Aladdin (2019) - Disney Makes Live Action Magic

It’s show time! It feels like forever since Disney announced that they were making a live action version of Aladdin. But we’re finally here and the movie hits the big screen this week. I was lucky enough to attend a preview screening last weekend and Disney really rollout the magic carpet. There was food and drink, a magic lamp, and even a green screen photo op taking you to a whole new world.

Which is all fantastic, but as we know, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts. So how was the movie?

Aladdin begins in the most unexpected of places; at sea, with a mariner and his family. After the children become awed by a fancier ship, the mariner decides that it’s time to tell them the tale of Aladdin, the princess, and the lamp.

Like the musical, this Aladdin is the plot that you know but reimagined for a new medium. Disney’s previous live action adaptations have ranged from straight remakes to total reinventions, with Aladdin falling closer to remake than reinvention. But, like with The Jungle Book, it’s not a direct adaptation. The familiar story beats are all there but, like with the stage show, it moves between those moments in new ways, with some new characters and new story beats added in to bring the classic tale to life in a new way.

I’ve said before that this has always been my hope for Aladdin. If you do a beat for beat remake it can feel pointless, fun to watch once or twice but after that you always end up going back to the original, and if you do too much of a reinvention you lose what people loved about the characters and story in the first place. So I’m happy to say that Aladdin does manage to thread the eye of the needle, delivering a film that’s true to the heart of the original whilst offering a new take for a new format and a new generation.

I’m going to say now that spoilers will follow after the next image. Yeah, it’s the story you know but I’m going to be talking about some of the changes made to the characters and story so if you want to stay spoiler free head on over to my review at Movie News Net and come back here once you’ve seen the movie.

Still here? Ok, let’s talk characters!!

I love Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott as Aladdin and Jasmine. It’s well known that Disney cast a wide net in the search for their new Diamond in the Rough and Disney Princess, with casting coming right down to the wire before they started filming, but it was worth it.

Mena’s Aladdin is confident but unassuming, quick to do the right thing and help those less fortunate than himself. The film shows us from the start why he’s the Diamond in the Rough, it’s all too easy to root for the lovable rouge, and when he’s tested later in the film, tempted to be selfish, all you want is for him to do the right thing like he did at the start. From stunt work to singing he captures the essence of everyone’s favourite street rat whilst grounding him in the real world of Agrabah that was created for the film.

As much as Broadway’s Jasmine was a natural evolution of the character, Naomi’s Jasmine is a natural evolution again. Driven by a fierce love of her people, Jasmine desires to one day rule as Sultan. Of all the characters, Jasmine’s arc has developed the most and benefits the most from the film’s longer run time. Locked away, for her own protection, since her mother died, Jasmine runs away due to a desire to see her kingdom and her people. The law is still a problem, she still has to marry a prince, but there is no longer the ticking clock of “your next birthday” hanging over her. It’s an interesting and effective change, and Naomi takes full advantage of it, creating a strong and inspiring leader who’s willing to put the needs of others ahead of herself. Jasmine’s evolution from animation, where she may marry whomever she deems worthy, to stage, where she will rule beside her husband as his equal, to where she ends up here is arguably one of the most satisfying I’ve ever seen as Disney reinvents their classic tales.

How do you replace Robin Williams? Broadway already gave you that answer. You don’t try to. You get a great actor and you allow him to make the role his own (then you sit back and enjoy the well deserved standing ovations and Tony Award). You stay true to the heart of the character and his friendship with Aladdin, and then bring yourself to the role. And that’s what Will Smith does. His Genie isn’t as rapid talking or quick changing, he brings a different type of energy and humour to the role, and he shares a fantastic bond with Mena’s Aladdin. The scene where Genie introduces Prince Ali to the royal family, and Mena and Will just riff off each other, is one of the most hilarious in the movie and was apparently mostly improv!

In fact it’s safe to say that Aladdin’s greatest strength is its three leads. The chemistry between Mena’s Aladdin and Naomi’s Jasmine works beautifully, making your heart soar as they take flight together during A Whole New World. And I’m tempted to say that Aladdin and Genie’s bond is deeper here. They don’t start out as friends as quickly, Genie doesn’t get attached to his masters, their relationship takes time, so by the time they’re the friends we know and love, and Aladdin decides he can’t set Genie free, the scene lands hard. The relationships between Aladdin and Jasmine, and Aladdin and Genie are the heart of Aladdin. Whether it’s Scott Weinger, Linda Larkin, and Robin Williams, or Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed, and James Monroe Iglehart, or Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, and Will Smith. Each trio has brought something unique, but all are unmistakably Aladdin, Jasmine, and Genie.

