music were moderately ok for my young ones. What amazed me was the washed out coloring and art work on my 46" digital TV. Especially compared to other cartoon movies that I have on DVD. Story and music get 3 stars, art gets 1 star for an average of 2. Someone needs to start doing movies for kids besides Disney. Maybe they'll try harder.
65 The sadest thing to ever happen to the little mermaid!!
I really liked the origional but This movie made me so upset when I saw it. I am glad I rented it instead of buying it. Disney obvioulsy didnt put much effort into making this movie and it shows. The animation looks really crappy and the songs suck really bad. I hated melody, I just felt something weird about her. She acts really fake and sounds really babyish. My best advice is that you should rent it before you buy it because this is a movie that only some people would enjoy.
66 Another great Disney flim!
The Little Mermaid II on DVD is a great animated movie. I enjoyed all the characters and songs. I'm glad Jodi Benson came back to do Ariel's voice (I don't think anyone can do it, but her). Yes the movie is like the first Little Mermaid movie which is still good, but perhaps too much like it. It felt like the writers couldn't think of any story for the movie so they went and basically rewrote the first Little Mermaid movie to fit the sequel, but don't let that discourage you from buying this awesome movie! I love "Down To The Sea" and "For A Moment"!! Melody's voice is SO perfect!! The extras are nice also. Even though the story lacked somewhat, the music, voices, and rememberance of the first movie is enough for this flim. I give it 5 stars all the way!!
67 sorry but i wish this video hadnt become part of my world
im very sorry to do this but this video sucked! all the characters were different and ariel looked horrible, she didnt have the same face or anything i know shes meant to look older but come on! eric wasnt as cute and he was ugly which was weid coz when i was little i really fancied him.lol.the songs wernt as good i think that the moment song was ok but nothing can beat under the sea, kiss the girl and part of your world!!!! any way i think that disney ruin the first film by making a second (except toy story 2) like alladin return of jafar and lady and the tramp 2 this is mean!!! coz i really love little mermaid and still do but when i watch the orignal all i think of is the boring second one! anyway if you agree with me feel free to send me and e-mail CHARLIE@honey63.fsnet.co.uk and i can tell you a few mistakes i found in the movie and give you some cool pictures of disney films
68 2 year olds MIGHT like it
I LOVED the first movie, but this one is just YUCK! Flounder sounds .... like hes about to have a heart attack! theres a wall and some stupid walrus and penguin who try to be heros. scuttle doesnt do much. Walt must be turning in his grave
69 Could have been better could have been worse.
I enjoyed the Movie but I would have a hard time saying that I truly loved it. The story seemed to be enough different to keep me interested. The animation was Disney superb quality. The new songs are catchy for the audience to get to start humming and singing them once you have seen them once.A good movie to watch with your smaller kids and those who are still kids at heart.
70 Good movie in general, but a BAD sequel.
Ok, First of all I have alot of things to say about this sequel. I'll admit that I liked it at first, but then it got bad, because the plot kinda picks up a little too fast, and I noticed that some of the characters said the exact same phrases as they did in the first one, like for example, Morgana said something about "..Triton's undoing" and Ursula said the exact same thing. Another thing was all of the oringinal characters' features. If you look closely, the characters like Flounder, don't look the same as they did in the first movie. In the first movie, Flounder's eyes were bigger. In the sequel, his eyes are small. The movie lacked the beautiful, flawless colors and wonder of the characters compared to the first movie. I also noticed there was only one song or two in this movie and they were short and fast paced. Even though Jodi Benson voiced the same character (Ariel), she didn't sound as enthusiastic with the songs as she did in the first one. Also, it had a BAD ending. When Melody met the cute guy, he didn't even say what his name was and we don't know if she falls in love with him eventually or not. Also, I was puzzled by the fact that she remained human. I was thinking more like she could still visit Atlanta during the day as a mermaid and by night be human. How is she supposed to visit Atlanta and see her underwater friends and her Grandfather if she remains human? I think that whoever made this sequel shouldn't have made it at all or should have put alot more effort into it before producing it. In my opinion, the movie is ok, but an AWFUL sequel for "The Little Mermaid" because it kinda tarnishes the first movie.
