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By Nathan Hurlbut
Can you believe it’s been over twenty-five years since Disney released their animated version of “Aladdin” in 1992? Apparently, that generation gap means it’s time for a brand-new version of the classic tale to be rolled out for a whole new audience.
It’s a bold move, considering Robin Williams’ brilliantly improvised performance as the Genie in that movie is an almost impossible act to follow. Perhaps in a move to distance itself from that previous edition, this new version is a live-action remake.
For those of you unfamiliar with the tale, Aladdin (Mena Massoud) is a street-level petty thief who, following a chance encounter with a disguised Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), finds himself immediately smitten. Meanwhile, Jasmine’s father (Navid Negahban) is attempting to find a suitable husband for her to succeed him as Sultan. He is somewhat hypnotized by the nefarious vizier Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) and his thirst for power, leading to confrontations that will determine the future of the land of Agrabah itself.
This new version of “Aladdin” is indeed a musical, and you may find a certain level of dread flooding through your body every time a character breaks into song here. It might not be a personal distaste for musicals in general either, as the songs here just aren’t very memorable and don’t really advance the plot. The situation isn’t helped by the fact that Mena Massoud, despite his undeniable screen presence, just doesn’t possess a voice that was meant for singing.
There is at least one exception, however; Princess Jasmine’s impassioned rendition of the song “Speechless”, that more resembled music to my ears. Not only does it showcase Naomi Scott’s incredible soaring vocals, but also gives voice to the feminist themes surrounding her character. The Princess’ determination and self-possession make a statement about female empowerment with only a hint of the self-righteous political correctness that can sink modern-day versions of classic tales. It’s impressive enough in its own right to make you wonder how a movie centered more on her story would have turned out.
Meanwhile, Robin William’s improvisational performance as the Genie in the 1992 animated version is legendary, so it was wise for Will Smith not to make any attempts to imitate him here. Instead, Smith brings his own streetwise charm to the character that is certainly more laid back than Williams’ manic creation.
This laid-back attitude also exposes the film’s greatest flaw, that this new version of “Aladdin” never really springs to life. All the pieces are in place; the screenplay follows the original story well enough while adding some new additions. The acting is also certainly adequate, with Mena Massoud serving as a suitably charming title character.
However, it’s hard to escape the feeling that the movie is a humdrum event with no clear reason for its existence. The film is certainly beautiful to look at, even though all the vibrant colors tend to resemble Indian culture more than Arabic in my mind. Even the CGI effects were less than impressive, giving many sequences a cartoonish appearance that served as more of a tribute to the original 1992 animated version than I would guess the filmmakers actually intended.
Plus, the budding central romance between Aladdin and the Princess, a crucial part of the story, fails to be as convincing as you would hope. In fact, the few moments between Will Smith’s Genie and the Princess’ handmaiden Dalia (Nasim Padrad) make for a more convincing romance than the central relationship here. This is aided immeasurably by Padrad who, as Dalia, brings the most effective level of humor and heart to her role.
This new “Aladdin” isn’t an inspired film, it’s a competent production that possesses all the elements to make it into a highly watchable but fairly forgettable experience. It’s like that second six pack on Memorial Day; you may have been enjoying it at the time, but the resulting hangover may be laced with regret. As a tonic to that situation, I suggest watching the 1992 animated version as a chance to revel in Robin Williams’ unforgettable genius. Now that’s true magic.
Rated PG.