Fantasy Guy Ritchie Directing Disney's Aladdin

[natnut]

Just saw the movie. Lots of thoughts, but I'll say this: I really loved the movie (better than Beauty & The Beast for sure), especially in those times when it added new material to the story - there were some great changes. But I always felt like it wasn't quite enough, like the changes weren't brave enough, big enough:
For instance

Spoiler

they reveal that Jafar was a street thief like Aladdin in his youth - but it's only so they can justify a scene later when Jafar nabs the lamp from Aladdin. I would have loved a more sympathetic picture of Jafar from this movie - because, for a moment, you almost think you might get one, as he talks to Aladdin early in the film, and then he just goes full evil and is never relateable again. That annoyed me.
Another instance was Jasmine and the Sultan - the whole movie, they're building up the idea that Jasmine is going to be the Sultan, and that we'll see her lead Agrabah: they introduce a brief subplot about her mother's native kingdom, and how Jafar wants to go war with that kingdom now, for unexplained reasons, and how she wants to prevent that. From that point on, I was expecting us to get payoff - that the Sultan would die or be killed by Jafar, and Jasmine would take up the mantle. But no. We just get a promise from the Sultan that Jasmine will lead after him. There were a lot of points they could have killed him off and had Jasmine step in, but they never went there.

It was stuff like that, that really annoyed me, because there's a lot of potential - in fact, the whole time while I was watching, I was thinking that this movie could be a really impressive drama. There's a lot of stuff in the movie that, if it were expanded upon, could have really made the film unique. But instead, it kind of gets lost amid all the rest.

Naomi Scott is the standout performance - oddly, she never quite felt like Jasmine from the original film: she was better. Far better, I'd say. I've heard a lot of people saying Jasmine's song felt out-of-place but I genuinely loved the way they did it. Her song "Speechless" is incredible - I'm going to have it stuck in my head for days.

Speaking of the songs, the musical numbers are without a doubt the best parts of the film - "A Whole New World" is fantastic (though I thought it felt rather short: did anyone else feel that?). The dance number at the beginning, in the marketplace, was really quite good.

I could have done without Aladdin reminiscing about his dead mother, and the song she used to sing to him, and then Jasmine saying it was the same song her mother sang to her...I know it's a hallmark of Disney movies, but that whole section of the film felt like a copy-and-paste from Beauty & The Beast to me.

Mena Massoud, very solid performance. A lot of his dialogue is a bit cringey, but I think it's more the script's fault than his.

Jafar, as I said, could have been very sympathetic due to certain changes, but failed to be. I wasn't crazy about the actor, and his voice still bothered me.

One thing from the trailers that did not bother me in the final film was the Genie - Will Smith is superb, hilarious, and entirely his own. Never once did he feel like he was doing a Robin Williams impression. I LOVED a certain plot twist in his story, and thought it did a lot to humanize him.

Yeah, I really enjoyed it, honestly, though it had its flaws. Probably a 7.5/10 for me.

I suspect why they didn't go far enough with the new plot additions to the current movie is that they are planning to expand on those plot points in a sequel.

 

[THORin]

I suspect why they didn't go far enough with the new plot additions to the current movie is that they are planning to expand on those plot points in a sequel.

I hope there is a sequel, honestly. I think it could be even better.

 

[terry78]

And bring Iago back as a good guy per the series?

 

[Primal Slayer]

And bring Iago back as a good guy per the series?

He's just an average bird so I dont think he'd add much.

 

[terry78]

Sarcasm I guess.

 

[Schlosser85]

Yea this Iago is basically just a parrot, he's not really a real character.

 

[Prison Mike]

I hope there’s a sequel!

 

[TheVileOne]

I never want to see a sequel to this. Especially with that horrendous version of Jafar.

 

[Dark Raven]

For a sequel they could adapt elements of the original Aladdin story. Maybe have someone pretending to be his uncle who is really a wicked sorcerer who wants to get his hands on the lamp.

 

[Lily Adler]

I suspect why they didn't go far enough with the new plot additions to the current movie is that they are planning to expand on those plot points in a sequel.

Or they just pulled a BatB and added elements to the plot and just didn't fully explore them? *cough*Belle can invent things, mother's death, Beast criticizes her love for Romeo and Juliet*cough*.

 

[p4poetic]

Jafar wasnt bland at all to me. Especially in the third act. I think people were expecting too much cartoon.

It took some adjusting when I first heard Jafar be so soft spoken, but I get what the actor was going for. I think he got better toward the end of the film.

It seems like he was maybe holding back from chewing scenery (which I find totally okay for this kind of film). I think he should’ve hammed it up a bit more.

