![]() ![]() There’s a reason why Will Smith has been given top billing in the credits, above even the title character. Had it not been for their effortless chemistry, and their fresh-faced innocence, their scenes together could have been awfully bland - especially with no Genie to elevate them. Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott are excellent finds. It’s no mean feat for any actor to hold their own opposite the majestic screen presence that is Will Smith, but Ritchie has always had an eye for casting. These are some of its best scenes, especially the reprisal of Prince Ali (which Ritchie directs like a homage to Sridevi’s Himmatwala), and the always stirring A Whole New World, performed, thankfully, by stars Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott in the film, and not, as had been threatened, by Zayn Malik or DJ Khaled, or god forbid, Badshah. Composer Alan Menken returns, joined this time by La La Land’s Pasek & Paul to produce new music for the film. And thankfully, he does not look like chewed up bubble gum anymore.Īladdin is - and depending on your familiarity with the original animated film, this may or may not come as a surprise - an outright musical. ![]() After some solid, if not spectacular sequences set in the narrow gullies of Agrabah (which sadly never ceases to look like a hollow set surrounded by green screen environments), the Genie introduces himself with a grand, visually arresting musical number. Genie not only brings the humour, but also gives the film an excuse to be more visually inventive. Will Smith’s Genie is introduced about 45 minutes into the film, and is single-handedly responsible for injecting it with the energy that is sorely missing in the first act. The desire to climb the social ladder is what motivates the villainous vizier Jafar, who is given a heftier backstory in this film, one that neatly mirrors Aladdin’s.Īnd ironically, the only one who can make their dreams come true is a prisoner himself. It’s what draws Aladdin to Princess Jasmine, who is - for all intents and purposes - a prisoner inside her own home, held under the age-old patriarchal excuse of protection, ‘seen but not heard’. Like Ranveer Singh’s aspiring rapper from that film, Aladdin has also been bred on the streets, constantly reminded of his place in the world, confronted by the very real possibility that he will never be allowed to escape it.īreaking out of the boxes that one is confined to - regardless of where we are born - is the central theme of Ritchie’s film. That being said, Aladdin is a vibrant adventure, featuring three excellent central performances, and laced with intelligent subtext about class - like Gully Boy meets Han Solo. This isn’t to say that the new Aladdin is a failure - it most certainly isn’t - but I’d imagine this is simply a case of Ritchie trying to get back into Hollywood’s good books after the back-to-back box office failure of his last two movies. And on paper, Aladdin’s origins as a ‘street rat’ fall neatly into Ritchie’s wheelhouse, but he directs with little personality, as if, like the Genie, he has been trapped in a prison as well. This is strange, because Ritchie in the past has managed to bring his very distinct brand of cinema - replete with snazzy editing, flamboyant camerawork, and muscular action - even to properties as seemingly ancient as Sherlock Holmes and King Arthur. If you’ve been wondering, like me, why Disney has been shying away from highlighting Ritchie’s instantly recognisable trademarks in the trailers, it’s because there aren’t any in the film. ![]() And remember, he once made a rom-com for his ex-wife Madonna. Rating - 3.5/5 Aladdin movie review: Will Smith outshines Guy Ritchie’s live-action remake of Disney classic.ĭespite being one of the most unambitious tentpole films of the year, the live-action Aladdin is - by far - the oddest movie that director Guy Ritchie has ever made. Cast - Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Nasim Pedrad ![]()
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