71 what do you expect from sequels?
the total success for the first little mermaid equals the failur of this sequel..it's as if they made it only for the sake of making a sequel not considering a good plot, i mean..the idea of the story isn't bad,but the way they let the story flow was terrable..and the animation,for disney,was disappointing..that's the problem with disney,they make a smashing film like the little mermaid and alladin then they go and make a rediculous sequel.
72 Ariel lives on in this good (not great)sequel!
If you are a fan of the little mermaid you will have to watch this! I got really excited when I first got it, I put it in the machine. The animation was good but the colouring was sooo bad. no shading or anything! Anyway as for the story I thought it was excellent! Many people who have reviewed the film say its the same as the 1St, but its not! The story is completly different! All my favouraite characters where in there, Ariel,Scuttle sebastian, a grown up flounder, chef louie and Carlotta! Melody was an excellent new character who really has her mothers spirit inside her! Morgana is brilliant as Ursula's sister. She is slightly jelous of her sister though and she wants to please her mom! "Why can't you be more like Ursula!" Undertow a shark tip and dash are also fun!
I loved this movie but there was one thing missing GOOD SONGS There aren't any apart from the first one. I was glad they put part of your world on at the end!
Compared to the 1'st little mermaid this is only half as good but buy it ne way
73 Zero Stars is more like it!
First of all I loved the original because it's a love story and follows the fairy tale tradition. This however is an insult to my taste and love for disney films! I'd rate Disney tied in creativity to Anime! I despise disney sequels;with one exception "Toy Story 2"! Steer clear of this sham film! Sequel S stands for Sham, E stands for effortless ,Q stands for quick fix ,U stand for un-original ,E stands for economic hoax ,L stands for Lifeless! Conclusion avoid other titles "Lady and the Tramp 2" "Lion King II Simba's Pride" and "Return of Jafar"!
74 Heather's Favorite Movie!
This is a guest review from my five-year-old daughter, Heather, who just loves this movie!"I like when Ariel's daughter Melanie gets turned to a mermaid. I like the music and the songs, too. It's a funny movie. And you should see it."
How can you beat a testimonial like that? Enjoy!
75 Fun but not great
A perfectly pleasant story, but lacking the catchy tunes (Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl) of the original.
76 not as good as the first one...
I saw The Little Mermaid in the theaters when I was two and it's been a part of me ever since. I love to sing the songs, watch the movie, play with the dolls, ect. And I'm thirteen now-imagine how obsessed I was when I was younger. So, needless to say, I was anxious to see the sequel, especially since Ariel's daughter's name is Melody, very close to my own name, Melanie. But, though I'll admit I had very high expectations to begin with, I was very sadly disappointed. The voices were great, as always they were in the first one, but the story lacked the life that the original had. The story was almost exactly like the first one (only reversed, of course), but not quite as good. I did like Melody's character a lot, as she was a lot brighter than Ariel was ("sure, Miss Scary-Looking-Octopus-Lady-I-Don't-Know, I'll give you my voice and leave my family and friends to go with some guy whom I've never really met and doesn't even know I exist and hope this guy kisses me, or else I'm done for"), even though I guess Melody probably could have done better than to trust that Morgana character (who buy the way, was way too much like Ursula, even if they were sisters). But at least she didn't do it for a guy. Also, the songs were kinda stinky. I don't know, a lot of people seem to love them, but really, can any of them compare to "Part of Your World"? ah...no. But then again, how can you compete with Alan Menken and Tim Rice, the Disney Duo, combined with the haunting voice of Jodi Benson (who, thankfully, returns in the sequel)? You can't. End of story.
77 Good, but not great
I think that my title just about sums up my feelings on this movie. Like the majority of movie sequels that are not planned on when the first movie is realised, it does not have the calibre of the original. The story-line was pretty much a rehash of its predessor, which made it very predictable. The songs, though, are nice, but they don't stick in your head the way the old ones used to. The animation is in most parts good, but at times gets a little sloppy - kind of like a cut and paste rendition. Still, Melody is very likeable and Sebastion is the same as ever. But, as the editor's review says, this movie lacks heart. It also lacks that little spark that gave THE LITTLE MERMAID its life.
