A massive highlight for Disney

Rating: 7/10 (6 November 2005)

To be honest, even as a kid I didn't really like Disney films all that much - but there was one exception to that rule; and that was Aladdin. Maybe it was the characters, maybe it was the plot, or maybe it was simply the massive amount of fun that the film is; but something clicked then. And, upon seeing the film again as an adult; I can say that, despite the bar being raised for animation by the likes of Toy Story, Aladdin has lost none of what made it great upon release  and the fact that I enjoyed this film as much as my younger sister shows that Aladdin is fun for all ages. Because of the fact that animation has largely moved to 3D, there doesn't seem to be a lot of classic animation about; and that's a shame if you ask me, because I'd rather watch animation like this. The plot is, of course, based upon the classic story of 'Aladdin'; only it's been spruced up by all of the classic Disney elements. The characters are all overdone, there are lots of songs and there's lots of humour; but the classic yarn about a street urchin happening upon a magic genie lamp remains intact.
Critics raved about how well done the characters in Finding Nemo were, but Disney's best characters can be seen in this film. It's amazing how well thought-out they are, and while their motivations are mostly simple - all of the characters behave as you would expect them to do, and it's easy to get carried along with the emotional ride as well as enjoying all the songs and stuff. Speaking of the songs - they definitely give the movie most of it's highlights. I'm not a fan of musicals, but the songs here are extremely catchy and the images put in with them make the film memorable. I hadn't seen this flick for around eight years, but I still knew what was coming in most scenes just because the movie is so memorable. Of all the classic yarns, Aladdin is definitely one of; if not the, best as it has everything; lust for power, rags to riches, a romance, magic and more. The way that it's told will mean that younger children will enjoy it without bothering with the story, while the themes carry Aladdin through into a movie that can be enjoyed by older kids and adults. As mentioned, I don't like Disney much; but I make an exception for this film.