Aladdin excels in bringing the city of Agrabah to life through gloriously rich sets full of vibrant energy and charm, with the lead performances of Mena Massoud (Aladdin) and Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine) shining as bright as the desert sun. Aladdin is playing in cinemas now.
In 1992, Disney brought us the animated musical film Aladdin, the middle of a trilogy of highly successful films that became instant Disney classics. While never as strong as the two giants sitting on either side of it, Beauty and the Beast 1991 and The Lion King 1994, Aladdin thrived on the raucous energy and ad-lib comedy of the late Robin Williams as the Genie. Now continuing Disney’s obsession with live-action remakes, Guy Richie brings us a colourful version of the original animated film, and despite being a strange choice as director, Richie largely pulls off an enjoyable, musical romp.
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Aladdin excels in bringing the city of Agrabah to life through gloriously rich sets full of vibrant energy and charm, with the lead performances of Mena Massoud (Aladdin) and Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine) shining as bright as the desert sun.
However, despite these strengths, there is one weakness: the Genie. Given his comedic ability and wit, Will Smith may have seemed perfect for the role. However, his portrayal feels uncomfortable, uninspiring and flat. Even the Genie’s musical numbers feel strained, offering nothing new to the character while providing a pale imitation of Robin Williams’ lively, chaotic creation. Equally problematic is the live-action Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), who feels underdeveloped and lost in the film’s overarching narrative. But despite its problems, Massoud and Scott keep Aladdin upbeat and on track with sizzling on-screen chemistry; it’s just a shame there wasn’t a dash more of the magic Genie dust.
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