78 Good Addition to anyone's Disney Collection
I myself dislike the idea of the straight to video movies that Disney put's out. But because I have 2 young girl's in the house this was a no brainer, and we loved the movie ! Mariah age 4 says the singing is the best part, it is a very cute movie with a few lessons for the little ones to learn.
79 Jodi Benson's Slide Down Under (the sea, that is...)
I am a product of the generation raised on the Little Mermaid. I loved it more than my own sister. I used to pretend I was a mermaid, and even tried to mold my legs into fins one day in the bathtub. Although this did not work, I still listen to the soundtrack twice daily. It goes on in the car, on my way to work....EVERYWHERE! Needless to say, this movie fell VASTLY short of my high expectations. Ariel and Eric turned into clueless parents that think secrecy is a valuable parenting tool-and then they are surprised when Melody runs away.Ya think?? These songs were so unoriginal they made me cry when I heard them, and now I have to listen to the original soundtrack at full volume just to recover. The animation was sloppy, Ariel's head almost popped off in one spot--and given that I think she may be my real mother, this was obviously quite disturbing. This movie should be recalled IMMEDIATELY to avoid further damage to those out there like me, the hidden merpeople who are forced to live on the shore every day (as opposed to under the sea). Then again, the seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake....But back to my main point, this movie damaged my psyche and is an unbelievably terrible evil loosed into our society. Please take this off the marklet immediately-help save the lives (and legs) of so many young girls out there. Sincerely, Ariel (I legally changed my name)
80 It's not as good as the orginal but still pretty neat
Brushing aside the comparatively lax animation standards and the overpredictable plot (with some very obvious important and interesting reversals) this was a very enjoyable movie. Finally, we get to see what happens at different stages of a Disney character's life---lo and behold, Ariel has become as headstrong and overprotective as her father was of her. Eric (who oddly remains a Prince while Ariel becomes a Queen) is good for window dressing, but does not appear to have any real function or talent beyond looking good and being nice.
In addition to the return of Flounder and Scuttle, we meet new friends who guide Melody on her quest of self discovery and dream fufilment. Although her mother tries to protect her from the sea, the same thing that once guided Ariel to the land tells Melody she has a special destinty all her own.
Sure, the other land kids in the film laugh at her, but she is ultimately whole when she discovers the real truth between the weird dreams that she had been having all of those years.
THe only real disappointment is Morgana. Instead of the sensual and psychotic Ursula, this sea witch looks like she is long overdue for some serious psychotherapy of any kind. Even though it might be scary for today's young kids, this "monster" will no be frightening at all to people like myself who remember seeing the original movie.
81 Mediocre
Cotrary to what a previous reviewer thought, I do not recommend the lion king 2 as a good sequel, but neither is the little mermaid 2. Apart from the sloppy animation (eg king Triton's head growing peaked when he lifts it up, Ariel's elongation of the neck and apparent jaw deformity towards the end of the duet with her daughter, the oversizedness of her head in many frames), the songs seem very spiritless, especially in comparison with the stellar repertoire of the original. One thing which might prove slightly annoying to the viewer was the cliched political correctness of the ending song.
There seemed to be a few shallow attempts at addressing 'issues', such as family values, sibling rivalry, etc, but these were lost in the disappointing script. Morgana fell sadly short of the expectations set up by Ursula, and came off looking more like a crazed old hag. As King Triton himself mentioned in the show, a 'madwoman'. What a force to be reckoned with.
82 Kids will love it, but the original was FAR better
Even though this sequel to the 1989 Disney classic "The Little Mermaid" has many of the same voices as the original (such as Jodi Benson as Ariel and Samuel Wright as Sebastian), it's missing a little something.Namely, it's missing great animation, a plot that makes sense to adults, and, of course, the classic Menken/Ashman score and songs that made the original such a smash.
The biggest weakness, frankly, is the songs, which display all the creativity and spirit as your average Barbie commercial; come to think of it, maybe that was the goal. The animation also lacks spirit and could easily be from any Saturday morning cartoon; sorry, Disney, that's not why we pay good money to see your product.
It's kind of unfortunate that Disney insists on cheapening its brilliant animated originals (especially this one and "Beauty and the Beast") with lame straight-to-video sequels.
I'm sure the economics of a straight-to-video sequel are compelling, but take the case of the only sequel they didn't handle this way - "Toy Story 2."
