Entirely entertaining 25 years later

Rating: 9/10 (13 June 2017)

Aladdin is a thoroughly entertaining film, with the theme of being "trapped" resonant across all demographics. This is probably the funniest Disney film of the '90s, with a large part of that owing to Robin Williams' ostentatious genie. The incessant references might date the film a little--in fact, I believe Aladdin may be the first children's animation showcasing the trend of gratuitous pop culture references for the sake of a knowing laugh--But I digress, for the movie does manage to find comedy in other places too. Jafar, for example, is probably the perfect Disney villain: sarcastic, maleficent, and creepy as all hell. He inspires most of the action scenes, which are exhilarating and suspenseful mostly because they have a sense of real urgency; Aladdin doesn't just slip out without having a few (or 10) close calls. Many people have complained about Jasmine and Aladdin being bland stock characters, but I don't see that, especially for Jasmine. She was probably the most autonomous Disney princess at the time, and she has grace and charm without being simpering and dependent. All of the characters here are entertaining; even the notoriously grating Gilbert Gottfried as Iago garners quite a few laughs.
The two leads have a palpable chemistry, and are given a classic ballad to develop their relationship ("A Whole New World" is the best song here), but given Jasmine's obstinacy, could have been given a little bit more time to grow realistically, in my opinion. The short duration of the wooing doesn't impede our ability to see the characters having a happily ever after, though. The ending is saccharine, with the villain getting an ingenious comeuppance and everyone getting their dream's fulfillment, including the Genie, in a surprising show of compassion for a movie that largely focuses on making one's own dreams come true.
The music is also witty and exciting, but isn't as eloquent or stirring as Beauty and the Beast's soundtrack. However, Aladdin's engaging action, characters, and story more than make up for this. Aladdin is a classic tale that'll make you laugh and gasp (it's too sweet of a film to elicit a full on cry), and it definitely deserves a place in the Disney hall of fame (or your movie collection).