Distinct enough to work for the most part

Rating: 7/10 (5 January 2020)

(I give this a 7.4, but a 7 works fine)
Disney sure seems oddly content with making remakes nowadays, and while it can sometimes work, there are times where the only thing the remake will do is wonder about it's existence. While I can understand how some may feel that way with this film, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised with it. After watching the incredibly dull remake of "The Lion King" (which I saw before this), I was worried. The original film is one of my childhood favorites, and to see that be poorly remade would hurt. Thankfully, that's not entirely the case here. The performances were all spot on and awesome, which helped give new life to classic characters. Sure, the likes Jafar and the Sultan seem to be different characteristically than their animated counterparts, but it's not enough to ruin them in any way. The music, overall, is also fantastic, as it's not only classic, but it's got its own style that helps it be its own thing. Speaking of, Will Smith's portrayal of the Genie was shockingly great, and while no performance would be anywhere near as iconic as Robin Williams version of the genie, Will Smith, as well as the writing surrounding the character, does a great job in bringing something familiar, yet fresh to the table. I also appreciate how the writing in this film, while true to the original, mixes a few things up a bit, such as Jasmines friend wanting to be with the genie, as well as Jasmine wanting to do what's best for herself. While that's all well and good, this film still suffers from a few problems. One of them being the pacing. The original always had a somewhat simple story, and this film is no different. However, there are times where the film can feel a bit stretched out, whereas the original never had this problem. A few minor characters, such as Iago and the sultan have way less characterization than the 1992 film. Iago is now a normal evil parrot that can sometimes shape-shift at the end, and the sultan has very little backstory, which is somewhat disappointing, since both of them were far more interesting and memorable in the original. The CGI is good, but not the best I've seen in a Disney live action film. It's all gorgeous, colorful, and lively, but they didn't quite look as real as they feel like they should be. It still worked well enough, but there were times where the CGI stuck out more than it would've if it were handled a little better. Again, far from bad, but something still worth noting. Overall, this movie is a bit harder to digest than the original for more than one reason, but I give it major credit for having its own identity. Sure, a lot of the things have been recreated, but never to the point that it seems pointless. I was still invested because of how distinctive it is and how well everything that worked was executed. It's beautiful, faithful, and often flawed. While this isn't quite as fun as the original, it's still a good time that's distinct enough to work for the most part. It's nothing essential, as the original is still far superior, but it's got enough magic to be a good remake, making this an easy recommendation for those with an open mind.