Aladdin (B+ or 3/4 stars)
Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella, Beauty & the Beast, Dumbo ... all recent live-action remakes of animated Disney classics of old. Some of those I love; some I don't. But whatever the case, we got our next one, folks -- 'Aladdin' (helmed by kinetic director Guy Ritchie). A straight remake of the 1992 animated classic, this version opens in the bustling city of Agrabah, where Aladdin (Mena Massoud), a roguish street "rat", along with his pet monkey Abu, steals to survive. He manages to elude the palace guards who try to catch him {fun scene}, & impresses Princess Jasmine (beauuutiful Naomi Scott) who has ventured into the city in disguise to learn about her subjects; pretending to be her handmaiden/BFF, Dalia (Nasim Pedrad).
Jasmine isn't recognized by the masses due to her being reclusive for years. That is because her widowed & beloved father, the Sultan (Navid Negahban), wants to protect her until he can find a proper prince for her to marry. Instead, Jasmine would rather eventually take over for her father, something both he & his Royal Vizier, Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), remind her is against their long-standing laws. But Jafar has ulterior motives; longing to attain a magic lamp located deep in the Cave of Wonders -- a lamp that can make HIM Sultan. No one has been nimble enough to navigate the treacherous cave, but Jafar thinks he's found the right person in Aladdin. What Jafar doesn't count on is Aladdin himself unleashing the lamp's power: an enormous blue genie (Will Smith) who is bound to grant him 3 wishes. With Genie's genial help, Aladdin transforms into "Prince Ali of Ababwa" to impress Jasmine enough that she'll fall for him. That's all well & good, but they still must contend with Jafar who is dead-set on getting that lamp for his own set of nefarious wishes. Romance & high-stake adventures ensue.
This live-action remake is much better than expected {some of those early clips were rough}. Even though Will Smith's Genie pales to Robin Williams' game-changing, rapid-fire vocal performance from the '92 film, he's still a ball of fun, here. And his friendship with Mena Massoud's Aladdin is endearing. Speaking of Aladdin, Guy Richie did well to cast actors with Middle-Eastern roots. As Aladdin, Massoud is requisitely handsome & can hold a tune {nailing "One Jump Ahead"}. He also exhibits magical chemistry with Naomi Scott's Jasmine. Scott is not only gorgeous, but she brims with charm, wit & passion -- she's got IT. Her voice soars; particularly on new power anthem, "Speechless". And I appreciate her journey from sheltered royal to enlightened woman with a greater sense of self. Jasmine demanding to be heard is inspiring and, kudos to the writers for modernizing her.
Like in the '92 version, Naomi Scott & Mena Massoud's "A Whole New World" packs an exhilarating, swoon-worthy punch 75 minutes into the story. As villain Jafar, Marwan Kenzari has the requisite look & a creepily ambitious edge, but vocally, he's not as menacing as he needs to be. Still, he doesn't sink the ship, so to speak. SNL alumni Nasim Pedrad brings laughs as Jasmine's friend/handmaiden, Dalia. Her cheeky romance with Will Smith's human Genie is amusing. And again, though he ain't no Robin Williams, Will Smith makes Genie his own. Though initially jarring, we warm to larger-than-life Genie, & that's a testament to Smith's skills as an entertainer {performing "Prince Ali" & "Friend like Me" with aplomb} & a thespian.
Though Guy Ritchie isn't exactly in his element helming a musical, he pulls it off well, and his trademark flashy edits & mastery of slow-mo entice; utilized well in the derring-do rooftop chase during "One Jump Ahead". I enjoyed the humor in the script; including stolen moments from Jafar's parrot, Iago, and Jasmine's pet tiger, Rajah. The musical numbers are lavishly staged. Choreographer Jamal Sims adds Bollywood-like flamboyance to the dance sequences. Gemma Jackson's set design of Agrabah {with its labyrinthine streets, palaces & such} is wondrous. Michael Wilkinson's colorful costumes are vibrantly detailed. And again, how can you fault the music? Even some lyrics have been cleverly updated in all the right ways.
