It’s a whole new world in the remake of the classic Disney movie Aladdin. The live action version of the movie was everything that you could ask for to bring back those childhood feelings that we all so desperately miss. The handsome thief by the name Aladdin who is played by Mena Massaud stole the undercover princess Jasmine who is played by Naomi Scott as well as many audience members in attendance to this film. I love how the film acknowledges poverty as well as acts of kindness. Aladdin may have been a thief, but he wasn’t selfish. He was “A diamond in the rough”. The day that Aladdin met Jasmine at the marketplace was one of my I favorite scenes because Jasmine was forced to unwind and live a few seconds in Aladdin’s poor and fast-paced life. I also loved this scene because when the two ran away from we got to see great angles of their city. The kingdom is very beautiful and the perfect place to film the movie. Their love story is truly inspirational and shined light on judgment based on royalty and economic status. Princess Jasmine’s destiny was to marry a prince thus sparking Aladdin’s interest to become a liar by the name of Prince Ali from Ababwa with the help of a very special genie.
Prior to seeing this movie, many Aladdin fans have expressed their worries of having a great genie since the late Robbin Williams is not here to take the role. Although I enjoyed the classic Aladdin genie that was voiced over by Robin Williams, I believe that Will Smith did a great job! I appreciated Will Smith creating his own persona of the genie instead of trying too hard to compete with the original. He really owned it by making it funny and magical. I actually enjoyed Will Smith in his human form more than the giant blue genie from the lamp. I also appreciated him paying homage to our favorite fallen comedian. It shows that he took his role as a Disney character seriously. I so used to hearing Will Smith rap his Fresh Prince Of Belair intro, that it weird to actually hear him sings. His vocals aren’t bad, they actually blend in with the other cast mates in songs like “Prince Ali”.
I felt like Guy Ritchie cast the characters well and accurate except for Jafar. I felt like they could’ve made him appear eviler much like the animation. I also loved that Disney stuck with a more conservative appearance in the film. In the animation, Aladdin wore a vest and princess jasmine’s outfit was two piece outfit. The lack or relevance brought the audience to focus more on the beautiful features the cast has. Naomi Scott is a beautiful sultant with a huge heart. She really made me fall in love with the film from her colorful gowns, dance moves, and harmonious vocals. I loved that I could relate to her feelings when she sang Speechless. The ending’s dance number was my favorite. I also love how Abu the monkey and the magic carpet was animated. The movie wouldn’t have come together without those important characters. I rated this movie 4 and a half stars because it has become my second favorite live action Disney movie next to Beauty and The Beast. Also because the music, scenery, and plot were perfect. I will definitely buy this on Blu ray!.
