Aquamarine
Rated PG-13 for violence, intense sequences of action, and some strong language.
reviewed by Steven Harrell
Is “Aquamarine” worth the price of admission? If you think the idea of going shopping with a mermaid you found in your pool sounds like fun, odds are good that you’ll really enjoy this film. If, on the other hand, you couldn’t name any song in the Radio Disney top 10, you might want to check out something else.
The Story
Claire (Emma Roberts) and Haley (JoJo) are middle school age best friends, blissfully living out their summer on the Florida coast dreaming of boys, reading magazines, and giggling. Unfortunately, Haley’s mom just received a grant to do marine biology work in Australia, and the whole family will be moving in a few short days. The girls are crushed. During a storm one night they wish for something to happen that will cause Haley not to have to move away.
The next morning, the girls discover a mermaid named Aquamarine (Sara Paxton) swimming in the pool of the resort run by Claire’s grandparents. The merteen has run away from the ocean because she doesn’t want to marry the merman her father has chosen for her. She wants to discover “love,” something apparently lacking under the sea.
Aquamarine says that if you help a mermaid you get a wish. The girls decide to help her find love in hopes of making their wish for Haley not to move away come true. Armed with all the boy advice two seventh grade girls can muster, Aquamarine begins her pursuit of the cutest lifeguard on the beach.
The Verdict
(What we thought of the movie on its own)If ever a movie were made for tween girls, this is it. “Aquamarine” does not go more than a minute without someone giggling, a pop culture reference, or frantic squealing. On one level, it’s hard to fault the film. It delivers exactly what it promises: a ditzy, girly summer adventure movie. I really cannot think of another film that is so razor-sharp in targeting exactly its intended audience. On the other hand, a movie that includes talking earrings and serious use of the term “BFF” (Best Friends Forever) is likely to come off as shallow and annoying to much of the rest of the population.
Emma Roberts (Julia Roberts’ niece) and JoJo (a pop singer) both give decent performances. JoJo seems especially at ease in front of the camera. They are cute in their awkwardness, believably shy around boys, intimidated by older girls, and deathly afraid of being without one another. In short, they’re convincing, if not remarkable, as young teen girls. Sarah Paxton as Aquamarine also delivers a fine performance as the bubbly, cheerful, sunshine blonde half-fish/half-human.
The poor script, however, wades through too many subplots (involving Aquamarine’s father, a group of popular girls, and a mysterious resort employee). Also, I really disliked all the mysticism surrounding Aquamarine’s appearance and origins. Prayers to the god of the sea (complete with an “amen-eth”), answered by black clouds and a mermaid, felt more spiritually uncomfortable to me than similar fantasy elements in Harry Potter and Star Wars (both of which I like).
The PG rating stems from some mild language and shots of teens kissing and flirting in a beach setting.
Worldview
(How the film’s take on life compares to a biblical perspective)The plot of “Aquamarine” is driven by a middle school notion that true love happens to you in a matter of three days and is based mostly on how cute a boy or girl looks. Hailey and Claire both long for this “love” as they gush over the cute lifeguard Ray. Aquamarine pursues this “love” with the same guy.
To the film’s credit, it does not end up suggesting the boy/girl relationship is the most important thing in life. Instead, that is portrayed as the love the three girls have for each other as friends. Still, the audience is left with the message that love is frivolous, just as easy to give as it is to take back. And it still has a lot to do with how a guy looks with his shirt off.
This definition of love implied in the pages of teen magazines is most definitely not how the Bible describes it. There, love is expressed as something humans give to each other as a reflection of God’s love for us. First Corinthians 13, the “love chapter,” defines the concept. Love is patient, kind, humble, hopeful, and persevering. Love never fails. It is based on understanding, loyalty, and honesty as opposed to looks or popularity.
In other words, real love is never something that happens to me or is beyond my control. It’s not something we fall into or out of. Real love is a choice to give selflessly to others -- even when they don’t give back -- just like God loves us. Enjoy “Aquamarine” if it’s your kind of film, but leave its phony, fluffy teen magazine definition of love at the theater.
Discussion Questions
• If you were being forced to move to another continent, what mythical creature would you prefer to appear in your backyard?
• How does this movie compare with others in the same genre like “Raise Your Voice,” “What a Girl Wants,” and “The Lizzie McGuire Movie”?
• Why do you think young girls are so enthralled with the idea of love?
• Do you remember the name of your first crush? Why did you have such a big crush on him/her? How do you feel about the person now?
• What’s the difference between real love and infatuation (or obsessive attraction)?
Let us know what you thought of this review!