The Little Mermaid (1989 film) ""The Little Mermaid" is a jolly and inventive animated fantasy—a movie that's so creative and so much fun it deserves comparison with the best Disney work of the past." Ebert also commented positively on the character of Ariel, stating, "... Ariel is a fully realized female character who thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously, instead of hanging around passively while the fates decide her destiny." The staff of "TV Guide" wrote a positive review, praising the film's return to the traditional Disney musical as well as the film's animation. Yet they also wrote that the film is detracted from by
The Little Mermaid (1989 film) in box office earnings outside the United States and Canada between both releases, resulting in a total international box office figure of $211 million. "The Little Mermaid" received largely positive reviews from critics. Review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes reported that the film has a 92% "Certified Fresh" score based on 65 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The site's consensus reads ""The Little Mermaid" ushered in a new golden era for Disney animation with warm and charming hand-drawn characters and catchy musical sequences". Roger Ebert, film critic for the "Chicago Sun-Times", was enthusiastic about the film and wrote that,