AladdinMade Me Feel Like a Kid Again

When I imagine of the animated Aladdin , I recall back to being about 14 - class - previous , jump up and down on my bed , and scorch along to its soundtrack . At that exact moment , my friends see me doing this through the windowpane and laugh hysterically at me . You see , I love Aladdin . I always have . And I feel this distinct memory , blend the seventh heaven from the medicine and embarrassment from the moment , is a noteworthy duality going into a live - action remake of Aladdin .

Disney ’s new Aladdin is a film that could either bring audiences back to thosenostalgic memoriesof the 1992 classic or be two hours of horribly awkwardblue CGI Will Smithdancing around . It could be laughed with or laughed at . Well … I’m overjoyed to describe that while there is some of that awkwardness , it pales in comparison to the rest of it . Guy Ritchie ’s Aladdin made me palpate like a kid again .

From its very first import , the flick ’s reverence for the animated variation literally had me fighting back tears . ( Which , I fully admit , could very well be because I personally view as the original movie so most and dear to my heart and that ’s important to remember . ) But even if you do n’t get misty - eyeball at the refrain of “ Arabian Nights , ” Ritchie and his team have taken the original movie and infuse it with plenty of smart surprise and update to make this film its own .

Mena Massoud finds a lamp in Disney’s Aladdin.

Mena Massoud finds a lamp in Disney’s Aladdin.Photo: (Disney)

That say , the canonical plot of Aladdin is on the button the same as the original . A untried stealer mention Aladdin ( Mena Massoud ) is recruited by the advisor to the Sultan , Jafar ( Marwan Kenzari ) , to think a wizardly lamp . The lamp contain a genie ( Will Smith ) and Aladdin utilise the genie to become a prince , hoping to win the gist of Princess Jasmine ( Naomi Scott ) . Aladdin and Genie then realize that Jafar is up to no good and , with the help of Jasmine , save the kingdom .

Like the animated original , Ritchie ’s movie is also a melodic , so it ’s structured almost on the button the same , simply to fit in the musical numbers pool . The new film does have one new song , though . It ’s called “ Speechless,”and it ’s an upbeat , pop , mightiness ballad sing by Jasmine .

“ Speechless ” is the perfect example of the mostly - positive change made in this version of Aladdin . Here , Jasmine has a significantly more complex function , which is pad by the song . She ’s still being courted by Princes from around the domain with a begetter eager for her to opt one and get married , but she is n’t defined by that . She sneaks out of the castle regularly and postulate her father to make her Sultan , instead of having to be matrimonial to some random Prince . He refuses , of class , and “ Speechless ” is about the thwarting of not suffer her voice heard by the people in her life history . It ’s repeat afterward in the film resulting in one of the best , most herculean , moments in the movie .

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Naomi Scott is one of the highlights of Aladdin.Photo: (Disney)

Jasmine ’s develop function is just the point of the story expansion , however . Almost all of the songs have new and update lyrics , which range from head - scratching to eye - opening , but are mostly similar enough that you wo n’t worry too much . There ’s a new fibre nominate Dalia , played by Nasim Pedrad of Saturday Night Live , who ’s Jasmine ’s closemouthed friend and handmaid . She adds some comical relief to Jasmine ’s storyline and has a few more spoilery map as well . Jafar ’s motivation are also given more explanation and political motivations throughout . All of these add astuteness and meliorate the film . Then there are the changes have to do with the Genie .

Ah , Will Smith as the Genie . Ever since the world got a brief glimpse of the case , the Genie has been treat as a certain - firing planetary house that Aladdin was a disaster . Well , it ’s not and neither is he , but it ’s not a plate rivulet by any means .

First of all , Smith ’s selection as the character change the full timbre of the movie . He make the jinnee his own by only partially channeling Robin Williams ’ mania and blending it with a morenatural , cocky , humanswagger . The combination of the two pass the quality a more relatable feeling , which in turn grounds the picture as a whole . Oh sure , there are huge dance chronological succession with the Genie twin himself and fatigue punch-drunk outfits just like the original , but when that ’s not happening , he and Aladdin have a sort of pal - bull chemistry that gives the movie a very breezy feel .

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Will Smith as the genie. We have lots of thoughts.Photo: (Disney)

The enceinte trouble with the Genie is that when he is blue , the result are not always great . Sometimes the middle line is wrong . Other times the face is rickety or his whole being just feels like it ’s on another plane of world . The inconsistency in his feeling is one of the biggest problems with the cinema , and one many people are not get going to be able to look beyond . gratefully , he ’s “ human looking ” jinni for likely 70 pct of the time and blue jinni only 30 percent . You do n’t vagabond “ Will Smith ” and not put Will Smith on screen for as much as possible .

However , one thing in Aladdin makes up for almost all of those gripes , and that ’s the music . patently , the euphony in Aladdin has always been unbelievable and to be clear , none of the numbers in this version quite live up to their predecessors . But a few come very , very closemouthed . “ Arabian Nights , ” “ One Jump in the lead , ” and “ A Whole New World ” in particular are almost as dainty as the original , even though only “ A Whole New World ” remains reliable to the original . “ Friend Like Me ” and “ Prince Ali ” are both solid too , though their over - the - top vigour does n’t quite mesh with the photographic film ’s slimly dialed down mental attitude towards the fantastic element . And yet , they ’re still two of the most darling Disney song ever , so it ’s hard to dislike them .

Most of Aladdin is like that . It ’s just generally pleasant . A boastful part of that is because of Scott ( previously seen in Power Rangers and soon to be in Charlie ’s Angels ) , who is fantastic as Jasmine . She takes an already iconic character reference and makes her even more commanding and heartfelt , especially when she whistle . Smith , again , makes the genie work with a surprisingly , and perchance unnecessarily , complex performance blending all levels of intensity . Massoud ’s Aladdin is not the worked up centrepiece of the movie one would have a bun in the oven , but he plays the persona with wit and innocence that work quite well . He ’s also a great singer and social dancer with killer laughable timing , which he and Smith expend to great effect . And , of course , all of them are up against Kenzari as Jafar , who apply a firm , albeit it less - than - memorable , turn as the villain .

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Aladdin, as Prince Ali, and Genie have a big day.Photo: (Disney)

All of this total together through the vision of director Guy Ritchie , a manager best - known for R - rated British law-breaking thrillers and Sherlock Holmes movies . In the yesteryear , Ritchie ’s movie have been very quite adventurous visually . Filled with lots of photographic camera tricks and editing that really support out . Here though , he only uses long yield , perceptibly elaborate tv camera moves , or changes of focal ratio a few times . Just enough to give the flick his stamp , while also making trusted the film never outgrows its box as a family - friendly Disney film . The resultant is a movie that taps into that nostalgia but also experience fresh and unlike at a point of achiever that lay it slightly above like remakes like Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella .

A few minor squabbles away , I ’m happy Guy Ritchie ’s Aladdin exists . Does it need to when we have the 1992 original ? Of of course not . Did follow it add me unbelievable joy ? dead . While it ’ll never substitute the near perfection of the original film , Aladdin has the variety of sumptuous spectacle a vernal generation expects from a trip-up to the movies and simultaneously take their parent on a magical carpet ride back to their young . My 14 - twelvemonth - old self would be proud to joyfully tattle its praises while jumping around in front of my friends .

Aladdin opens Friday .

Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.