Lots of color and pep, good songs but derivative elements...

Rating: 6/10 (23 March 2009)

Arabian Nights tale via the Disney people, presented in the much-missed, regrettably vanquished hand-drawn era of animation. The Sultan's daughter must marry a prince in three days or be forced to wed her father's version of a concierge, who drips with disdain and evil; meanwhile, young rogue Aladdin and his pet monkey have been allowed into a hallowed cave of treasures where they rescue a manic genie from a magic lamp. In-jokes aside, the movie visually borrows from other Disney product (particularly "Sleeping Beauty" towards the end), not to mention "Raiders of the Lost Ark". It doesn't seem to have much spirit of its own apart from Robin Williams and his vocal hamming (which was seen as a tour-de-force in its time). There are funny bits and pieces, beautiful designs and scene transitions, and the romance between the young people comes off well. It's a little screechy and a little staid, with illogical rewrites to the Aladdin legend which do nothing but prolong the inevitable; however, the Disney magic is in evidence and the film is satisfying on a non-think level. **1/2 from ****