Aladdin (2019)

“I made you look like a prince on the outside, but I didn't change anything on the inside. Prince Ali got you to the door, but Aladdin has to open it.”

Filmology Rating: 2.5 out of 4

Not to be a greedy person, I went into the latest Disney live action adaptation with one simple wish: I wish for this film to not be a waste of my time. Keep this in mind, I was born during the Disney Renaissance. Like many 90s children I was able to see the prodigious run that Disney Animation had with films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Those films helped define my childhood but that doesn’t mean I crave to see new iterations of those beloved stories. To the contrary, I would rather see Disney craft new stories that will cast a magical spell over new generations rather than simply retread films that worked in the past. With the understanding that only the box office will stop Disney from continuing to revisit the past, I have become accustomed to the fact that we will continue to get these reimagines of classic films for years to come.

Aladdin, played by Mena Massoud is a street thief living in Agrabah who dreams of a better life. Jasmine, played by Naomi Scott, is a princess who dreams of a better life for her people. The two have a chance encounter that will forever change not only both of their lives but the lives of the citizens of Agrabah as well.. While the monotonous Jafar, played by Marwan Kenzari, has sinister plans for the two once he realizes he will finally get the magical lamp.

My one wish was granted; Aladdin isn’t the trainwreck that many were anticipating the film would be. One of the biggest questions you must ask yourself is would this film be more successful if the original film never existed. The answer to that question is complicated to say the least; with the animated film being one of my most watched animated films I know the beats of that film too well and most people who are going to watch this new film are children who’s view of the film will be more simplistic than my own. Yes, I do understand that children are a key demographic for Disney but the films should also appeal to the child in all of us. I would argue that after the film reaches a scene featuring jams, the film completely falls off the rails. While the earlier part of the film was simply hitting beats to quickly move along, the new elements that are added to the story feel clunky. If the Genie subplot was given a little more plot and substance it might feel warranted, but since the plotline is honestly five minutes total of a two hour film it feels needless and pandering to those romantic comedy lovers.

The film could have even given some more depth to Jafar if they were looking at adding even more padding to the film. It’s mentioned several times that Jasmine’s mother was killed under some rather shady circumstances. It would have made the over the top villain even more villainous having him be responsible for killing the mother. Seeing that he is actually the villain he claims to be and to see the sacrifices he has had to make rather than simply see him monologue about it would be more impactful. If you were to take a shot each time Jafar yells in anger at the screen you would have gotten drunk rather quickly into the film; even Disney films deserve more compelling villains. Two things are sweet spots for Disney fans when it comes to their films: the villains and the songs. Sadly the villain of this film is incredibly weak and should offer some true menace but never actually feels like a threat to anyone on the screen.

Much to my surprise, the aspects of the film that work the best are the ones that are repeats from the animated classic. Perhaps this is the nostalgia factor kicking in but I found myself to enjoy most of the musical numbers in the film despite the horrible staging of the numbers. None of the numbers fall completely flat like “Be Our Guest” from the 2016 Beauty and the Beast but none of them want you to leap from your seat to applaud the film. Some might say that I expect too much from musical films but I truly adore that shot of energy that flows through your veins when watching a show stopping number. Aladdin does feature a new song “Speechless” written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the duo also worked on the blockbuster hit The Greatest Showman and the Tony winning Dear Evan Hansen, which is a good addition to the film since it finally gives Jasmine something to do in the film. While I personally have a distaste for the sugar pop flavor of music that has become common lately, I was able to put that aside since the message of the song overcame my distaste for the style of music. The reprise of the song however does cause the film to come to a screeching halt. This has nothing to do with the song itself but how the song is directed, it just comes out of nowhere and feels like a complete afterthought when looking at the other action that is taking place during that scene. Literally lives are at stake but taking the moment to sing a song must take priority, it dissolves any of the tension from the scene.

Two actors help save this film from being a complete blunder: Will Smith and Naomi Scott. Smith had the biggest of shoes to fill by playing a character that was played perfectly by Robin Williams in the animated film. The undeniable energy that Williams brought to the role could simply not be matched so Smith decided to bring a different tack to the role: charm. For those, like myself, who wrote Smith off after the Oscar bait films like Collateral Beauty and Concussion you might have forgotten how charming and fun he can be when he wants to be. When the actor is having such a joyous time playing the character it rubs off on the audience causing them to have fun with the film. The film would have been groundbreaking if instead of being the story of Aladdin, it was the story of Jasmine. Naomi Scott breathes life and excitement into the role of Jasmine that I never knew I wanted. Jasmine is the true hero of the film and is the only character of the film to have an actual arc. The performance given by Scott is truly wonderful to see and the fact that she is a phenomenal role model for all the young girls who will be watching this film and the aspect that it doesn’t feel pandering but feels organic to the story helps serve Jasmine as the most interesting and dynamic character in the film.

While Aladdin won’t show you a whole new world, it does offer a bright retelling of a classic film that will please most fans of the original film and will leave a lasting impact on those who have yet to see the original telling.

Rating: Rent It

-Jonny G