ALADDIN 2019

Rating: 5/10 (27 May 2019)

Minor "spoilers" possibly...
This is a tough one. On the one hand, it's yet another substandard, artificial, committee funded, market researched, and socially progressive remake...and one that gets lost in translation from animation to live action. And yet I'd be remiss to say that I didn't enjoy this movie. It wasn't good, but there were things to like, and the final feeling was an overall good one...The problem is is that certain things that worked perfectly for the animated classic don't really belong in the live action version, at least this movie made no effort to justify their being carried over (I'm looking at you Iago). The lad who plays Aladdin was likable and but somehow I feel he wasn't the best choice. He's certainly not a singer and his performance was awkward at times, particularly when he tries to be funny. He lacks that rugged scrapper quality you would expect out of Aladdin (especially Guy Ritchie street Aladdin)... Naomi Scott did a good job, she looks great and can really sing too. Although they try to give her character more of an arc this time, it ultimately doesn't work. Her arc literally interrupts the momentum of the third act just so she can have a very forced musical number that's trying to be the next "Let it go".... The guy who plays Jafar wasn't terribly charismatic and his take of the villain pales in comparison to animated Jafar... Will Smith was easily the best part of the movie. To his credit, he doesn't try to do a Robin Williams impersonation, he makes the Genie his own...Still certain moments were fun (i.e. Aladdin dancing at the party, anything with the genie, some of the musical numbers....some of that was really awkward though yikes)....The film certainly feels like a Disney product. Everyone is dressed impeccably, even Aladdin who's supposed to be a hobo and a street rat...the city of Agrabah never transcends feeling like a set...there is a lot of CGI and some of it is jarring when blended with the live action elements...it lacks the down and dirty grit you'd expect from Guy Ritchie...It feels more manufactured and manipulative than real, in the moment and natural. Unfortunately, its more often jarring, awkward, and disappointing in comparison....Yet Overall It's fun and enjoyable. It gives you the feels, it makes you laugh. It entertains you and takes you away for two hours... Its just In the end you can't help but wonder - what was the point of this? to remind us to go watch the original? which is so obviously superior in almost every way...