How would you rework TLM2?

[Zavi]

So the TLM sequels are a hot-button topic and everyone has their own ideas of what went wrong in production. So, here's your chance. Provided there are no budget constraints, how would you improve TLM2? Visual, musical or plot tweaks are a-go. Whatever you think could have made this movie better.

[Coral]

First off, an ORIGINAL plot. Not badly rehashing the first one. And better animators.

I'll have to give it some thought for specifics.

[fridamoonbeam]

I wish Morgana was never in it at all. Give me the big beautiful lady or give me nothing at all as far as octopus ladies go

She was like a dollar store version. She was not as competent, had a weak motive for attacking them for claiming to hate Ursula. I'd have way preferred Manta as a villain if not Ursula herself. At least SOMEONE who seemed like a real threat.

Before a baby I'd more like to see how Eric and Ariel were as a couple, and like an Aladdin and Jasmine kind of adventure above and below the ocean. That would be cool to see! And that way it could even give more credence to Eric and Ariel's relationship.

If they wanted to go for the protecting Melody thing then I would prefer an Aurora type of thing where she's hidden AWAY from the kingdom. How did no one figure Morgana couldn't disguise herself as a maid and steal her as a baby?

Oh and if they wanted to include Mel then they REALLY should have taken advantage of her being from both worlds. The first of her kind. Come on there has to be some cool magic from that or at least potential of it <3

[Coral]

Drat you, Jodi! Your last sentence makes me want to get out my fic about Ariel and Eric's oldest son. Who has the ability to control the weather. Because he's Triton's first grandson.

[Zavi]

While I understand where TLM2 was trying to go with the parallels to the first movie, Ariel basically became her father. And a huge component of the first movie was Ariel DEFYING her father and his beliefs. WTF? That alone makes the movie lose waaay too much believability. So I'd definitely trash that plot point. It's okay to nod to the source material like the Toy Story sequels did, but that also means listening to your source material as well.

It would be awesome if they followed the Pixar mantra and releasing sequels a) a long time after the source material's release and b) when a story needs to be told, not when money needs to be made.

I'd definitely bring back as many of the original animators as possible, but some of those folks in the Australia studio did a good job especially considering what they had to compete with. However, there were a lot of fails...

I think the TLM2 visuals were really killed by the color dept. or lack of good special effects. If you watch the original film it's full of complicated water and weather effects and rich, deep colors. Then look at TLM2 and you get a bland too-bright color scheme and a huuuge lack of effects. Visuals can tell a story just as much as character and dialogue!

[WickedElphie]

Well my answers would be different depending on how far back we could go. If the directive was just 'TLM Sequel' then I would definitely want something focused on Ariel and Eric, probably Eric journeying to Atlantica with Ariel, confronting anti-human prejudice and helping her save the day from an actually threatening villain.

If it was editing the story we already have then I'd definitely have Morgana be portrayed as much scarier than what we got, showcase Melody's relationship with her parents more, and have Ariel and Eric already decided Melody was old enough to know the truth but being interrupted every time they try and sit down to tell her. I'd also want Melody to be more skeptical of Morgana, her parents having told her a fairytale version of how they initially met.

[Aquisha]

First, I agree with everything that's been said so far! I think the storyline is just lazy writing (as I throw my cigarette butt at the writers a la The Fantastic Mr. Fox).

I would not give Ariel and Eric a child for the sequel. Why would I want to see characters loved for their youth and fun and irresponsible actions get saddled down with a kid, a whiny one at that? No, no; Ariel and Eric are free spirits so no parenthood for them in a movie, it fundamentally ruins them. That being said, I would want to see Ariel's adjustment to being human. It's not going to be all sunshine and flowers. Will she get homesick? Will other aristocrats be as welcoming and interested in her as Eric is? Is Eric prepared for the complications of having a wife/queen who knows nothing about his world let alone ruling his kingdom?

These are all questions that immediately pop into your head when you see the end of the movie; I don't know why we decided to forgo them all, but, what can you do? It's almost like what happens to Melody at her birthday dance could and should have just happened to Ariel. Like maybe Triton's trying too much to help/protect Ariel and she feels pulled in two directions making her feel guilty, and on top of all that crustaceans are ruining dinner parties and embarrassing her! I'd pay to see it!

I won't say that I don't want to see what Ariel and Eric's kid would look and be like, but 1) make her like 4 or 5 and therefore intrinsically cute, and 2) do it like BATB: Enchanted Xmas and use her curiosity as an excuse to tell this long flashback story and only have her in the very beginning and very end of the movie. Done.

That's what I would have wanted. Oh, and if you're make them parents, they're BOTH parents, not just Ariel, thank you.

[faya27]

Well Fridamoonbeam and Aquisha repeat my ideas of how I want the TLM 2 turned out to be. Yes, make Eric and Ariel BOTH parents, not just Ariel. What's Eric to Melody, then-chopped liver??

Yes, I'd go with a plot about Ariel adjusting to land and despite whatever problems she'd face, she'll NEVER EVER divorce Eric and he'll NEVER EVER ditch her for another woman, either.
Then, have Melody be born at the end, like Lady/Tramp's pups.

Or if Disney still hates Eric, they could just write a plot about how Eric was assasinated by some mysterious evil villian (maybe Ursula who magically ressurected herself from the dead due to some magical potions that still lingered in her cave). While this hurt the kingdom a lot it hurt Ariel and Melody a lot. Ariel-obviously she loves him. Melody-she always looked up to him and wants to be a sailor like him a la Kayley and her dad from Quest for Camelot. Then, Ursula kidnaps Ariel and Melody has to save her.

[Zavi]

I wouldn't mind having Mel make an appearance at the end a la Lady and the Tramp. Aside from the issue of Ariel basically becoming her father, we need to see the transition her character goes through to be ready for motherhood (or not if that's a conflict you want). The original gives us a sixteen-year-old, wild and adventurous Ariel who's reckless and sometimes makes poor decisions. Then TLM2 shoves a mommy into our faces. An overprotective mommy.

Well, what happened? There must've been some changes for Ariel to settle down. If you don't show believable transitions, then you have character derailment.

[Coral]

Exactly, Mare! Character derailment is the perfect term for what they did to her.

[Zavi]

I think Disney's getting a lot better with color symbolism and visual cues as each feature comes out. You can see it a lot in TLM but in Frog and Tangled there are really clear color themes that do a lot to enhance the story. Even if they did that on TLM's level TLM2 would have improved sooo much. Everything in TLM2 is an icky sort of pastel color or light blue which just doesn't mesh with the story they're trying to tell.

But in TLM you see very clear complements (or close to it) at the most intense moments--Ariel losing her voice, Kiss The Girl, and Vanessa hypnotizing Eric. The water is *RED* during parts of Under the Sea. The artists played with color and things still look realistic, but enhance the feel of the film.