‘ALADDIN’ COMES TO LIFE IN LIVE ACTION

Yet another live action adaptation of one of Disney’s classic animated films has hit theaters and it’s getting hard not to feel a little jaded.

The majority of Disney’s previous live action adaptations have been a roll of the dice in terms of overall quality, with some strumming the heartstrings just as their original animated release did, and others turning out rather mediocre.

At a certain point it begins to feel more like Disney is just cashing in on its most nostalgic properties without having to put in too much effort.

With all of the controversy surrounding the production of “Aladdin” 2019, it seemed like the film was destined to be yet another cheesy remake of an animated classic.

But I’m happy to report that director Guy Ritchie did a fantastic job reinterpreting the 1992 release into a new and visually enticing world of music and wonder for a whole new generation of children.

Not only was the criticism over a blue Will Smith as Genie completely unfounded in the end, but thanks to an amazing cast of relatively unknown actors, the spirit and levity of the original was brought to life once again.

Mena Massoud performs like a true pro in his breakout role, playing Aladdin himself with perfect cartoonish charm.

Naomi Scott also does a superb job as Princess Jasmine, stealing the scene any chance she has to show off her impressive vocals.

Both leads sing wonderfully, in fact, and even Smith manages to belt out a few good tunes, not to mention doing a rather sublime job of filling Robin Williams’ shoes.

While the presence of Williams as Genie will never be replaced, Smith does a wonderful job bringing that iconic comedic sass to the character.

Despite all of the positive aspects of this movie, not everything lives up to expectations.

Some of the CG looks rather unfinished in some places, some of the new songs don’t work as well, and Marwan Kenzari as Jafar comes across as a little flat and uninspired. Not to mention, it’s still hard to shake the feeling that this film is completely unnecessary as far as remakes are concerned. It’s not as impactful as the original film and some of the action and musical numbers simply play out so much better in their animated form.

But that’s not to say that this film is a waste of time, by any means.

In fact, for the most part, Aladdin 2019 comes across as a rather enjoyable adaptation and is a fun nostalgia trip with some fun visuals and catchy songs.

If you’ve always wondered what the bright colors and epic desert landscapes of the animated film would look like In real life, or if you simply want to experience a Disney classic in a new light, then head out to the nearest showing.

Advocate Staff