Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Aquamarine Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 14, 2015

When praising a film like “Aquamarine,” it’s never about creative innovation or shocking turns of fate. Here’s a picture that’s clichéd up the wazoo, playing directly to a target demographic of young teen girls with its fantasy of mermaid contact and BFF separation. It’s not the details that make the movie an engaging sit, it’s the way director Elizabeth Allen manages to keep the endeavor spirited and kind, allowing “Aquamarine” to be an offering of wish-fulfillment with restraint, refusing to corrode the effort with unnecessary behavior. It’s warmly acted and brightly made, and while it doesn’t exactly providing a challenging sit, it comes together quite nicely, managing to tell a bubbly story in a clear way. For this level of PG-intense sleepover entertainment, to remain appealing is no small feat.

Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (JoJo Levesque) are best friends living on a beachside resort, spending their summer ogling handsome lifeguard, Raymond (Jake McDormand). However, all is not well with the pair, with Hailey about to move to Australia with her mother, threatening to separate the girls forever. After a major storm batters the community, Claire and Hailey discover a mermaid named Aquamarine (Sara Paxton) in a nearby pool. Trying to swim away from the demands of her father, Aquamarine wants to experience life as a human, hoping to find love so she’ll never have to return to the ocean. Setting her sights on Raymond, Aquamarine enlists Claire and Hailey’s help, getting used to feet, fashion, and the weirdness of dating, while local alpha teen Cecilia (Arielle Kebble) looks to sabotage the pairing, hoping to keep the lifeguard to herself.

“Aquamarine” is adapted from an Alice Hoffman novel, yet the movie never feels slavish to literary plotting. The dramatic throughline presented here is found with Claire and Hailey, two pals about to be separated, leaving them scrambling to find a way to fight the future. Both teens have suffered major family losses, leaving them vulnerable to extreme change, with Aquamarine offering a wish to the pair in return for their help. Beyond that, the film remains fairly low to the ground, observing the mermaid’s attempts to capture Raymond’s attention and Cecilia’s path of destruction, eventually discovering that the new girl in town isn’t even human.

These aren’t nail-biting situations of suspense, but Allen understands when to concentrate on scenes with emotional value and when to cut loose with montages that highlight the coloring of hair, the acquisition of new clothes, and the developing bond between the 8th graders and their mythological pal. Allen invites the viewer in on the fun, never making “Aquamarine” feel unwelcome or labored, even while it works through some predictable confrontations to help sweeten the finale. Details are also amusing to survey, including Aquamarine’s preference for gummy worms, her use of flattering starfish (who whisper compliments into her ear) as jewelry, and her shifting mood, which registers in morphing fingernail and toenail colors.

“Aquamarine” has small goals, but manages to accomplish most of them, including an understanding of what young female audiences want to see without slipping into overkill. Cecilia is the villain of the piece, but her scheming is kept to a dull roar, only utilized to motivate the leads into action. Raymond isn’t a jerk, but a friendly young man who isn’t out to mistreat Aquamarine, generating a minute amount of warmth between the characters. And moments of wish-fulfillment aren’t grotesque, sticking to a swim with dolphins, conversations about confidence and the management of grief, and shirtless young men. Sarcasm is kept to a minimum, while Hailey’s appreciation of her mother’s difficult choice to move far away is presented as character growth, offering a depiction of maturity instead of destructive behavior. Golden Australian beach locations don’t exactly damage the movie’s appeal either, helping with escapism requirements during troubling winter months.

Aquamarine Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation has the advantage of bright, oceanic locations, giving the viewing experience a pleasing lift of primaries, with bold hues on costuming and Aquamarine's fishy exterior adds some welcome pop. Skintones are pinkish and true. Evening encounters deliver some mild crush issues, but an adequate amount of delineation remains. Fine detail is preserved for textured close-ups and set dressing, while mermaid particulars are easily surveyed, isolating scaly nuance.

Aquamarine Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

While perfectly acceptable, showing no signs of distortion, the 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix remains more conservative than expected. Dealing with a few underwater environments and scenes of stormy weather, surrounds are pressurized in full, only feeling out a handful of atmospherics and soundtrack expanse, while group activity is given a slight circular push. Dialogue exchanges are secure and crisp, isolating emotional ranges and managing surges of excitement, while the teen interaction dynamic is never crowded, keeping performances clear. Scoring holds shape and support. Low-end isn't a priority here, but there's some fullness to songs and scenes of rushing water.

Aquamarine Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features director Elizabeth Allen and producer Susan Cartsonis.

• Commentary #2 (selected scenes) features actresses Emma Roberts, JoJo Levesque, and Sarah Paxton.

• Intro (:13, SD) is a short welcome from Allen.

• Deleted Scenes (4:44, SD) showcase a series of moments wisely excised from the film, including Aquamarine's first encounter with flatulence, her nasty attitude with Claire and Hailey when they can't immediately pull off the matchmaking plan, and Cecilia's comeuppance, where she falls into a pile of fish.

• "Awesome Auditions" (5:19, SD) highlight the casting process, where Allen and Cartsonis discuss how the young actors managed to impress them, with special attention paid to Paxton, who delivered star power in her first leading role.

• "Building the Capri Club" (3:33, SD) chats up production designer Nelson Coates, who tours the beachside sets and facades that were constructed in Australia, pointing out details the camera would never catch.

• "Mermaid Makeover" (3:20, SD) focuses on Paxton's daily routine of transformation, exploring the various make-up effects and hydraulics required to turn the actress into a mermaid.

• "It's All About Fashion" (4:03, SD) discusses costume choices with designer Sally Sharpe, who walk through her influences and challenges when it came time to decorate the actresses.

• "Aqua's Squeaks" (1:10, SD) is a brief montage of Paxton's chirps of excitement found throughout the film and during production.

• "Kickin' It On Set" (5:09, SD) is the feature's gag reel, highlighting flubbed lines and giggle fits from the cast.

• "Boys on the Brain" (1:54, SD) sends Levesque, Roberts, and Paxton into the city to interview Australian boys about their relationship preferences.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Aquamarine Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Aquamarine" isn't high art, but it moves along smoothly and features genuinely likeable, natural performances from Roberts and Levesque, who share infectious chemistry that gives Allen some needed steam when the film's energy begins to sputter. Also a joy is Paxton as Aquamarine, who's beaming presence and complete commitment to the role is unexpected, permitting the production at least one authentic surprise. Again, this is not a movie that's out to blow minds, but it achieves a likability in a genre that typically aims for venom and detachment as a way of pandering to impressionable audiences. The sincerity and brightly designed look of the picture is easy on the senses, allowing for some mild appreciation for the tension and comedy it offers.