Disney have decided to remake many of their classic animated films, we have had The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast and most recently Dumbo. Now we have Aladdin.
There have been high expectations for this film, however a lot of people weren't happy that Will Smith was the genie. For most people Robbin Williams will always be the voice of the genie. I have to say I think I prefer Robbin Williams as the genie, as I found him more comical. However, Will Smith did do a good job and made his own version of the genie. Robin Williams was and still is loved by so many, he was a very funny man who is missed by many. Even though a handful of people didn’t want Will Smith to have this character, I think he did well, and his performance was really enjoyable. What was lovely to see in this version of Aladdin, was that the genie also fell in love.
Mena Massoud plays Aladdin, he is very charming and has a cheeky smile which fits perfectly with this character. In the original film, Aladdin does lots of jumping around and stunts to survive and get away from the guards. What was impressive was that we still got to see all that action in this live remake, and it was believable. Massoud is very athletic and a good performer.
Jasmine is our fierce and feisty princess who goes against the rules when she can. All Jasmine wants is to see the world, not be trapped inside the palace and be the first female Sultan. In this remake, Jasmine, played by Naomi Scott, gets a brand-new song to this film, which centres on not staying quiet/speechless and speaking up. Back when this film was set, the princess was supposed to be seen and not heard but Jasmine is strong-willed and knows her own mind so speaks out. In the end by Jasmine speaking her mind she gets the approval from her father that she is ready and will be a fantastic Sultan. This new song, Speechless, is an empowering song, which centres on women and could even be minorities to speak out as no one should ever be made to feel that they are speechless. Everyone has a voice and they should be heard. Scott is amazing in this film; you feel her pain from being repressed but also the pain of seeing the people she cares about suffering.
Jafar, our villain, obsessed with power and in the end that is his downfall. Marwan Kenzari definitely does Jafar justice with his performance. From the moment we see him, we know not to trust him and that he is a powerful man who will do anything to get what he wants.
There are moments in this film which pulls on your heart strings, my favourite moment from this film was when the genie was given his freedom by Aladdin. This was played brilliantly by both Will Smith and Mena Massoud, there was pure joy and shock. Very little was said but no words were needed, the facial expressions from Will Smith spoke so much. You could tell they are true friends and there is a lot of love there.
Overall, this live-action remake was good, although at times you can tell certain aspects are fake. For example, certain close ups on the magic carpet and when Aladdin and Jasmine are on the back of a carriage you can clearly tell there is either a green screen or the background has been manipulated in some way as something appears off. With that being said, the sets are beautiful, and you do become immersed in this world that has been created.
I still love the original film, but this new version is still good and tells the story of a poor boy finding love with a princess with the help of a genie. There are good performances from all the actors and the songs are still as good. This new film is almost identical to the original, but the differences still make this version worth a watch. Aladdin 2019 is good, and I did enjoy watching it and would watch again however I think the original will always be my favourite. Although for a lot of young children who might have not seen the original this is still a good film for them to fall in love with this story.
