Aladdin
Starring: Mena Moussad, Naomi Scott, Will Smith
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Rated: PG
Breaking News: Disney released yet another live-action movie musical adaption, and I had a blast watching it. I know it’s shocking, to say the least. Watching Aladdin is a lot like taking a visit to Disney World. It’s colorful, fun, and thrilling. I admit to being a bit skeptical of the film before seeing it because of the drama surrounding the initial trailers. People were so attached to Robin William’s animated Genie that they became concerned a live-action Genie couldn’t work. (In their defense, the first look at Will Smith’s Genie was a bit strange.) Social media reactions were prepared to write off the film before even seeing it. It seems silly in retrospect to doubt Will Smith, an actor of such charm and charisma, before even watching his performance. Yet, it all worked out to form quite an enjoyable movie.
Director Guy Ritchie has put together a fun and energetic version of Aladdin that incorporates new elements of the story but keeps the key storyline that hardcore fans need to see. If you’ve ever seen a Guy Ritchie movie, you’re probably familiar with the highly energetic directorial style. Ritchie continues to bring his signature action-packed stylistic flair to Aladdin. This is the first Ritchie film to incorporate massive musical sequences. Each musical number is vibrant and bombastic. They’re crowd-pleasers that make you want to sing along. There’s also a fair amount of Bollywood influence in the film, which is very entertaining. The set and costume design in each scene adds so much to the film. There are so many intricate details in every frame that are quite impressive.
Disney took a risk casting two relatively unknown actors for the roles of Aladdin and Jasmine, but it definitely pays off! Mena Massoud carries the lead role wonderfully as the “diamond in the rough” Aladdin. He brings the personality of the animated Aladdin to life perfectly. Massoud captures Aladdin’s longing to be something more than a “street rat.” His chemistry with Naomi Scott’s Jasmine is fantastic. Their “Whole New World” sequence is just dreamy. It’s not just his chemistry with Naomi Scott, that’s great, but also Will Smith. The Aladdin/Genie dynamic is so entertaining in this film. Mena Massoud and Will Smith’s banter is so amusing. The two have a great friendship that is endlessly entertaining.
Speaking of Will Smith, he steals every scene in this movie! It’s incredibly challenging to play a role that is so well known for Robin William’s iconic work. Yet, he turns it into his own portrayal as the Genie. How could we ever have doubted Will Smith? He’s bursting with charm, charisma, and humor. Every scene he’s in is guaranteed to be entertaining. He carries the musical sequences of “Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali” so well that you want to jump up and dance with him! He has so much chemistry with every single character, whether he’s attempting to be Aladdin’s wingman or flirt with Jasmine’s handmaiden, (played by the always entertaining Nasim Pedrad). I appreciate that both versions of Aladdin have excellent portrayals of the Genie by great actors.
Naomi Scott has a star turn as princess Jasmine. She has a bit of a more prominent role in this version than the animated film. I’ve always thought Jasmine had an independent personality, so I won’t say she’s more independent here, but she takes on more of a political role in this film. She wants to become the Sultan after her father. It becomes a very intriguing plot dynamic to see that develop. With that being said, I can’t help but love seeing the Aladdin/Jasmine romance. What can I say, I’m a 90’s kid! I think it helps that Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud have such great on-screen chemistry! It’s like watching the animated characters come to life. She can sing too. Jasmine gets a whole new solo song for this movie written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (writers of La La Land soundtrack!), so she’s thriving.
Marwan Kenzari plays Jafar, and he doesn’t seem to be quite as menacing as he was in the animated film. His evil plan is concerning, but I never felt the level of fear that animated Jafar gave me. The entire 3rd act surrounding Jafar is a bit clunky at points. There are so many things happening at one time, and it seems like it could be a bit more cohesive. I can’t help but prefer the animated finale a little more (maybe that’s because I watched it every day as a child.)
Despite some clunky Jafar moments, this is worth seeing on the big screen. It’s no surprise that Disney impresses yet again with a larger than life musical. Aladdin is an impressively vibrant summer blockbuster. You’ll have a great time with this crowd pleaser!
My Rating: 8/10
*All images belong to Walt Disney Studios