A vicious fight broke out at a Little Mermaid cinema screening as screaming parents demanded a refund.
During the screening of The Little Mermaid in Orlando, Florida, a group of adults caused a disruption, bringing the cinema to a standstill.
The incident, captured on video, shows these adults engaging in a heated argument right in front of a theatre packed with children.
The footage reveals the adults standing up and shouting at each other, completely blocking the view of the screen for others in the audience.
Sensing the inappropriate nature of the situation, a witness can be heard expressing her dissatisfaction, saying, “I need a refund, we need a refund."
"This is a kids’ movie," she adds.
Shortly afterwards, a man is heard attempting to diffuse the tension and put an end to the argument. It is unclear what caused the fight.
Disney's live-action remake of its 1989 animated classic easily outswam the competition, bringing in $95.5 million on 4,320 screens in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.
And Disney estimates the film starring Halle Bailey as the titular mermaid Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as her sea witch nemesis Ursula will reach $117.5 million.
It ranks as the fifth biggest Memorial Day weekend opening ever.
The performance of “The Little Mermaid” represents something of a bounce-back for Disney's animated-to-live-action remakes, and makes it likely they will keep coming indefinitely.
“It works as long as the movies deliver,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “It's great for Disney to be able to go to their archive by reviving these titles that started off as huge hits in the animated realm.”
Audiences thought it delivered. The film had an A CinemaScore, and according to exit polling had more ticket buyers between ages 25 and 34 than children, suggesting nostalgic adults were essential.
“The multi-generational component of this cannot be overstated," Dergarabedian said.
Critics were more lukewarm. The movie is currently at 67% on Rotten Tomatoes.
In her review, Lindsey Bahr of The Associated Press called it “a somewhat drab undertaking with sparks of bioluminescence” that like too many of the Disney remakes “prioritized nostalgia and familiarity over compelling visual storytelling.”
She said Bailey, half of the sister R&B duo Chloe x Halle, still shone with a “lovely presence” and “superb voice."
Directed by Rob Marshall with a reported budget of $250million before marketing, “The Little Mermaid” tells the story of a yearning, wayward daughter who cuts a devil's deal to swap her fins for a pair of legs.
It features the songs from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, including “Part of Your World" and “Under the Sea,” that helped the original film spark a Disney animation renaissance in the 1990s.
