A kindhearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.
With Disney remaking beloved animated classics into live-action features at a crazed rate, it’s understandable that cynicism levels are high. Aside from being infused with culturally-relevant themes for the current Gen Z audiences, they are pretty much shot-by-shot retellings, making it increasingly difficult not to scoff at the sheer obviousness of the studio’s “cash-cow-milking.” My fears that Tim Burton’s “Dumbo” would sacrifice everything that made the original special in service of bombast, bloating and pleasing target audiences were recently justified. So when the goofy, somewhat cheap-looking clips and trailers for Guy Ritchie’s remake of “Aladdin” came out, Will Smith’s silly-looking blue Genie screechingly belting out tunes, expectations plummeted.
Going in with tremendously low expectations sometimes yields pleasant surprises. While adhering to the strict Disney rules by not deviating too far from the original source and updating it with uber-relevant themes of female empowerment and acceptance (see Jasmine’s new chest-thumping song “Speechless”), “Aladdin” provides enough visual flourishes and spectacle to stand on its own. Add two charming leads – and a far-livelier-than-initially-expected Smith – to the mix, and you’ve got the best of its kind since Jon Favreau’s “The Jungle Book” (yes, even better than “Beauty and the Beast”).
The story may be told from the perspective of an aging mariner (Smith) but it doesn’t take long for our charming street thief Aladdin (Mena Massoud) to start parkouring through the magnificent streets of Agrabah with his trusty companion, monkey Abu while belting out “One Jump Ahead.” In the meantime, Agrabah’s sheltered but erudite Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) attempts to remain incognito in her (frankly flimsy) disguise while exploring local markets. Her good heart soon leads to accusations of larceny, and the eventual rescue by Aladdin, who deems her a servant to the Princess. A misunderstanding involving Jasmine’s bracelet soon reunites the two – but just as sparks start flying, Sultan’s evil henchman Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) cuts their romance short by enlisting Aladdin to help him attain the infamous magic lamp in the Cave of Wonders.
And attain it he does, albeit accidentally summoning the genie within. Mischievous, sprightly and unhinged, Genie is obliged to grant Aladdin three wishes, leading to a majestic return to the palace (one of the film’s highlights), a reunion with Jasmine, numerous magic carpet rides, Jafar’s terrible wrath – and lots and lots of extravagant set-pieces, scored to Alan Menken’s familiar tunes (with a few updates). Will Jasmine’s travel bug be cured? Is her future as the first female sultan of Agrabah feasible? Can Aladdin transcend his social status? Will the Genie’s binding shackles be broken?
Those familiar with Disney’s original already know the answers to (most of) those questions. But when it comes to remakes, it’s about the journey, not the destination, right? In this case, Ritchie and his crew mostly deliver. Primarily rendered in bright hues of gold, the city of Agrabah is stunning to behold. The filmmaker dials back on the wacky artistic flourishes he’s known for, yet still manages to slip in the odd slow-motion shot or a zany meta-rewind, vitalizing the proceedings with astonishing energy; at over two hours, the film rarely lags.
He gets significant assistance from his cast: Massoud spices up Aladdin with a healthy dose of charm and cockiness, Naomi Scott shines as Jasmine 2.0, and Marwan Kenzari chews scenery like juicy ham as the OH-SO-EVIL Jafar. All fears of Smith’s Genie sticking out like a sore thumb and blemishing Robin Williams’ original portrayal are quickly alleviated, the actor wisely infusing the character with a set of different mannerisms and quirks while paying touching homage to the original.
He does get buried underneath some jarring CGI in the process. Some sequences involving his shenanigans/transformations and magical acts are borderline headache-inducing – blurry pixels shoved down your gullet. The finale, with its giant parrots and thundering skies, looks like it was made a decade ago – another layer of visual polish would’ve certainly helped matters. Ritchie and his co-scribbler John August mostly skirt overt sentimentality, yet sometimes can’t help but tip over into sermonizing about class, acceptance, etc. I’m also not entirely sure how I feel about the new songs – they are implemented subtly, but the songs themselves are a bit insistent and didactic.
Gripes aside, Ritchie does a more-than-adequate job reigniting “Aladdin” for a new generation. Its necessity may be questionable – based on this, the filmmaker could’ve undoubtedly come up with an original story, as thrilling, magical and enchanting as one that’s already been told brilliantly. Yet, with nary an A-lister in sight (Ritchie commendably choosing authenticity over star power), an infectiously joyful spirit and an amicable vibe of inclusion, the director elevates “Aladdin” above your standard Disney remake. Bring on “The Lion King.”
Now available on Digital and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ & DVD September 10th
