Your kids might be asking if they can see this one. The star power is there! But can they? What is the true age rating of The Little Mermaid (2023)? Can your kids watch this one? We’re covering the 7 big things parents need to know about the age rating for The Little Mermaid in this parents guide.
Table of Contents
About The Little Mermaid (2023)
“The Little Mermaid” is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure.
The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric.
While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
Watch The Little Mermaid trailer.
Age Rating of The Little Mermaid (2023): Parents Guide (7 Big Things)
Can your kids watch this one? What is the age rating of The Little Mermaid (2023)?
This parent’s guide will help you decide if your family can handle the seven big issues with movies and shows: mature topics, gore, violence, language, sex, romance, and nudity. We’ll also give the age rating and age-appropriate recommendations.
Language
There’s really very little language in the movie to be concerned about.
No curse words or starts of curse words in this one!
Your kids will hear unkind things being said about other people/mermaids by way of name calling like:
- brat
- idiot
- stupid
- fool
Age Rating of The Little Mermaid (2023): Is It Safe For Teens When It Comes To Sex, Romance, and Nudity?
There is a romance in this story and if you are familiar with the original animated version, it’s very similar.
The biggest difference is that Ariel’s spell is cast a little differently and she doesn’t remember that she has to try to kiss the boy.
There are hugs, flirtings, and one chaste kiss between a man and a woman.
There is implied nudity as Ariel shows up on a fishing boat naked when she gets her legs, but no body parts are shown. She’s given a sack dress to wear to cover her nudity.
There’s nothing to be concerned about in this scene as it’s not sexualized at all.
Violence and Gore: Is The Little Mermaid (2023) Too Scary For Kids Under 8?
This is the biggest concern for parents trying to decide if they should take their kids to see The Little Mermaid.
While the same intense scenes are found in the animation version, it’s a little different seeing it in Live Action.
The shark that chases Flounder and Ariel may be too intense for some kids.
Ursula has some rather wicked and powerful moments that could also cause some children to want to avert their eyes or crawl in your lap. She’s a lot!
Her lair is also creepy and spooky and the eels provide a solid jump scare.
A character is electrocuted and presumed dead. Another one almost drowns.
The final battle scene is long and extreme.
Photosensitivity warning: there are scenes that could trigger some people with bright lights and flashes.
We suggest skipping 3D if your kids has any issues with loud noises, scary moments, or flashing lights.
Is The Little Mermaid (2023) Ok For Kids: Mature Topics
Families are complicated! And that’s certainly true in The Little Mermaid (2023).
Ursula and Triton take sibling rivalry to a new level and Triton and Ariel of course butt heads.
The conflict in the movie is simple: parents and kids don’t always see things the same way.
The generational fight between them causes some extreme choices to be made in The Little Mermaid.
There are also some bigger discussions and points made about intermixing the land and sea people.
Overall, we don’t think the message get too bogged down and should be simple enough for younger children to follow along without being too mature for an elementary school crowd.
One note: there are multiple mentions of a parent’s death, so while not a huge focus of the movie, it does play a part in the plot.
The Little Mermaid (2023)Age Rating: What Ages Can Really Watch This One?
The Little Mermaid (2023) is rated PG for action and scary images.
Parents Guide: Is The Little Mermaid (2023) Appropriate For Kids Under 8?
As always, you know your children best.
We think kids as young as 4 could probably enjoy this movie, as long as the above concerns about intensity/realism don’t apply to them.
If they don’t have a problem with the animated version, they are likely good to go here. Just be prepared that seeing live-action fights and shark chases may be a bit too much for your younger kids!
One note: this movie is much longer than the animated version clocking in at 2 hours and 15 minutes. This could affect your youngest children being able to sit through the whole thing.
Be sure to check out this post to know when you can pee during The Little Mermaid (2023).
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Patty Holliday is a parent movie reviewer, writer, and podcaster living in the Washington, DC area. Her goal is to bridge the gap between casual fandom and picky critic with parent movie and television reviews. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.