Aladdin

This review may contain spoilers!

Guy Ritchie has made some of my favourite pieces of cinema over the years but this time he has recaptured the magic of one of my favourite childhood animated films. I would give Aladdin an 8.5/10.

Aladdin is a live-action remake of the 1992 animated film in which street thief, Aladdin, attempts to romance Princess Jasmine through the aid of a magical Genie. This film has notoriously had a lot to prove, the animated feature is a beloved character and there was some criticism in how elements of the feature were being marketed. But none of the critique really manages to match up to the charm that is this excellent piece of cinema. From the very beginning of the film the narrative is delivered in a way that invites speculation but also fills you with wonder as the world of Agrabah is laid out before you. This is a production that really moves and fills you with thrills as epic escapes and dazzling dance numbers play out. I thought that this film built upon really important relationships and character arcs like Aladdin and Jasmine's relationship, Aladdin and the Genie's friendship or even Jasmine's struggle to be viewed as a leader are handled rather well. It's a movie that returns you to a story that you love for those who are already familiar and it's a magnificent adventure for those completely new to this tale. The camera leads you into these massive set pieces and allows you to navigate and flow through these elaborate designs in a way that makes you feel a part of the story. The special effects are absolutely stunning; the CGI shots that lead you in with 'Arabian Nights' blew me away, while Abu, the Carpet, Iago and Rajah are consistently expressive and characters unto themselves. The score is captivating and blends some of the classic music with an original, modern take; the soundtrack never really stopped dazzling with numbers like 'Arabian Nights', 'Friend Like Me', 'Prince Ali' and 'Speechless' being stand outs.

Mena Massoud, who played Aladdin, shows himself to be a really versatile leading protagonist; Massoud has the natural charm that comes with the famous street-thief and his journey motivated by love over power and wealth is delivered well. Naomi Scott, who played Jasmine, feels like the stubborn fighter and natural leader that has made this role one of my favourite Disney Princesses to watch; Scott just nails all of the key traits of this character but I especially loved how connected she showed Jasmine to the people/subjects of Agrabah. Marwan Kenzari, who played Jafar, has a real malicious streak that feels nurtured from a life of grappling for power; this is a role famous for scenes of manipulation and cunning which Kenzari delivers in spades. Nasim Pedrad, who played Dalia, gives a really entertaining best friend role to Jasmine that this story really needs; Pedrad's ability to find the funny side to a scene makes her a lot of fun to watch and I greatly enjoyed the awkward budding romance between her and Smith.

However, the best performance came from Will Smith, who played Genie. This is a character that in the lead up to this film was always going to be compared to the performance Robin Williams gave. I believe Will Smith took this role and truly made it his own; to say whether he was better than Williams is irrelevant as he takes the Genie and makes it something completely new and his own. Will Smith enters the feature as a storyteller of sorts, inviting us into the story in a way that provokes nothing but intrigue. From there on out you get the joy of seeing this character play up a stoic facade then switch to a energetic, comedic presence at any given moment. This Genie is a little more worldly, holding his experience over Aladdin at a few turns and allowing an odd power dynamic to blossom into a great onscreen friendship. The famous scene in which the Genie is set free is powerfully done and a culmination of all that Smith and Massoud have worked on together throughout the experience.

While the film is a celebration of the original animated feature there is a problem that a number of these live-action adaptations are struggling with. There is an ever present inability to take risk. Often a few minor changes are made here or there but never anything of such substance that you feel the film is prepared to take risks or defy audience expectations. For this reason Aladdin has some moments where the pace of the film slumps and you are left waiting for the next dramatic moment or big musical number to pick the tempo back up.

Navid Negahban, who played Sultan, feels like a very empty figure for a greater portion of this film; Negahban and Scott never really have a strong connection onscreen so the important relationship of father and daughter is never explored in a satisfying way. Billy Magnussen, who played Prince Anders, just felt like a silly role tacked on to the film; Magnussen plays a bumbling role that gets fairly over the top pretty early into the feature. Alan Tudyk, who voiced Iago, loses the joy of this character from the original feature; Iago should feel like he has a mean streak to him but this film seemed uncertain whether it wanted a character or a fairly real portrayal of a parrot.