Fun, though Robin Williams grates on the nerves

Rating: 8/10 (22 October 2005)

This is a typical Disney treatment of an old story, contemporized for the 90's with dozens of pop references and sensibilities.
The voice actors do a wonderful job creating believable characters with one exception. While Gilbert Gottfried as Iago may irritate some, at least he is in character as a schemer. On the other hand, Robin Williams as the Genie is like getting a filling at the dentist without Novocaine. His vaunted "stream of consciousness" improvisational skills never click (if they ever did), and it detracts from the period of the story.
The songs are wonderful, and in this even Williams' showcases aren't too bad. Especially good is Lea Salonga as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine.