The Return of Jafar

The Return of Jafar (also known as Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar) is a 1994 American animated film that is a direct-to-video sequel to the 1992 animated film Aladdin, both produced by The Walt Disney Company. The film was released on May 20, 1994 and serves as the origin of the Aladdin animated series. Another direct-to-video sequel, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, followed in 1996.
The film centers on Jafar, the villain from the original film, trying to gain his revenge against Aladdin and his companions, Princess Jasmine, Genie, Abu, Carpet, the Sultan, and Iago (now turned against Jafar), and become the ruler of Agrabah.
It was the first Disney direct-to-video animated feature release, and was released on Special Edition DVD (with "Aladdin:" added to the title), with digitally restored picture and remastered sound. The Special Edition DVD along with the other two films in the series went back to the Disney Vault on January 31, 2008 in the U.S., and February 4, 2008 in the U.K.
The trailer of the film was seen on the 1994 release of The Fox and the Hound.
This was the first and only Aladdin full-length production without the original voice of Genie, Robin Williams. He was replaced by Dan Castellaneta (best known for voicing Homer Simpson), who also voiced the Genie in the animated series as well as in Kingdom Hearts. Williams returned as the Genie in Aladdin and the King of Thieves.
This was also the first Aladdin full-length production without the original voice of Sultan, Douglas Seale. He was replaced by Val Bettin, who also voiced the Sultan in the series' animated series and in Aladdin and the King of Thieves.
==Plot==
A clan of bandits, led by the incompetent Abis Mal, return to their hideout, only to have the brunt of their loot taken by Aladdin and Abu. Aladdin distributes the treasure amongst the poor of Agrabah - with the exception of a jewel flower, which Aladdin gives to Jasmine.
Meanwhile, in the desert, Iago manages to dig himself and Jafar's genie lamp out of the sand, where they were exiled by the Genie. Jafar orders Iago to release him, but Iago rebels against Jafar and throws the lamp into a nearby well. He returns to Agrabah, hoping to gain favor with Aladdin, in order to return to the palace. When he encounters Aladdin, his claim of being a slave under hypnosis does not fare well and is pursued. Aladdin runs into Abis Mal and his bandits, but is inadvertently rescued by Iago. Aladdin returns to the palace and jails Iago, promising to allow a fair trial. He and Jasmine are greeted by the Genie, who has returned from seeing the world and is content with staying with his friends.
At a special dinner held in Aladdin's honor, the Sultan announces that he wants to make Aladdin his new grand vizier. Trying to draw on the good mood, Aladdin attempts to persuade the Sultan to forgive Iago, but Iago inadvertently ruins the dinner when Rajah chases him into the room. The Sultan and Jasmine are furious at Aladdin, and Jasmine leaves the room heartbroken that Aladdin did not trust even her about this. With Iago's help, though, Jasmine eventually reconciles with Aladdin.
While Abis Mal is washing himself at a well, he finds Jafar's lamp and when it is rubbed, Jafar appears as an abominable genie. Although bound by the laws of obedience, Jafar manipulates his master into wasting his first two wishes, but forms an alliance to the end of exacting revenge upon Aladdin. The pair travel to Agrabah, where Jafar reveals himself to Iago and coerces him into complying with his schemes. The next day, Aladdin and the Sultan depart to have a discussion about Iago's fate, while Jafar confronts the Genie and Abu in the Palace gardens and imprisons them.
When Aladdin makes good progress with his discussions with the sultan, he is ambushed by Abis Mal, who is supported by Jafar's sorcery. The Sultan is kidnapped and Aladdin thrown into the raging river. Jafar frames Aladdin for the alleged murder of the sultan by leaving fake evidence and disguises himself as Jasmine to implicate Aladdin. Aladdin is thrown into the dungeon, to be executed by beheading come morning.
In the dungeon, Iago chooses to side with Aladdin's friends by releasing the Genie to save Aladdin. Once everyone is freed, Aladdin decides to destroy Jafar, which could only occur by destroying his lamp. Jafar and Abis Mal celebrate Aladdin's death, but Jafar demands to be set free. Abis Mal hesitates, being suspicious of Jafar's motives. Aladdin attempts to steal the lamp, but is discovered and is blown out of the throne room and into the palace garden by Jafar. Aladdin, Jasmine, the Genie, Abu and Carpet engage Jafar in combat, but even when bound by the rules of the Genie, he easily outmatches them, using his tremendous powers to stop them from obtaining the lamp. His indiscriminate use of power opens a fissure in the ground which is filled with magma. Thoroughly trapped, Aladdin, Jasmine, the Genie, and Abu face certain death when suddenly Iago reappears and grabs the lamp. Jafar blasts him, leaving him for dead, but Iago manages to recover and uses his last ounce of strength to kick the lamp into the magma. The lamp is destroyed, along with Jafar.
