← Back to explore

The Little Mermaid

1989 · Movie · G · 83 min · ★ 7.4 · 90% critics

AnimationFamilyFantasy

This colorful adventure follows a curious mermaid princess who dreams of life on land and falls for a human prince. When a powerful sea witch offers a chance to be near him, she risks everything—including her voice—for the chance at love.

Based on The Little Mermaid

Also known as Little Mermaid 1

Where to watch

Streaming on Disney+ — or rent from $3.99.

1 hour to watch.

Streaming availability and prices may be inaccurate or change — verify with the provider before subscribing.

unSUB's subscription recommendations are informational only, not financial advice.

More value for your money

Similar titles, ranked by watch-hours per subscription dollar.

Details
Years
1989
Release date
1989-11-17
Language
English
Rated
G
Runtime
83 min
Max quality
UHD
Critic score
90/100
TMDB rating
7.3/10 (8,407 votes)
Box office
$184,155,863
Budget
$40,000,000
About

You’ll likely enjoy this bright animated musical if you want fairy-tale romance and unforgettable songs; Not for you if you want deeper character development, or if “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast” felt more substantial to you.

Pros: dazzling underwater visuals; memorable musical numbers; entertaining villain | Cons: shallow character focus; thin romance; story can feel basic

Themes

  • witch
  • princess
  • sea
  • daughter
  • kingdom
  • fireworks
  • cartoon
  • mermaid
  • prince
  • villain
  • musical
  • coming of age
  • +13 more

Awards & recognition

  • Academy AwardBest Original Score · 1990
  • Academy AwardBest Original Song · 1990
  • Academy AwardBest Original Score · 1990 · nominated

Cast & crew