The release of the live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” has caused a stir not only on the big screen but also online. The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) recently made adjustments to its rating system for the film due to what it referred to as “unusual voting activity.” While the movie enjoys a 7/10 rating, a group of discontented users, commonly referred to as review bombers, have allegedly been intentionally giving the Disney flick negative scores for reasons unrelated to its quality.

To address this issue, IMDb implemented an alternate weighting calculation for the film’s ratings. On the “Little Mermaid” pages in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Mexico, a note explains that the rating mechanism detected abnormal voting patterns, leading to the use of an alternative calculation to preserve the reliability of the rating system. The exact details of this new method have not been disclosed, as IMDb wants to maintain its effectiveness and prevent manipulation.

While IMDb representatives have not yet commented on the matter, it is worth noting that “The Little Mermaid” has faced backlash on various fronts. One major point of contention arose from racists who expressed their dissatisfaction with Halle Bailey, a black actress, portraying the character Ariel. Additionally, some Disney fans may be skeptical of live-action remakes of classic animated films. Other controversies surrounding the film include criticism of Flounder’s appearance and disappointment with Disney’s decision not to hire a queer makeup artist for Melissa McCarthy’s portrayal of Ursula.

Despite these controversies, “The Little Mermaid” has been making waves at the box office. According to IMDb’s Box Office Mojo, the film has grossed a substantial $209 million worldwide since its release last Friday. This demonstrates that, regardless of the negative attention, there is still a significant audience eagerly embracing this reimagined version of the beloved Disney classic.

As IMDb’s new rating system adaptation attempts to counteract the impact of review bombing, it remains to be seen how effective it will be in maintaining the integrity of the rating process. The ongoing success of “The Little Mermaid” at the box office suggests that audience reception is generally positive, regardless of the efforts by a minority of users to negatively influence its online rating.