Will Smith is Genie in Aladdin
Disney’s much-anticipated live-action movie, ALADDIN, opens in theaters Friday, May 24, 2019.
“Aladdin” is the next story in the Disney Renaissance line up to get the live-action treatment. The Disney Renaissance refers to the time period between 1989 and 1999 when Disney transformed classic fairy tales into epic musicals like “Beauty and The Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and more. You can read more about this in my book “101 Movies To See Before You Grow Up.”
The 2019 version of “Aladdin” is based on the 1992 animated movie starring the inimitable Robin Williams who put his unique comedic stamp on the Genie with his unstoppable barrage of jokes and energy. The live-action movie is directed Guy Ritchie (“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword”), who knew he had to switch things up by not simply copying and pasting cartoons into humans.
Aladdin
I was very excited to see Aladdin on the big screen again since this was the first movie we took our son to see in a theater when he was only two years old. And I will admit, I liked the movie. The vivid costumes and Bollywood style performances are exactly what I wanted to see. The CGI in this movie is quite spectacular (especially the Magic Carpet), and it really ads to this movie’s opulent sets and extravagant musical numbers.
Aladdin Jasmine Naomi Scott
Aladdin is played by a very likeable Mena Massoud, and Princes Jasmine is beautifully portrayed by Naomi Scott. To me, they both embody their cartoon counterparts very well. I found myself invested in these two characters from the beginning. Their voices and on-screen paring are really good.
Aladdin Will Smith as Genie
But I had a little trouble with Genie, though. Will Smith stars as the Genie and he put his own spin on the character. When we first see Genie emerge from the lamp in the Cave of Wonders, it’s hard not to stare at the blue paint covering Smith’s body, but it’s even harder to take your eyes off the blue, glittery, gaseous tornado swirling from Smith’s waist down. It looks odd, but it does the trick.
Could Will Smith be the Genie for a new generation? It seems no one in this production was under the impression that Robin Williams’ iconic Genie could be duplicated, and Will Smith was the first one to recognize this was practically impossible. To this end, Smith’s delivery seems intentionally slower and paused, the opposite of the original Genie’s character. This aspect makes it easier for the younger set to follow the Genie’s antics and quips. However, it seems that to make up for the deliberate dialogue a few scenes are sped up with a strobe effect. So, if you’re expecting to see and feel the same level of vigor Williams put into our blue friend, then you’re in for a surprise.
Aladdin Jafar
Abu, our favorite mischievous monkey, is absolutely adorable! On the other hand, Iago and Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) the villan, don’t have the menacing or threatening roles you’d expect. Iago barely speaks, and when he does squawk it’s not with the Gottfried high-pitched shrieks we might be expecting.
Though the movie stays close to the original, it also has a few new things. One of them is a whole new song, Speechless, sung by Naomi Scott. This musical number brings Princess Jasmine’s character into present current events; she demands to have her opinions and thoughts heard and not be treated like a damsel in distress or just another Sultan’s daughter.
Aladdin Behind The Scenes Set
Overall, this is a great family movie full of color, music, and fun banter. All the familiar songs are in it, and both Friend Like Me and Prince Ali have huge, lavish, colorful numbers. Though we get 40 minutes more than the original animated movie, I would have liked more punch, pizzazz, yahoo and how instead. But Aladdin does a very good job of entertaining all age groups and introducing the younger generation to this very popular story.
ALADDIN
Release Date May 24, 2019
Rated PG
Run Time 2 hours and 8 minutes
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