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) 2013, due to the under-performances of other Disney 3D re-releases. The 3D version was released on Blu-ray instead, but it did play a limited engagement at the El Capitan Theatre from September to October 2013. On September 20, 2013, "The Little Mermaid" began playing in select theaters where audiences could bring iPads and use an app called Second Screen Live. The film was also screened out of competition at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival. In a then atypical and controversial move for a new Disney animated film, "The Little Mermaid" was released as part of the Walt Disney Classics line