 

[The Shape]

My wife forced me to take her to see this yesterday. I saw the original animated Aladdin in theaters backs when I was a little kid.

This was okay. Naomi Scott was the clear standout and one of the few actors who seemed to actually be able to sing really well. Other than that, I don't have too much else to say about it.

All the small kids in my theater seemed to be totally eating it up, though, so there's that. It's really for them, anyway.

 

[daddydivine]

Haven't seen it... Probably catch it on Disney+. But glad it's doing well since the Will Smith hate on this was ridiculous.

 

[The Caped Knight]

 

[jolldan]

Finally got in to see it last night.

Overall I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised after going in with pretty low expectations. Not because of Smith's genie more just I wasn't sure in general how the movie would translate to live action.

Highs

• Will Smith as Genie, after some seriously dodgy cgi in the trailer I didn't think he would look good but he both looked good and had some great comedic moments. He's not as memorable as Robin Williams but its a really good performance.
• Agrabah, not sure who the credit goes to here but the sets of the city and the palace were so colorful and well done that they really drew you in.
• The Songs, Not all of them but was great to here some of the classics with modern twists like Friend Like Me and Prince Ali.

Lows

• Horrible use of Iago, can't believe they took one of the funniest characters from the originals and just sort of stripped him of all that made him interesting.
• Jaffar's actor was terribly miscast imo and I just thought he was a big let down to be honest.

I never want to see a sequel to this. Especially with that horrendous version of Jafar.

I will agree with that dude was my least favorite part of the movie.

I hope there’s a sequel!

I would think the way they ended the story with the Genie would mean they're only doing one, could easy be wrong though.

 

[Silvermoon]

Just got back from seeing it. Really enjoyed it. While Jafar was probably the biggest letdown, he wasn’t *as bad* as I feared he would be.

Loved Will as Genie, Naomi did awesome and I love that they gave more meat to her character

 

[tanita_mors]

Jafar was a letdown, but I loved that he was basically Aladdin who wasn't a diamond in the rough - he is who Aladdin would become if he wasn't a good human being. And how he fit the archetype of "that guy" who goes after the lamp. The idea of who Jafar is was excellent - the execution not so much.

The only other part I didn't love was Jasmine's solo song - I loved she wanted to be sultan, just the song was subpar compered to the others and the staging of it really unimaginative.

Arabian night is fantastic - both the visual and the audio (Smith really sold it)- I actually have been listening to it non stop - particularly the part " There's a road that may lead you to good or to greed, Through the power your wishing commands, Let the darkness unfold or find fortunes untold, Well, your destiny lies in your hands".

The Aladdin actor really surprised me, actually all three leads were fantastic.

 

[Crosswind Ghost]

Just passed 600m WW. Has a shot at 700 next weekend. Current legs gives it a chance at 900 total. With such great WOM, don't be shocked if a sequel is announced in the near future.

 

[Lily Adler]

Just passed 600m WW. Has a shot at 700 next weekend. Current legs gives it a chance at 900 total. With such great WOM, don't be shocked if a sequel is announced in the near future.

Return of Jafar/King of Thieves live action mashup. What what!!!

 

[tanita_mors]

Return of Jafar/King of Thieves live action mashup. What what!!!

Hey, why not. Aladdin and The Rescuers are the only Disney animated movies whose sequel/s I love and have watched more then once, and are really any good.

 

[THORin]

Hey, why not. Aladdin and The Rescuers are the only Disney animated movies whose sequel/s I love and have watched more then once, and are really any good.

OMG, complete tangent here, but Rescuers Down Under is such a good movie - or at least it was when I last watched it, years ago.

 

[DarkKnight88]

None of the DTV crap Disney sequels are any good. That includes Aladdin.

Rescuers works because it had a top team working on it as Disney’s first theatrical sequel.

 

[Drizzle]

None of the DTV crap Disney sequels are any good. That includes Aladdin.

I actually think The Lion King 2 was their best output on the DTV sequel front. Aladdin and the King of Thieves is okay, but that’s mainly because of Robin Williams returning.

 

[MadVillainy]

I like Lion King 2 and Lion King 1 1/2

 

[TheAQU4M4N]

It might just be me, but I feel like the movie felt rushed even though it was much longer than the animated movie. Smith definitely was great what surprised me was his take on “Arabian Nights”. The whole “monkey” thing with Abu took me away from the film too. It was a lot to really win me over with this film seeing as its by my favorite animated Disney film. Was hoping they’d sneak in “Proud of Your Boy”. I’d give it a solid 7/10