Jafar is the hardest character for me to talk about because he’s one of the biggest changes that I don’t think lands as well as it could. In reimagining the character for live action, Jafar has become more grounded. Marwan Kenzari does a good job in delivering this version of the character. He could be a touch more sinister perhaps, but I loved the new history that Guy Ritchie and John August developed for him. I loved that it made him a dark reflection for Aladdin, a cautionary tale and a warning of what may befall the young hero if he succumbs to the temptations of power, and that it set up his inevitable downfall from the moment we meet him. But I think they played it too straight. Jafar is such an iconic villain, and Jonathan Freeman’s maniacal portrayal, both on screen and on stage, casts a long shadow. The same is doubly true of Iago. Gilbert Gottfried’s loud mouthed and obnoxious parrot is reduced to little more than mimicry. Alan Tudyk does fine with what he has, but there’s so little there.

This sounds a lot more negative than I want it to, because the truth is, in the context of the movie, it works. I enjoyed Marwan Kenzari’s Jafar. It’s just that in playing it straight, the characters never get the chance to escape from the shadows of their animated (and stage) counterparts, which in hindsight makes it a clear missed opportunity. Especially with Iago.

On stage Jasmine lost Rajah but gained three handmaidens. Here Jasmine may have Rajah again (or Raja as they’re apparently spelling it now), but she also has a new friend, Nasim Pedrad’s Dalia. With the expanded narrative of the film, Dalia is a much welcome addition, adding not just a second female character but also a friend that Jasmine can talk with and bounce off as Aladdin does with Genie. There’s plenty of nice comic moments between the two, and between Dalia and Genie, who takes a shine to the young handmaiden.

Whilst I think grounding Jafar didn’t help the character, I loved Navid Negahban’s more serious take on the Sultan as a man who has seen too much war and now only wants peace and to protect his daughter. It really works well for the character and for Jasmine’s extended arc in the movie. The same can be said for Numan Acar’s Hakim. Whilst Razoul, at least in the original film, was little more than Jafar’s henchman and seemingly happy to murder Aladdin, Hakim has a greater role to play.

Another switch is Prince Achmed for Prince Anders. The setting of Agrabah as a port city on the Silk Road opens it up to a world of cultures and influences. And from one of those far away lands comes the lovable but dim Prince Anders, with Billy Magnussen giving a delightful comic turn as a potential rival for Jasmine’s affections. Yes, this prince doesn’t storm out and is still in the palace when Ali arrives, though I don’t think anyone but Aladdin truly considers him a potential match for Jasmine.

As I mentioned before, Aladdin stays true to the heart of the original story. Like the stage production, it's "the plot that you knew with a small twist or two", adjusting the tale to better suit live action as the musical did for theatre. Whilst those two paths often diverge, there were a few occasions where I couldn't help but wonder if the film's creative team had drawn inspiration from the show or if it was just happy coincidence that the two creative teams started from the foundation laid by the original and reached the same conclusions. From little things like "Prince Ali, of Ababwa" and Genie using magic to teach Aladdin to dance, to the already mentioned evolution of Jasmine from animation to stage to live action, and the return of the idea of Genie as the narrator/peddler/mariner. The creative teams certainly seem to have been thinking along similar lines even if their versions of Aladdin are told very differently.

Writer/director Guy Ritchie and writer John August certainly don't try and go for drastic changes, just enough to keep things fresh, and couldn't be accused of padding things out. If anything we get into the action even faster and more economically than we did in the shorter original, going almost straight from Arabian Nights into Aladdin and Jasmine's first meeting. The pacing is quick and effective, freeing up the film's longer run time to dig deeper into its characters and central relationships, plus the odd dance number and new songs, this is a Disney musical after all!

Agrabah looks gorgeous. The colour palette is bright and bold, and the sets look fantastic. I know they built a lot of Agrabah for shooting the movie and it definitely helps in making it feel like a living and breathing space. The costumes are exquisite, especially as we reach the parade and the Harvest Festival. I've even warmed up to Aladdin wearing a shirt, I'm taking it as a nod to his Disneyland look. Whilst the film doesn't reach the level of the Broadway show in terms of productions numbers (sorry anyone who was hoping for a 10 minute long Friend Like Me... was that just me?), the festival dance and Prince Ali parade are a lot of fun, especially as the parade builds to it's climax. And hats off to choreographer Leah Hill, Ritchie, and the visual effects team, translating the animated Friend Like Me, from forty thieves to the fireworks finale, into something that works in a "real world" space can't have been an easy but they pulled it off nicely.

