![]() Filling Robin Williams’ shoes is a difficult task, and when he first appears, Smith’s iteration of the genie is indeed the blue hued nightmare that we feared it would be. Ironically, the element that struck the most condemnation from the general populace, Will Smith’s Genie, is actually the film’s saving grace (though I might argue Billy Magnussen‘s very brief but hilarious and strange appearance as Prince Anders is a close second). That’s it’s completely of a different songwriting style and sticks out like a sore thumb only serves to highlight that latter bit of manipulation. A star-making turn, and Disney knows it, having supplied her with a new zeitgeisty song that doubles as a bit of a reach for Top 40 radio airplay. Naomi Scott‘s Jasmine fares much better, with a “blow you away” singing style and an ability to make the role her own beyond mere mimicry. It’s a consistently off-note performance that only gets marginally better as the Genie (again Smith) strides onto screen or he’s able to hide behind the cgi spectacle and well-worn musical numbers. Even up-front, trouble rears its head in this arena, as it often seems like Massoud is trying to scan cue-cards right off camera. ![]() Sadly, his line readings are where this Aladdin falls rather short. Physically, you couldn’t cast a better real-life realization, and vocally, he acquits himself fairly well in line with the Scott Weinger/Brad Kane combo that teamed up to bring the original portrayal to bear. Massoud, an exceptionally attractive figure, looks like the cartoon hero come to life. It’s all very quick paced and in your face, and hits an awkward boiling point when we’re first introduced to Aladdin ( Mena Massoud), a starving thief, who scampers through Agrabah parkour style while warbling through the Menken/Rice “One Jump Ahead” number. We’re introduced to Jafar’s ( Marwan Kenzari) struggle to find the “diamond in the rough” that will be allowed to enter the tiger-headed cave that holds the magic lamp that will allow the villain the unlimited power he seeks. The epic of Aladdin’s quest to win over the heart of Princess Jasmine, his discovery of the lamp in the Cave of Wonders, and his struggle with Jafar remains a fairly propulsive proposition, though there’s a creakiness that’s hard to shake and the new elements that are added are a mixed bag.įor it’s first half-hour, Ritchie’s effort gets off on a terrible foot, opening with the Arabian Nights framing device (this time sung with as much pitch correction as possible via a bearded boatman played by Will Smith). But, to Ritchie and team’s credit, they have a wonderful backbone to work from and they avoid any temptation to fix what isn’t broken. ![]() There’s little in the way of surprises to be found here. The plot is the same (with a tiny additional wrinkle or two), the songs remain the same (with a tiny additional wrinkle or two), even the performances are basically pitched in league with the original’s voice talent. That Disney can do all of this without having to expend a lot of creative energy is probably the point, one that rankles me a bit as a critic and cinephile, but on the other hand, the immediate access it gives to children new to the material, having to make due with Disney’s ridiculous system of “vaulting” their films, gives way to some level of merit even if it’s nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy.Īladdin, the live-action take, is basically a beat for beat recreation of that earlier film. Putty to be molded in the mouse’s hands, we were.Ģ016’s The Jungle Book was a strong hit for the studio, playing with fidelity to the memories of those who wanted to relive the old effort with new eyes, while also providing an entre for a younger audience who may never have come into contact with the original. It was the talk of my 5th grade playground, and you better believe that my friends and I all were chomping at the bit to get ahold of the direct-to-video sequel that came out a year later. A film that, frankly, was one of this critic’s earliest cinematic obsessions. Disney’s fascination with live action remakes of their animated back-catalog produces another notch in the proverbial belt this week with the release of Aladdin, Guy Ritchie‘s spin on the 1992 classic. ![]()
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