Movie Review: Aladdin

PLOT:

A kind-hearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Always bet on brown. This may seem like a small thing, but I have to give credit to the casting director for casting people that at least seem to look like they are from this area of the world, even if they aren’t. Hollywood has a history of “whitewashing”, so this is a pretty big thing.

She’s so pretty. Naomi Scott is a gorgeous creature. Princess Jasmine has long been one of the prettiest of the Disney princesses, so for me she was perfect casting. However, let me now just focus on her beauty, because she kills it as an actress. She is able to portray the more delicate and vulnerable flower, for lack of a better term, as well as the fierce princess ready to defend her people. Watching her flip the switch is pretty impressive, even there are aspects of her character that I didn’t dig on (which I will touch on shortly).

Culture. Middle Eastern culture is full of vibrant colors, extravange robes, and percussive dances. At least that’s what this film would have us believe and, while this isn’t all the culture has to offer, it is a part of it…one director Guy Ritchie (it can be debated later whether he was the right guy for this film or not) chose to highlight. Say what you will, the designs of the dresses, specifically Princess Jasmine’s are breathtaking.

What didn’t I like?

Some people should not sing. By now, you can read review after review praising Will Smith’s portrayal as the Genie and how he didn’t dare try to repeat what Robin Williams did. When you think about it, no one could really recreate that magic. What is not being talked about is how Smith sings in this film. Will Smith initially rose to popularity as a family-friendly, comedic rapper in the late 80s/early 90s, but he has never been one to belt out a tune, which makes it weird that they chose to have him do so in this film. Granted, a lot of of it is sing talking, but the rest…well, he isn’t horrible, but you aren’t going to go out and download a bunch of files of Smith singing. Couldn’t they have let someone else do the singing for him?

Feminist agenda. This is sure to ruffle some feathers and for that I am sorry, but this is my blog and my opinion. I prefer Jasmine’s character arc from the cartoon. In this adaptation they have made her want to be sultan which makes absolutely no sense. She’s a princess, albeit a strong-willed one, and nothing in her backstory suggests that she would ever want to be sultan. Oh wait…there is this movement where women have to have all the power, be strong, and not need a man. Nothing wrong with that, but when we see it in every….single…thing…it gets tedious, especially when it doesn’t particularly fit the character. Sure, a Jasmine that just sat around pining for a guy would not work, but the reverse doesn’t do anything for me, either. In some ways, this characterization ruined the character for me.

Jafar. We are all familiar with the tall, dark, and menacing Jafar. Not only is this the one that was used in the original animated version, but he is also based on the royal vizier from the silent film The Thief of Baghdad. So, what is wrong with this version? Well, if you were to run into the animated version in a dark alley, there would be a sense of fear and intimidation before he even spoke a word. With this one, other than his anger issues and background as a street thief, one isn’t really intimidated and that really takes away from the character. I mean, this is supposed to be the main antagonist and he doesn’t really cause one to quiver with fear.

Final verdict:

Like other reviewers, I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed Aladdin. This is a film that has received alot of bad press, starting with that horrible picture of Will Smith as the Genie. Rest assured, though, he kills it, as does Naomi Scott as Jasmine. I with the same could be said for Aladdin, but our main character takes a backseat for a good portion of the film. The songs are all given a hip hop edge to them that I could take or leave and Jasmine has a new feminist power song that I sort of like, but not enough to be belting it out like “Let It Go”, from a few years ago. So, with all this said, I have to say that it is best to stick with the original Aladdin. This live action remake is serviceable, but nothing compares to the original

4 out of 5 stars