Taking some notes from Disney productions past, present and likely future,
Barbie in a Mermaid Tale tells a somewhat familiar story that includes both a
suitable villain and a cutesy wildlife companion. There's nothing that new here
plot-wise, but that's not always a bad thing, especially with the lack of
quality animated releases that seem to be available on the direct-to-DVD market
these days. There's less of a feeling of pure marketing here and more of a sense
that the producers have genuinely set out to make something that will entertain
younger viewers. While not for everyone, and certainly a bit cloying at times
for adult viewers, Barbie in a Mermaid Tale is good clean fun that offers some
decent life lessons.
Canadian voice actor Kelly Sheridan has not only voiced dozens of anime and
video game characters, but she's also hitched her wagon to the Barbie star,
providing the character's perky and engaging voice since Barbie in the
Nutcracker. Sheridan is the perfect blend of youth and fun without crossing the
line into cheesiness, providing a solid core to the feature's talented voice
cast. From the above-average voice acting to the soothing score and atmospheric
effects of bubbles, waves and surf, Barbie in a Mermaid Tale is a well-balanced
audio treat. It seems that with each new film, the production team behind the
Barbie films gets better and better at their craft, improving the CG
presentation and making it just a bit better. This release is razor sharp and
crystal clear, displaying vivid detail and contrast, alongside some of the most
beautiful colors the CG palette has to offer. It's also worth noting that this
isn't hyper-real, creepy CG, but a pleasing take on character design that is
somewhat reminiscent of the PC game The Sims.
Maybe due to the target audience of younger children for this release, the
assortment of extra features is relatively thin. A handful of contrived
"Bloopers" are included, but maybe someone should have mentioned to Universal
that Pixar not only did this first, they also did it better on their releases.
Aside from that, do children even get the concept of bloopers in the first
place? Next up is the music video for the catchy, pseudo Go-Gos tune "Queen of
the Waves" and the short featurette "I Can Be…A Surfer" delivers the scoop on
surfing from Australian professional surfer Stephanie Gilmore.
For fans of all things Barbie, Barbie in a Mermaid Tale will definitely meet or
exceed their expectations. For parents who fear being trapped on the couch for
over an hour, this release will likely entertain you as well. Given the quality
of the production and the reasonable purchase prices you're likely to find
through online or big box retailers, it's easy to recommend adding this to your
child's viewing library.
