Magic from the Middle East

The results are in and Disney has another success on their hands with the live-action remake of the classic Aladdin.

The House of Mouse have been working hard to remake all our favourite movies, but with a live-action twist. I remember watching the original Aladdin movie is a child and it left me in awe, because it was a story I loved and it had characters that are so funny and awesome.

The remake brings back some of the elements that made original such an awesome movie. Unfortunately the new movie falls short of its predecessor in a lot of ways, but it gives us something new to admire.

I remember how people said they would boycott the movie because of Will Smith’s casting, but I think he is the one who saved the film. Genie is completely different than what Robin Williams brought to the original and that is good thing.

The other main characters are great to watch on screen and the chemistry of the leads make for a great love story. So here’s what I think, Aladdin is worth the watch, but do not expect a shot-for-shot remake. The movie borrows elements from the original, but it does its best to prove it is different.

My biggest critique is probably the runtime; children just cannot sit still for that long. I get it new characters, expanded story can end up adding to the runtime, but I believe it could have been a little shorter.

Aladdin is a lovable street urchin who meets Princess Jasmine, the beautiful daughter of the sultan of Agrabah. While visiting her exotic palace, Aladdin stumbles upon a magic oil lamp that unleashes a powerful, wisecracking, larger-than-life genie. As Aladdin and the genie start to become friends, they must soon embark on a dangerous mission to stop the evil sorcerer Jafar from overthrowing young Jasmine's kingdom.

My Verdict

Aladdin is not what I expected, but I ended up loving. It is possibly one of the best Disney remakes. Guy Ritchie brought his own spin to the movie, which might not necessarily be good thing. On the other hand I think Aladdin is the perfect family film and it definitely is worth the watch.  I know I will go watch it again.

My Rating: 7.0 out of 10 – Good