Now, some of the magic from the scintillating 1992 version is missing, here. Some might call this movie a Disney $$-grab. And at 128 minutes in length, I felt some bloat near the end; particularly during the increasingly CGI-laden, balls-to-the-wall climax which includes swirling pyrotechnics, demonic birds & dual Genies. Having said that, there's still an appealing freshness to the proceedings. I delighted in the sumptuous, magical world that Ritchie gave us. I loved watching Aladdin & Jasmine 'discover' their place in the world. Themes of empowerment, friendship & integrity ring out. And though the overall quality of the '92 film may be better than this one ... the two versions can coexist & wholesomely entertain in equal measure.
Jasmine isn't recognized by the masses due to her being reclusive for years. That is because her widowed & beloved father, the Sultan (Navid Negahban), wants to protect her until he can find a proper prince for her to marry. Instead, Jasmine would rather eventually take over for her father, something both he & his Royal Vizier, Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), remind her is against their long-standing laws. But Jafar has ulterior motives; longing to attain a magic lamp located deep in the Cave of Wonders -- a lamp that can make HIM Sultan. No one has been nimble enough to navigate the treacherous cave, but Jafar thinks he's found the right person in Aladdin. What Jafar doesn't count on is Aladdin himself unleashing the lamp's power: an enormous blue genie (Will Smith) who is bound to grant him 3 wishes. With Genie's genial help, Aladdin transforms into "Prince Ali of Ababwa" to impress Jasmine enough that she'll fall for him. That's all well & good, but they still must contend with Jafar who is dead-set on getting that lamp for his own set of nefarious wishes. Romance & high-stake adventures ensue.
This live-action remake is much better than expected {some of those early clips were rough}. Even though Will Smith's Genie pales to Robin Williams' game-changing, rapid-fire vocal performance from the '92 film, he's still a ball of fun, here. And his friendship with Mena Massoud's Aladdin is endearing. Speaking of Aladdin, Guy Richie did well to cast actors with Middle-Eastern roots. As Aladdin, Massoud is requisitely handsome & can hold a tune {nailing "One Jump Ahead"}. He also exhibits magical chemistry with Naomi Scott's Jasmine. Scott is not only gorgeous, but she brims with charm, wit & passion -- she's got IT. Her voice soars; particularly on new power anthem, "Speechless". And I appreciate her journey from sheltered royal to enlightened woman with a greater sense of self. Jasmine demanding to be heard is inspiring and, kudos to the writers for modernizing her.
Like in the '92 version, Naomi Scott & Mena Massoud's "A Whole New World" packs an exhilarating, swoon-worthy punch 75 minutes into the story. As villain Jafar, Marwan Kenzari has the requisite look & a creepily ambitious edge, but vocally, he's not as menacing as he needs to be. Still, he doesn't sink the ship, so to speak. SNL alumni Nasim Pedrad brings laughs as Jasmine's friend/handmaiden, Dalia. Her cheeky romance with Will Smith's human Genie is amusing. And again, though he ain't no Robin Williams, Will Smith makes Genie his own. Though initially jarring, we warm to larger-than-life Genie, & that's a testament to Smith's skills as an entertainer {performing "Prince Ali" & "Friend like Me" with aplomb} & a thespian.
Though Guy Ritchie isn't exactly in his element helming a musical, he pulls it off well, and his trademark flashy edits & mastery of slow-mo entice; utilized well in the derring-do rooftop chase during "One Jump Ahead". I enjoyed the humor in the script; including stolen moments from Jafar's parrot, Iago, and Jasmine's pet tiger, Rajah. The musical numbers are lavishly staged. Choreographer Jamal Sims adds Bollywood-like flamboyance to the dance sequences. Gemma Jackson's set design of Agrabah {with its labyrinthine streets, palaces & such} is wondrous. Michael Wilkinson's colorful costumes are vibrantly detailed. And again, how can you fault the music? Even some lyrics have been cleverly updated in all the right ways.
Now, some of the magic from the scintillating 1992 version is missing, here. Some might call this movie a Disney $$-grab. And at 128 minutes in length, I felt some bloat near the end; particularly during the increasingly CGI-laden, balls-to-the-wall climax which includes swirling pyrotechnics, demonic birds & dual Genies. Having said that, there's still an appealing freshness to the proceedings. I delighted in the sumptuous, magical world that Ritchie gave us. I loved watching Aladdin & Jasmine 'discover' their place in the world. Themes of empowerment, friendship & integrity ring out. And though the overall quality of the '92 film may be better than this one ... the two versions can coexist & wholesomely entertain in equal measure.