As Disney continues to rule the box office for 2019 (four of its films have made the top ten for takings worldwide), it shouldn’t come as a surprise that not one but two of its films will be the blockbusters that take up nearly every screen at the local multiplex this summer. Directed by Guy Ritchie, whose credits include ‘RocknRolla’ and the most recent movie version of Sherlock Holmes, Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ has been through the live action machine and so joins the increasing canon of adaptations catered to modern audiences. The story follows street urchin Aladdin (Mena Massoud) as he falls in love with the beautiful Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), acquires the help of the wish-granting Genie (Will Smith), and battles the nefarious Jafar.
I’m sure I’m not the only person who approached this film with some level of trepidation. The original animation released in 1992 was decent enough (my favourite was ‘Cinderella’ growing up), so why make the same film twice when it was fine first time round? One very simple reason: so Disney can have its wish granted to continue its nearly constant reign of box office domination. Putting my initial scepticism to one side, I found that I really enjoyed the experience from start to finish. This version of ‘Aladdin’ is an ebullient, dazzling musical adventure that will satisfy audiences old and young with its charming cast and striking colour palette. The CGI effects are excellent as to be expected with Disney’s astronomical budget, the cinematography is clean and polished throughout, and the production design in the ‘Prince Ali’ parade sequence is a spectacular extravaganza of carnivalesque buoyance and pleasing visuals.
Mena Massoud has boyish charm aplenty as leading man Aladdin, however, his considerably more subdued performance is not winning enough to hold its own against Will Smith, whose hip-hopping, matchmaking Genie chews up the scenery with pinpoint comic timing and overflowing bags of charisma. Smith is careful not to do an imitation of the late Robin Williams and makes the role his own to refreshingly fun effect. On the back of the feminist criticism towards Jasmine’s lack of characterisation in the original, the writers have worked at empowering her role and gave her a show-stopping solo number. Whilst I liked this modern adjustment, it didn’t have a substantial effect on the overall narrative of the film. There were moments where the mise-en-scène looked like a frame by frame replica of the original for fear of departing too much from the source material. What the film lacks in artistic creativity, it makes up for in its goodhearted, if slightly moralistic tone and high enjoyment factor for the family. One thing’s for sure, Guy Ritchie’s ‘Aladdin’ has stirred up my excitement for the next big release this summer.
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