NEW YORK. The idea of updating a classic film is always a dangerous one. But, provided there’s a better motive at work than mere hubris, it can work.
Such, emphatically, is the case with “The Little Mermaid” (PG, Disney), director Rob Marshall’s live-action remake of the beloved 1989 animated musical derived from Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale. Using technology not available in the waning days of the Cold War, Marshall and his team serve up a charming fresh take on the timeless story.