Iago recovers from his injuries, since a genie cannot kill. Aladdin announces to the Sultan that he is not yet ready to become a grand vizier, because he first wants to see the world. Jasmine declares that she will join him, but Iago objects to this and continues to rant as the film ends.
==Cast==
* Scott Weinger as Aladdin
* Jonathan Freeman as Jafar
* Gilbert Gottfried as Iago
* Dan Castellaneta as Genie
* Linda Larkin as Princess Jasmine
* Jason Alexander as Abis Mal
* Frank Welker as Abu and Rajah
* Val Bettin as Sultan
* Jim Cummings as Razoul
== Songs ==
*"Arabian Nights"
*"I'm Looking Out For Me"
*"Nothing Like A Friend"
*"Forget About Love"
*"You're Only Second Rate"
==Reception==
The film received a 30% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It also received 48% from the RT community.The Return of Jafar (Aladdin 2) (1994)
David Nusair of reelfilm.com summed up most of the negative feelings that contributed to this rating:
Despite the mostly negative reception, the film received a "two thumbs up" from Siskel & Ebert.Maverick / Widows Peak / The Return of Jafar (1994), Siskel & Ebert.org.
==Adaptations==
===Comic===
When Disney was publishing their own comics in the mid-90s, they produced a two issue Aladdin comic presenting an alternate version of The Return of Jafar. It was titled The Return of Aladdin. The comic is introduced by the Merchant from the first movie.
The story starts off showing that Aladdin has been particularly bored of palace life. Meanwhile, Jafar has escaped the Cave of Wonders. Iago is given the task of finding the right master for Jafar to manipulate. Their search seems hopeless as some people are able to enjoy all three wishes or messing up.
They find someone to use the lamp, who is known as Isabella, a master magician. Isabella is similar in appearance to Jafar (except his clothing is green). His first wish is to return to Agrabah Palace (as he performed entertainment to the sultan in #1). His second wish is for an army of soldiers to pursue Aladdin and Jasmine when they catch on to Jafar's presence. He is persuaded to use his third wish to trap Jafar and Iago in the lamp again, sending them back to the cave.
Due to persuasion by the Genie, the Sultan hires Isabella to a permanent entertainment job at the palace. The end of the story shows the merchant having a black lamp similar to Jafar's, but he claims it to be worthless.
===Video game===
The plot of this film is loosely used in Agrabah, one of the worlds in Kingdom Hearts II, only with Abis Mal being replaced by the Peddler from the first film. As in the film, Iago escapes from Jafar and does his best to make amends with Aladdin and Jasmine, as well as with Sora, Donald and Goofy, although Jafar coerces him into aiding him in his revenge, almost damaging Iago's friendship with Aladdin and Sora, but he redeems himself after taking a blow for Aladdin which almost claims his life. The Peddler, at the beginning, comes across Jafar's lamp, but sells it to Aladdin, Sora, Donald and Goofy for a rare artifact in the Cave of Wonders. Despite Aladdin sealing the lamp in the palace dungeon, the greedy Peddler breaks into the dungeon and frees Jafar, unleashing his fury on Agrabah until he is destroyed by Sora and company. The Peddler's fate is left ambiguous. This was the first Disney sequel to have its plot adapted into a level in the Kingdom Hearts series, which was the followed by the Grid being an adaptation of Tron Legacy.
Furthermore, there is a mild allusion to the Agrabah boss battle in Kingdom Hearts. Sora must fight Jafar in Genie form, surrounded by a lava pit with raising and lowering levels, while Iago flies above with Jafar's lamp. Only striking the lamp has any effect on Jafar's health. This fight also takes place in the second game, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and its PlayStation 2 remake. In both versions of Chain of Memories, the boss fight is due to the majority of the game being illusions created from Sora's memories. A second playable character, Riku, also fights the boss in his mode. This battle is once again visited in Kingdom Hearts Coded and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.
==References==
==Links==
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Category:Films
Category:Disney's Aladdin
Category:DisneyToon Studios animated films
Category:Disney direct-to-video films
Category:English-language films
Category:Direct-to-video sequel films
Category:Films featuring anthropomorphic characters
Category:American animated films
Category:Genies in film
Category:1994 animated films
Category:1994 direct-to-video films
Category:Films with instrumental credit music
Category:Fourth Wall
Category:Blockbusters
Category:Princess Films
Category:Films about princesses
Category:Disney Princess
Category:Films set in the Middle East
Category:1990s children's animated films
Category:Rated G
Category:Disney Renaissance