Originally, the sequel to "Toy Story" was to be a straight-to-video job as well, but it was decided that it should be produced for theatrical release instead. The result? The film was a massive commercial and critical success, and was better than the original (no small compliment) in many ways.
Maybe the "Toy Story 2" experience will convince Disney to stop the straight-to-video dreck specials like "Little Mermaid 2," but I doubt it.
I guess the good news is that this film is harmless fluff for the kiddies to watch, but I found it telling that after she watched this film, my four-year-old daughter said the original "Mermaid" was far better.
Well said.
83 The legend lives on!
The story of THE LITTLE MERMAID continues with this great sequel!Ariel (Jodi Benson) and Eric have been blessed with a little girl called Melody, and they cannot wait to show her to her Grandfather, Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle and all of the mer-folk.
But, during the visit, the sister of the dead Ursula (Pat Carroll) arrives, intent on avenging her sister's death at the hands of Ariel and Eric. She is called Morgana (and is ALSO voiced by Pat Carroll!)
Ariel and Eric realise that Melody will not be safe if they disclose the fact that her heritage is that of both a human and a mermaid, so they decide to keep it a secret.
Ten years later, Melody is a young girl, who is drawn to the sea.
Her parents realise that the sea is a part of her, and reluctantly decide to reveal all, but it is too late, as Morgana has found the girl, and makes her into a pawn in her plan to rule the Seven Seas.
A great sequel, and, for someone who has grown up with the original film, it was like being reunited with old friends (and a few new ones, too!).
84 The Power of Music and Scripting
"The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" met my expectations for a direct-to-video film. It did not exceed them nor did they fall short. The 1989 original "The Little Mermaid" is a very formidable film, making the artistic success for a sequel a great challenge. To its credit "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" did unfold in a different direction than I had anticipated. The story was not innovative but some of the particular plot situations were well thought out. In any story you have conflict and resolution and those are the aspects that I liked about this film. Some of the dramatics did rely on prior events, which took place in the original. That was thematically important to the overall story. One weakness of this film was the lack of character development. Character development was one of the strong points of "The Little Mermaid." I watched "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" twice trying to determine if the film digressed in such a way to bolster my contention of this. What did the "The Little Mermaid" achieve in roughly the same amount of time that this film didn't? And then it struck me that it was the music or more specifically the songs in the original that advanced the story line and defined the characters. That was the brilliance of lyricist Howard Ashman. He and composer Alan Menken developed songs in the original that in several minutes clearly defined Ariel's reckless but innocent curiosity about the humans above and her yearning to discover that world. Every song in the original bolstered the characters, advanced the plot or enhanced the significance of a scene in addition to being very melodic and well written. So in the "The Little Mermaid" we were given a substantial amount of information and entertainment in a minimum amount of time. There is not a single frame of wasted footage in that film. "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" does not have the advantage of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman compositions. The instrumental score is very good but the new songs feel superficial. The animation especially during the underwater scenes is good. Morgana is not as menacing as her sister Ursula was in the original. Other than Ursula I believe all the main characters are back. Melody, Ariel's daughter gets to mingle with the old characters as well as meet new ones. I thought that was significant seeing that the scriptwriters were determined not to have Melody just copy what Ariel did in the original. It would have been a very good sequel for theatrical release. If that was done, there would have been a bigger budget and the various shortcomings could have been corrected. I liked "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" but I did not feel it was as good as Disney's other direct-to-video, "Pocahontas II." However, I believe that "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" will have a definite audience with younger family members and there are actually some nostalgic moments that will no doubt attract teens and up who loved the original. I highly recommend this movie.
