Better than the Original

Rating: 8/10 (28 July 2019)

The original has AN EDGE with Robin Williams' brilliant, comedic, perfectly cadenced, impression-filled voiceover performance, but overall, I have to give THE EDGE to this better packaged version. While Smith doesn't manage to match Williams' charm, his portrayal of the Genie is more than satisfactory, bringing his own approach to fast-talking, and his "jive" charm to the equation.
What makes all the difference here is the more fleshed out story, and the more fleshed out characters. The stakes carry a broader spectrum to make the peril much heavier. Then when you look at Aladdin, Jasmine, Jafar, and yes, the Genie, you see so many more layers, and greater relatability than before. I am by no means done watching the original, anymore, but I am now much more likely to be in the mood for the remake---a rarity for me.