The Little Mermaid (1989 film) film, it would be difficult for children to identify with Ariel and that the characters seemed bland. Hinson concluded his review saying that the film is "accomplished but uninspiring, "The Little Mermaid" has enough to please any kid. All that's missing is the magic." "Empire" gave a positive review of the film, stating that "["The Little Mermaid" is] a charmer of a movie, boasting all the ingredients that make a Disney experience something to treasure yet free of all the politically correct, formulaic elements that have bogged down the more recent productions." In April 2008 – almost 20 years after
The Little Mermaid (1989 film) final performance also featured special appearances by Brad Kane (the singing voice of the title character of "Aladdin") and Susan Egan (who played Belle in the stage adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast"), who sang songs from their respective films, and a duet of "A Whole New World". On May 16, 2017, ABC announced that it planned to air a special broadcast of the film, "The Wonderful World of Disney: The Little Mermaid Live", on October 3, 2017. The special was to feature a presentation of the film intertwined with live performances of its songs by guest musicians, in a