Make way for the Fresh Prince; Disney ain't ever had a friend like him.

Rating: 6/10 (7 September 2019)

When discussing Guy Ritchie's 'Aladdin' remake, it's impossible not to get caught up on the fact that it's exactly that: a remake. This new wave of live action Disney do-overs is pretty harmful to the filmmaking industry, as the majority of them (including this) have been enormously successful at the box-office, telling behemoths like Disney that this is what audiences want. It isn't. Or at least it shouldn't be. I'd much rather watch the original 'Aladdin' (1992) and have something new to see at the cinema than have to watch every classic again in an inferior way. Thankfully, though, this version of the flick is nowhere near as bad as it could have been. It's pointless, yes, but it's here and I have to admit it's a fairly entertaining time. The first portion moves rather slowly and it's not all that enjoyable, but things really take a turn for the better upon the arrival of Will Smith's Genie. Somehow the aspect of the piece that people were most worried about is the best thing about it. He's an entertaining character and Smith really brings him to life in a satisfying way. The relationship between Aladdin and the Genie is well realised here, too, and the middle portion of the film is actually rather fun. Naomi Scott is a good choice for Jasmine, as well, and she works well together with Mena Massoud, even if the script doesn't develop their relationship all too well. Surprisingly, the musical numbers are also pretty good. While the visuals are often copied straight from the original film, the actual music is enjoyable. Despite them all, bar one which is good if a little too pop-sounding, being taken from the original, they manage to sound fresh thanks to the cast - especially Smith. The updated versions stand on their own and Smith's style fits them surprisingly well, meaning that whenever there's a song, it's a fun time - something really important considering that this is a musical. It doesn't just remind you of how good the songs in the original were either, it actually makes you like and remember these new versions. It's not all good though; the film is far too long. Somehow they managed to take the exact same story that took 90 minutes and tell it in 128, and you can feel it. Also, while it is entertaining to an extent, there have been far more enjoyable family films this year that are a lot more original than this. Overall, it's a decent, if overlong, watch that can actually be fairly enjoyable. Like I said though, it's never outstanding and it's originality is severely lacking. Without Smith, this wouldn't have been anywhere near as successful. 6/10