85 The Power of Music and Scripting
"The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" met my expectations for a direct-to-video film. It did not exceed them nor did they fall short. The 1989 original "The Little Mermaid" is a very formidable film, making the artistic success for a sequel a great challenge. To its credit "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" did unfold in a different direction than I had anticipated. The story was not innovative but some of the particular plot situations were well thought out. In any story you have conflict and resolution and those are the aspects that I liked about this film. Some of the dramatics did rely on prior events, which took place in the original. That was thematically important to the overall story. One weakness of this film was the lack of character development. Character development was one of the strong points of "The Little Mermaid." I watched "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" twice trying to determine if the film digressed in such a way to bolster my contention of this. What did the "The Little Mermaid" achieve in roughly the same amount of time that this film didn't? And then it struck me that it was the music or more specifically the songs in the original that advanced the story line and defined the characters. That was the brilliance of lyricist Howard Ashman. He and composer Alan Menken developed songs in the original that in several minutes clearly defined Ariel's reckless but innocent curiosity about the humans above and her yearning to discover that world. Every song in the original bolstered the characters, advanced the plot or enhanced the significance of a scene in addition to being very melodic and well written. So in the "The Little Mermaid" we were given a substantial amount of information and entertainment in a minimum amount of time. There is not a single frame of wasted footage in that film. "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" does not have the advantage of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman compositions. The instrumental score is very good but the new songs feel superficial. The animation especially during the underwater scenes is good. Morgana is not as menacing as her sister Ursula was in the original. Other than Ursula I believe all the main characters are back. Melody, Ariel's daughter gets to mingle with the old characters as well as meet new ones. I thought that was significant seeing that the scriptwriters were determined not to have Melody just copy what Ariel did in the original. It would have been a very good sequel for theatrical release. If that was done, there would have been a bigger budget and the various shortcomings could have been corrected. I liked "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" but I did not feel it was as good as Disney's other direct-to-video, "Pocahontas II." However, I believe that "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" will have a definite audience with younger family members and there are actually some nostalgic moments that will no doubt attract teens and up who loved the original. I highly recommend this movie.
86 The Power of Music and Scripting
"The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" met my expectations for a direct-to-video film. It did not exceed them nor did they fall short. The 1989 original "The Little Mermaid" is a very formidable film, making the artistic success for a sequel a great challenge. To its credit "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" did unfold in a different direction than I had anticipated. The story was not innovative but some of the particular plot situations were well thought out. In any story you have conflict and resolution and those are the aspects that I liked about this film. Some of the dramatics did rely on prior events, which took place in the original. That was thematically important to the overall story. One weakness of this film was the lack of character development. Character development was one of the strong points of "The Little Mermaid." I watched "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" twice trying to determine if the film digressed in such a way to bolster my contention of this. What did the "The Little Mermaid" achieve in roughly the same amount of time that this film didn't? And then it struck me that it was the music or more specifically the songs in the original that advanced the story line and defined the characters. That was the brilliance of lyricist Howard Ashman. He and composer Alan Menken developed songs in the original that in several minutes clearly defined Ariel's reckless but innocent curiosity about the humans above and her yearning to discover that world. Every song in the original bolstered the characters, advanced the plot or enhanced the significance of a scene in addition to being very melodic and well written. So in the "The Little Mermaid" we were given a substantial amount of information and entertainment in a minimum amount of time. There is not a single frame of wasted footage in that film. "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" does not have the advantage of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman compositions. The instrumental score is very good but the new songs feel superficial. The animation especially during the underwater scenes is good. Morgana is not as menacing as her sister Ursula was in the original. Other than Ursula I believe all the main characters are back. Melody, Ariel's daughter gets to mingle with the old characters as well as meet new ones. I thought that was significant seeing that the scriptwriters were determined not to have Melody just copy what Ariel did in the original. It would have been a very good sequel for theatrical release. If that was done, there would have been a bigger budget and the various shortcomings could have been corrected. I liked "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" but I did not feel it was as good as Disney's other direct-to-video, "Pocahontas II." However, I believe that "The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea" will have a definite audience with younger family members and there are actually some nostalgic moments that will no doubt attract teens and up who loved the original. I highly recommend this movie.
87 Not as good
Sure, I loved the Little Mermaid 2: Return to the sea, but I found that the story seemed far shorter, less interesting and the animation in places was odd. Much Better then most sequels do but not that great. Still love to watch it though, the songs are catchy. ^_~
88 Quickie Disney Film
If you're curious about this second part, it's worth renting, but not buying. Disney seems to be throwing stuff out there to make another buck. One more business gone commerical. The animation and singing is like the animation series of the "Little Mermaid". When they start to sing I want to roll over and cry. It might entertain your children, but why expose them to such bad quality work when we have seen what Disney is really capable of.