And can we just take a moment to appreciate that Abu's back? I love Babkak, Omar, and Kassim, but it sure was great to see that furry little thief again. After The Jungle Book I shouldn't be surprised, but Disney sure know how to bring CGI animated animals to life. Abu's just as cute as ever. And on the subject of CGI, Will Smith's blue form, along with all his Genie magic and transformations, looks great.

Speaking of great. Alan Menken's score! If you're a Disney fan those three words are probably all I need to say, especially if you grew up in the renaissance era. The music will just take you straight back to your childhood, with subtle call backs to the original score (just listen for To Be Free shortly before Aladdin asks Jasmine on a magic carpet ride) and moments where that old music comes in at just the same time and sweeps you up in a wave of nostalgia and pure musical joy.

The songs are a mix of the iconic Howard Ashman, Alan Menken, and Tim Rice numbers, along with a new song and some new lyrics by The Greatest Showman's Pasek & Paul. Of the original songs, Arabian Nights has changed the most. If you've seen the stage show recently you'll recognise the new line from the introduction ("where you wander among every culture and tongue"), but most of the song is brand new, setting the stage and introducing the characters to the audience. One Jump Ahead has received a punchy update in tone as Aladdin leads the guards on an energetic chase through the city. Broadway fans make sure you keep an eye out for original cast member Marisha Wallace reprising her "still I think he's rather tasty line", that had me grinning from ear to ear. And then comes Speechless. Or the first part at least, introducing the song and setting it up for a much bigger second part in the film's climax.

Will Smith delivers fun new takes on Friend Like Me and Prince Ali, personally my tastes lean more towards the Broadway renditions, given the page we're on I don't think that will surprise anyone, but I do like Will's spin on them, and I'm glad he was given the freedom to do his own thing with them. You can tell he was having a lot of fun. I loved the big ensemble finale to Prince Ali, which is something Will pushed for, so I totally want to give him credit for that. A Whole New World. What can I say? I just wish they'd used the instrumental bridge from the Broadway version so the song would have lasted longer. Mena and Naomi sound great together and the whole scene was just beautiful.

After telling Genie he can't set him free, Aladdin returns to his rooftop home and sings a new reprise of One Jump Ahead as he realises he needs to tell Jasmine the truth (effectively covering the same ground as Proud of Your Boy Reprise in the show). But it's too late, Jafar already has the lamp. Whilst I do miss Prince Ali Reprise I really can't argue with the decision to give this moment to Jasmine with the second part of Speechless. It just works so well for the story, Jasmine's character, and Naomi has an incredible voice.

My biggest musical complaint? There's no reprise of A Whole New World at the end. It works without, I just miss it.

And I've not even mentioned the action yet! From One Jump Ahead to escaping the Cave of Wonders, to the frozen ends of the Earth, Guy Ritchie keeps the action fun and frantic. Whilst the stage show leans more into musical comedy, playing to the strengths of live theatre, the live action adaptation pushes harder towards the action, restoring scenes that were cut for stage and adding a new climax that takes the action out of the palace and into the streets of Agrabah. Honestly, I think it was the right choice. Whilst I can totally understand that some fans will be upset with the change, especially with the other changes to Jafar already mentioned above, I think taking the action out into the city makes for a bigger action set piece in the finale and gave nice moments to Aladdin, Jasmine, and Abu as they raced through the city.

I also want to say how fantastic it is to see such a diverse cast of lead, supporting, and background actors on the big screen. It's something I've come to take for granted during my many visits to Agrabah in both New York and London, but we need to remember that this, sadly, isn't the norm and celebrate the films, like Aladdin, that reflect the world we live in.

So yeah, I loved it. I genuinely loved it. It doesn't manage to top the original, but it is a worthy retelling of the ancient tale. It manages to find that ever so important balance between staying true to the core of the story and characters, and offering something new. Maybe this is no surprise, but it's my new favourite of Disney's live action remakes. If I'm being critical then The Jungle Book is still the best of Disney's recent re-imaginings, but I had more fun at Aladdin. There's a lot of heart, warmth, and joy to Aladdin and I can't wait to see it again.