A magic-less tale

Rating: 2/10 (4 June 2019)

Aladdin (2019) lacks the 'feels' that the original had. The strongest thing about the film is the world-building of the city. The wardrobe, makeup, and production design is pretty impressive. It's refreshing to see a ethnically-appropriate actor play the character of Aladdin. I wish they had done the same with Jasmine (even though the actress is really beautiful). For a kids movie, I haven't seen so many bored children watching this film, even when Genie comes on screen. Aladdin, Genie, the Villain, are all not very engaging.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
The movie feels like they had some original ideas that were lost along the way- for example, Aladdin's acrobatics and inventiveness never comes in to play later on the movie. Another example- the bad guy says his origins are similar to Aladdin's- as a street-rat, but they never do anything interesting with that. There's Genie's B-Love-Story that ultimately is pretty boring and contrived, seems to be placed there just to pad the run-time. When Genie gets his freedom, what should have been a strong emotional scene is just so weak. You don't feel it. Almost like it was another mark on a checklist of things to do.
When you see that kids are yawning theough the magical carpet flying in the sky segment of the film, you know the wonder is missing. I wish they had done a better job with this retelling of classic Disney. It feels so called in, and unoriginal. It feels like a Hanna Montana episode on the Big-screen. Robin William's Genie is a hard act to follow. But it seems like the filmmakers and Will Smith didn't even get anywhere emotionally with the Genie- forget the antics.