My wife recently watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. While I didn't see the entire film, what I did see was notably humorless. I said, "That movie was way too serious -- especially for something about teenaged girls." My wife replied, "All chick lit is too serious." I'm sure that her statement is too broad and there are clearly exceptions to every rule. Take Aquamarine for example. This film is based on a novel and is aimed at a younger female audience. And while the movie tackles issues which are very important to that demographic, it does so with a nice sense of whimsy.

Summer is coming to a close for best friends Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (JoJo) as Aquamarine opens. They have been friends for years, but Hailey will be moving half-way around the world in a few weeks (as her mother has gotten a new job). The girls spend most of their time at the beach club which Claire's grandparents operate, and much of that time is taken up by ogling lifeguard, Raymond (Jake McDorman) and avoiding local snob, Cecilia (Arielle Kebbel). One night, a terrible storm hits the beach club. The next morning, Claire and Hailey find that a mermaid named Aquamarine (Sara Paxton) has washed into the pool. Much to their surprise, Aquamarine can speak English and she acts like a teenaged girl...save for her tail.

Aquamarine has fled from the ocean, as she's attempting to avoid a marriage which as been pre-arranged by her father. Her father has told her that true love doesn't exist, and the young mermaid wants to know if this is true. She tells Claire and Hailey that anyone who aids a mermaid will be granted one wish -- thus, if the girls can help Aquamarine learn about true love, she will give them anything they desire. The girls see this as a chance for Hailey to stay. So, they set out to introduce a true fish out of water to the world of teenage romance.

To me, one of the definitions of a professional is someone who knows the limits of their abilities. In other words, when you are in a situation where one isn't qualified to perform a task, or simply doesn't know what they are doing, they need to admit as such and do the right thing. So, I'm here to say that I don't know if I'm qualified to review Aquamarine, for this movie is squarely aimed at females somewhere between the ages of 8-18...and I don't fall into that demographic. But, since there's no one else here to do the job, I'll give it my best shot.

Clearly, Aquamarine sounds a lot like Splash, but there are some major differences. The most obvious one is the behavior of the mermaid herself. Unlike Splash's Madison, who knew little of the world of dry land, Aquamarine can speak English and is somewhat familiar with the behavior of humans, as she's often watched them. Also, Aquamarine's behavior mirrors that of human teenaged girl, as she takes great pride in her appearance. When she gets the chance to wear clothes, she revels in the experience.

The inclusion of a mermaid, helps Aquamarine put a fantasy spin on many familiar plotlines. We've seen the "best friend is moving away scenario" before, but the idea that a mermaid's magical powers could stop this from happening is interesting. Also, Aquamarine gets between Claire & Hailey and the mean-spirited Cecilia.

As an adult, I did have some problems with the film. The story is very predictable, and at times, quite monotonous, as the girls strive to keep others from discovering Aquamarine's true nature. At 103 minutes, the movie is too long and there are several scenes which could have been shorn to tighten up the film's pace. I also had a problem with the way in which Claire and Hailey fawn over Raymond. At the film's outset, they act as if they want to go out with him, but half-way through the movie, they (apparently) admit that he's too old for them. I'm not saying that it's uncommon for young girls to swoon over hunky teenaged boys, but the film has a somewhat creepy vibe when it seems that the girls are willing to offer themselves up to a boy who is a few years older than them.

As I'm still stymied by the estrogen level of this film, I will fall back on the reactions of my young daughters -- they loved Aquamarine and for several days after watching it, all that they played was mermaid. I can say that the movie does offer an interesting twist on stories like Splash and The Little Mermaid, but it's also quite pedestrian at time. The one thing that I'm certain of is that I applaud the scene involving the starfish earrings...oh and that I didn't understand most of the movie.

Aquamarine swims onto Blu-ray Disc courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The film has been letterboxed at 1.85:1 and the Disc contains an AVC 1080p HD which runs at an average of 30 Mbps. The image is sharp and clear, showing only a trace amount of grain and no defects from the source material. The most noticeable thing about this transfer is that it's somewhat dark. There are scenes which take place on the sunny beach, and the image simply isn't as bright as it should be. An overcast beach is never a fun beach. The colors do look good though. The transfer provides a nice amount of depth and the level of detail is good. The Disc carries a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which runs at 48 kHz and an average of 3.5 Mbps. The track provides clear dialogue and sound effects. The track provides minimal stereo effects and the scenes on the beach offer detailed sounds of things happening off-screen. The big storm scene offers some nice surround effects. However, overall the audio is a bit weak and even at a higher audio level, the sounds don't feel very dynamic.

The Aquamarine Blu-ray Disc contains several extra features. Director Elizabeth Allen provides a 5-second into to the movie. An AUDIO COMMENTARY is provided by director Elizabeth Allen and producer Susan Cartsons. This is an interesting chat as they know that younger viewers may be listening, so they tailor the talk for that crowd. They describe filmmaking in very basic and general terms, but they do a fine job of painting a picture of what it's like to be on-set. They talk about the unique challenges presented by shooting the film in Australia and by having a cast which could only work so many hours in a day. Actors Emma Roberts, JoJo, and Sara Paxton provide a giggle-strewn Scene Specific Commentary for 7 selected scenes. The DVD contains 6 DELETED SCENES which are essentially throw-away material. The 5-minute "Awesome Auditions" shows auditions from the film's lead actors, including an impressive look at Sara Paxton crying on cue. Production Designer Nelson Coates takes us through "Building the Capri Club" (3 minutes). We get a look at the special effects of Aquamarine's tail in "Mermaid Makeover" (3 minutes). In "It's All About the Fashion", costume designer Sally Sharpe talks about the clothes in the movie. "Boys on the Brain" (2 minutes) has Roberts, JoJo, and Paxton asking Australian boys about relationships. The extras are finished off by "Aqua's Squeals", which is a 1-minute montage of Paxton making odd noises and a gag reel called "Kickin' It on Set" (5 minutes).

Review Copyright 2012 by Mike Long