We continue the slew of 2019 Disney Remakes with another 90s Classic, Aladdin. And directing this one we have Guy Ritchie, who’s mostly known for action comedies, this musical feels decidedly out of his wheel. Original trailers weren’t promising as the genie looked absolutely abysmal. I think the CG was unfinished which is a great way to have a trailer look, but a lot of money later, we got the final product.
Critics were mixed on the quality of the overall product but unlike Dumbo before it, it made over $1bn at the box office.
The original Aladdin is among my favourite Disney movies, I’m a sucker for a coming of age story in general and despite the liar revealed story being a trope that I’m quickly souring on, the performance of Robin Williams as the genie and some really good musical numbers are enough to keep me near consistently entertained.
Like most of these Disney Remakes, this one sticks closely to the original story, the changes are minor, with attempts to add depth here and there, and the occasional scene that simply exists to make the movie longer. And original song that is completely terrible.
For what it’s worth I think Mena Massoud, Will Smith and Naomi Scott all did good jobs in their respective roles. There is a fair bit of auto-tune used in their singing, even in the original additions which is strange because you could probably try and write in their key. Naomi is probably the best singer of the 3, shame she’s stuck with easily the worst song of the film.
Jasmine is a good place to start when it comes to the changes. The first time we see her is at the market, before they establish what her conflict actually is. Turns out that conflict is now her being forced to find a suitor to the role of Sultan when she really wants to be Sultan herself. The shift in Disney feminism at work here. I don’t mind this in principle but it seems to me, she’d be smart and experienced enough to know not to steal from a marketplace, even if it’s to help starving children. Of course, she lives in a man’s world, personified in this film by Jafar.
I loved Jafar in the original, he
was slimy, manipulative and intimidating, Jonathan Freeman providing a
near-perfect voice for him. Marwan Kenzari feels decidedly miscast, always
somewhat uncomfortable in terms of performance and lacking all the features I
listed above. His motivation is expanded upon, his lust for power stemming from
being born with nothing and having to fight for power. The only issue being why
the Sultan would hire someone as his Vizier if he’s spent time in prison, but
then he does have a hypnotic snake staff that works all of… 0 times in this
film. His lust for power also stretches beyond Agrabah, as he’s trying to
convince the Sultan to wage war on neighbouring nations, including one which
housed Jasmine’s now dead mother
Aladdin has the least changes made
to him as a character, he and his monkey start out as street thieves, stealing
trinkets to exchange for food as opposed to just stealing the food itself. The
song One Jump Ahead is supposed to personify his character, and it does here,
but the inclusion of him helping Jasmine as well feels like they’re rushing
through 2 parts of the movie that don’t belong together. Jasmine also can’t use
a pole in this version – Disney giveth and taketh when it comes to girl power
it seems. Oh yeah, it’s mentioned that Aladdin’s parents are both dead so…
Anyway, I guess it gets the point across well enough, but it just felt a bit more impactful that Aladdin went to so much trouble for something to eat, only to give it away. Anyway, the only other notable change is his state of mind when it comes to him telling the Genie he can’t set him free. In the original, he’s a bit of a mess, scared of the idea of becoming Sultan and still trying to protect his lies. In the remake, he’s a bit cockier, he’s won the hearts and minds of everyone, he’s still trying to protect his lies but his reasoning makes it feel like the power is getting to him, which is an added theme in this movie.
Robin Williams’ role as the genie is iconic and would be nigh impossible to top, I think casting Will Smith in the role was a smart choice. The guy can sing (although there’s a surprising amount of auto-tune) has comedic skill and is naturally charismatic, bringing about a certain charm to the role, and is definitely still the best part of the movie. That being said, Friend Like Me was written for Robin Williams and whilst Will Smith tries to capture the same charm, he ultimately doesn’t have the same spark.
He’s a lot better when he’s reciting his own material as opposed to cosplaying Robin Williams, and I can see why his brand of humour might appeal those who are not as inclined to fast-paced impressions of people you’ve never heard of. The songs suffer for this though, and Prince Ali just looks wrong, it looks like a stunt parade from Disneyworld.
This film adds 3 original characters and I’m just gonna come out and say I dislike all 3 of them and hate 2 of them. The Handmaiden is just irritating and I really don’t understand why the Genie needed a love interest. As a meta-joke you could argue a case for self-insert fan fiction. Prince Anders is just… This is the guy you want to make a spinoff about, why? He’s lame and pointless. And then there’s Hakim, the guard captain who has to make a choice or something that just doesn’t matter because he’s not involved in Jafar’s downfall.
One thing I found especially odd on a rewatch is the sheer amount of colour they throw at you. I’m all for bright colours but this clothing feels more in line with a Bollywood musical than a middle-eastern tale. I don’t know about the accuracy to the period but it just looks distracting. Guy Ritchie is not a bad director, but I don’t think this was the film he should’ve been paired with.
He chose to direct this like a Bollywood film, including the sing-song ending that honestly looks like something you’d do at the end of a stage play.
As a remake of Aladdin could be, this is solid, with Will Smith’s genie being a highlight, but it also feels soulless and unremarkable. The minor changes are either irrelevant or annoying and it suffers with being paired with the wrong director and a couple of miscasts, most notably Jafar.
Rating 60/100
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