89 What Was Disney Thinking?
After the 'Aladdin' sequel, 'Return of Jafar,' Disney has been popping out sequel after sequel. Now 'The Little Mermaid' gets it's turn, 'The Little Mermaid 2 : Return to the Sea' is, as most put it, a total disgrace to the original Disney mastrepiece. The second focuses on Ariel's daughter, Melody. Melody has a strange longing for the sea, but because of her mother she is forbidden to step out of a great wall surronding her palace home. This rule was enforced for Melody's safety, when during the celebration of her birth, Ursula's looney sister Morgana, tries to murder the child in order to take revenge of her sister's death.
The rest of the story is a reincarnation of the original, being Morgana using Melody's wish to become a mermaid to her advantage & plan to steal the triton. While most of the original characters return, there is two new amimated sidekicks, Tip & Dash, a pensive penguin & his blubery walrus friend. The songs are pretty pathetic considering The Little Mermaid's award winning music, & most of the characters you came to love come to have miner, unimportant roles, such as Ariel, Flounder, & Scuttle. While the main characters such as the annoyingly gullible Melody, & the stupid Timon & Pumbaa remakes, Tip & Dash are ones your children won't even like.
Besides the wickidly funny Sebastion & the gorgeous animation, this film goes right down the drain.
90 Okay...but not that good
After seeing Little Mermaid 2, I think that the first one was a lot better. Here's why...1)better music--The soundtrack to the first Little Mermaid was very distinctive (my favorites are "Under the Sea," and "Part of Your World") Return to the Sea's soundtrack was okay, but the songs just weren't an instant hit. 2)better story--maybe it's because Little Mermaid came first, but Return to the Sea's plot wasn't really that interesting: Melody (Ariel's daughter) is prevented from going in the sea because of Ursula's evil sister, but she disobeys, and jeopardizes King Tritans' kingdom as a result) To me, it seemed like the plot just wasn't as captivating as the first one. It also displayed disobedience and disrespectfulness. In conclusion, it's an okay movie to watch, but I just wouldn't rate it top-notch.
91 Come On Disney!
Actually 2 1/2 stars. Please, unless you have a daughter around the age of 1-6 don't even think about buying. The movie is so predictable & most of the characters you loved in the original become your least favorite. The story is completely like the first, Ursula's sister, Morgana wants the king's triton & uses Melody's longing to be a mermaid as her advantage. None of the songs are at all good, the character Melody is too gullible & unlikable, characters like Flounder, Ariel, & Scuttle become the stupidest of the whole movie making Melody look good, & the villian Morgana is too looney & not at all evil in my eyes. The only good aspects of the movie is the stunning animation & the very funny Sebastion.
92 Nothing Original
Everything in this movie is an annoying cliche. The villan is a cross between the Witch in "Wizard of Oz" and Philys Diller! You can easilly guess the rhyme scheme of the forgettible new songs before the line is even finnished. Observing a five year old watching this film is more interesting than the film itself. You can expect "Little Mermaid 3" since the villan is not killed-she ends up frozen in a block of ice. (Isn't that an ironic ending for a DISNEY film?)
93 Typical sequel letdown
I was very disappointed in this sequel. Not nearly as captivating or original as the "The Little Mermaid," nor was the storyline, animation, or soundtrack noteworthy. My 3 year old daughter likes it, but then again, she likes ANYTHING to do with Ariel. Too bad Hans Christian Anderson didn't write his own sequel. It would have been as good as his original story.
94 Rent before you buy.
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.
95 An enjoyable sequel. Great for kids.
Movie sequels have one thing against them... It is nearly impossible to make one that is on par with the original. Little Mermaid II is no exception.The magic and wonder of the first film is missing here, in the story of Ariel's daughter Melody. Melody has an obsession with the sea, and, because of events that happen early on, is forbidden from ever seeing it. A clever idea, but one which could have been executed.
Ursula's revengeful sister Morgana is a weaker character than the original villian, and the addition of two new sidekicks didn't accomplish much more than to make sure that the classic characters didn't get to really participate in the story.
The songs are second tier, but, especially to younger children, hummable.
This film doesn't contain any real objectionable material, and is a fun distraction for fans of the original and those with younger viewers. Please, don't watch this if you want to recapture the fun of the first film. Buy the original instead! If you're looking for a good Disney Direct-to-Video sequel, I recommend Lion King II.
