Remaking a Disney classic animated film for a new generation is always tough. It’s even tougher when that live-action adaptation is of a beloved classic like Aladdin. In Guy Ritchie’s modern retelling, certain elements of the original wisely get an upgrade while the rest of it stays faithful to the animated version.
You know the story: Orphan Aladdin spends his days stealing food from the market and conning rich women out of their jewelry to survive. But the good-hearted guy wishes people would recognize he’s not just a street rat and has more to offer the world. When the Vizier of Agrabah, Jafar, enlists his help to steal a magical lamp, Aladdin meets the Genie and his life changes. Pretending to be a prince, Aladdin falls for the feisty Princess Jasmine, but eventually, he has to choose between keeping up the charade and revealing his true identity.
Does Aladdin recapture the magic of the original? Read on for three reasons why you should see it when it hits theaters this weekend.
1. Mena Massoud And Naomi Scott’s Chemistry
When Mena Massoud, a relative unknown, and Naomi Scott, who, to that point, had Power Rangers as her notable career highlight, were cast in the roles of Aladdin and Jasmine, the internet went, “Who?” In this retelling of Aladdin, their unknown quality works to their advantage. Rather than the audience seeing big-name actors and being unable to separate the person from the part, Massoud and Scott are able to step into their roles and make them their own. It may be Will Smith understandably front and center in the marketing campaign, but Massoud and Scott anchor everything. Their chemistry is its beating heart and what quietly drives the magic of the movie.
The first twenty minutes or so are admittedly a little flat. But once everyone finds their footing, the film opens up and breathes. As Aladdin, Massoud captures the insouciant, cheeky charm that is the characters’s trademark. But he also plays the diamond in the rough with a vulnerability that is lacking in the animated version. Maybe it’s those big, brown puppy dog eyes, but Massoud projects an innocence despite Aladdin’s years on the streets that creates a heartfelt undercurrent to his story.
Scott, meanwhile, brings the same savvy fieriness to Jasmine that she had in the original movie. The difference is, Ritchie smartly gives her an expanded storyline here, allowing Scott to have agency as Jasmine that the princess didn’t have in the original movie. She is feisty – but in this modern version, she actually has the chance to use her iron will and cleverness to affect the storyline and help herself rather than Aladdin having to do all the saving.
2. Stunning World-Building And Gorgeous Visuals
Production designer Gemma Jackson and costume designer Michael Wilkinson are the unsung heroes of the film. Aladdin is a riot of vibrant hues and rich textures, an eye-popping, dazzling fairy tale world. In the press conference for the movie, Jackson explained she had to design the world not just at street level, but also from the top down – there are plenty of literal and figurative bird’s eye views in the movie. Whether it’s Aladdin up high in his crow’s nest perches, seeing the world from above on the flying magic carpet, or Iago the parrot soaring over the city, the fictional Agrabah is as gorgeous and detailed from above as it is at ground level.
Likewise, Wilkinson outdoes himself with the costumes, particularly with Jasmine’s gowns. His version of her trademark turquoise belly dancer costume comes complete with hand-beaded peacock feathers and endless layers of detailing. But Jasmine goes through a number of costume changes, each more stunning and intricate than the last. Other costume details deserve praise, however. I found myself staring at Aladdin’s Prince Ali boots and marveling at the detail of the stitching. Everywhere your eye lands in Aladdin, there is a pop of vibrant color or an interesting, intricate fold and texture. It very well might win Best Costume and/or Best Production Design and it deserves to.
3. It’s All The Music You Love – And One Amazing New Song
I screened Aladdin a week ago and I still have the songs in my head. The music is infectious and timeless. However, living legend Alan Menken chooses to update his classic songs with a fresh twist in this remake. The music draws upon Bollywood dance numbers, hip-hop beats, and other influences that re-invigorate it. And okay, yeah, Will Smith definitely can’t sing. But he’s an entertainer through and through and radiates a larger-than-life persona that makes you overlook that weak spot, wisely approaching “Never Had A Friend Like Me” less like a showstopping musical number and more like a hip hop concert song.
But the best surprise is the brand-new song written specifically for the movie, this one just for Jasmine herself. And oh, man, can Naomi Scott sing. She has a set of pipes on her so good it’s almost shocking. Her song, “Speechless,” just may be the “Let it Go” of 2019: empowering and uplifting, a young woman singing about all the ways in which she won’t be held back anymore. Even after only hearing it one time, I was singing it to myself for days afterward. That’s the mark of a good song, certainly an effective one. Audiences will walk away from this one tapping their toes and humming the songs well after they leave the theater.
Aladdin is in theaters this weekend. Get your tickets here!
