(very mild spoilers – let’s be honest, you all know how Aladdin goes).
I was looking after my girls yesterday and had the chance to take them to see Disney’s latest live-action remake, Aladdin. I think the current phase of Disney movies started with the live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians, and old Walt has been reaching out from his cryogenic chamber to slowly but surely work his way through the list of animated classics.
(Atlantis! They should do a remake of the 2001 animated move Atlantis! IT HAS ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN IT!)
Anyway, story-wise the remake didn’t disappoint. Agrabah was beautifully rendered, and every frame was teeming with characters that really helped feel that this was a living city. The movie gets right into the action, knowing that most of the viewers have already seen the film or know the story. Another welcome change was an expanded role for Jasmine, who sits on the side lines a bit (a lot) in the 1992 animated version. The live action Jasmine has a lot more spine, and wants to be the rightful Sultan of the city she loves but is stifled by the tradition that she must marry a prince.
As an aside, I couldn’t help but feel the bumbling “Skanland” Prince Anders who was set up as the foil for the more intelligent Jasmine was a final boot being put in Prince Hans from Frozen…
An additional great change is an expanded role for the villainous Vizier Jaffar, who it is explained was also a street rat that worked his way up from the gutter, but rankles at having reached a glass ceiling due to his common birth.
So how the parts were portrayed? Naomi Scott was beautiful as Jasmine, and while her songs felt a bit shoehorned into the plot, she really woke up the audiences with her performance. Mena Massoud captures the look, agility and cocky confidence of his animated counterpart Aladdin, and was obviously having a ball being the straight man to Will Smith’s Genie. Unfortunately for Massoud, he can’t compete with the vocals of the original, portrayed by Brad Kane as the boy thief’s singing voice. Kane was training on Broadway since he was a child, and it was noticeable how much the newer Aladdin bit off the end of his songs rather than launch into the beautiful, soaring vocals like Kane.
Ok, the most important part of the movie, and the first question many are going to ask. How does Will Smith stack up against Robin Williams as the blue-faced wish granting wonder?
Not bad – not great, either. The thing I always remember about the original Aladdin was Robin William’s mad, eccentric energy pouring out every line he delivered. I understand a lot of William’s dialogue was just made up on the spot, which would have been a challenge for the animators! Will Smith however feels a bit flat. He has a “cool Dad” vibe, someone who is fun and enjoyable to watch, but is still a more buttoned-down genie than the madcap original.
His singing left a lot to be desired, which was a drawback in a film where the Genie carries a lot of the most memorable tunes.
Credit where credit is due, though. The comic scene between the Genie and Prince Ali at the royal party when they are trying to impress Jasmine was freakin’ hilarious, and the Genie’s romance actually completes a plotline that was left on the cutting room floor of the animated original.
Final verdict: Go see it with your kinds and enjoy the spectacle. Then bring out the soundtrack of the original songs for everyone to sing along to on the car trip home.
That’s it for now, I’ve got some more free content coming your way this weekend, so please check back with me then. As always, if you’ve enjoyed this article please like and share, or comment below with your views on the Aladdin remake!
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