'Laddin

Rating: 4/10 (20 January 2020)

So far, I haven't enjoyed any of the Disney Live Action Remakes and this absolutely isn't going to change that. It's just unnecessary. It's the same movie, just without the perfect original cast, the cartoonish whimsy or the thinly veiled racism.
Ok, that last one isn't a terrible thing to lose, and the cast isn't entirely awful. The new Aladdin and Jasmine do quite well, actually, they look the part and sound great. Jafar is ruined though. In the original, he was a manipulative, wicked yet smooth monster and in this he's just so sniveling and whiny. So not intimidating or fear inducing.
Then there's Will Smith. Easily the biggest name here and, honestly probably one of the best contemporaries around that could play the genie. He's got swagger, a sense of humor and he's musical. I absolutely see why the studio would pick him. He's no Robin Williams though and frankly can't even compete, but he tries.
My biggest issue with this movie, aside from the whole "it's pointless to make a shot for shot remake of an existing classic" thing that bothers so many, myself included. No, my biggest issue is the anachronistic change to Jasmine. Disney goes out of their way to empower the character, which I'm all for Female empowerment but this movie takes place in like 8th Century in a Middle Eastern country. People still have their hands chopped off for pickpocketing here, as evidenced in one of the first songs. So while I'm totally on board with female empowerment, back then it really didn't feel realistic. Have her toss him out for lying to her or something rather than rewriting history.
Anyhow, that just bugged me. Don't try to force modern ethics and sensibilities into a period piece movie. Of course the movie also features a genie, magic carpet and elephant monkey so... maybe I shouldn't take it so serious?