Friend Like Me

Aladdin (2019) is the obligatory live-action remake of another Disney Renaissance classic. After the success of Beauty and the Beast (2017), Disney practically doubled down on remakes in 2019. It started with Dumbo (2019), but Aladdin (2019) was their guaranteed hit that grossed a billion dollars. I’m much more protective of Aladdin (1992) since I consider it to be my favorite animated Disney movie of any era. I watched it so many times when I was a kid along with the direct-to-video sequels. I knew a remake had to happen at some point, so I tried my best to be open to any changes that were made.

Aladdin (2019) was announced with English director Guy Ritchie already set to direct. His use of slow motion parkour action was a right fit, but making the story nonlinear would’ve been a terrible idea. Though based on “Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp” from One Thousand and One Nights, the remake is still a musical that follows the plot of the animated film. Once again I was won over by nostalgia when I saw the teaser, but I grew nervous the moment I saw Will Smith as the big blue CGI Genie. Focusing on beloved songs in the trailer was enough to give me some hope. Although my brother and I had fun with familiar elements, Aladdin (2019) falls somewhere in the middle of honoring its legacy and missing the mark…

Aladdin and Genie in the desert

Aladdin (2019) is Disney’s first big budget Middle Eastern adventure since Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Despite a 9 year difference, Prince of Persia had a predominantly white cast like so many Arabian movies from the past. Aladdin (2019) made an effort to only cast actors of South Asian or Southwest Asian descent. Yet Will Smith was the first actor cast since he’s easily the biggest star in the movie. This time it’s made clear that Genie is the storyteller. Except he’s a Mariner instead of a Merchant who tells the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp to his children at sea. The movie begins with an impressive tour of Agrabah that introduces every major character. Agrabah is a large Arabian kingdom, but the palace is smaller with fancy golden architecture. Costumes are culturally accurate without losing the color of the original. Unlike Beauty and the Beast (2017), none of the characters are required to speak with a Middle Eastern accent.

Casting the title character was especially difficult since Disney had to find a Middle Eastern actor in his 20’s who could sing and act. Dev Patel and Riz Ahmed are well known, but they would’ve been too old. Lesser known Egyptian TV actor Mena Massoud was finally cast after 4 months. Unlike his animated counterpart, Aladdin wears a shirt and the color of his vest and fez are swapped. Massoud tries his best, but he doesn’t quite match the easygoing charm of Scott Weinger. Parkour stunts throughout the streets of Agrabah are his biggest strength. For some reason, Aladdin being chased by palace guards is paired up with his first encounter with Princess Jasmine. Like her animated counterpart, Jasmine is the first ethnically diverse Disney Princess in a live-action remake. Half Indian actress and singer Naomi Scott was the perfect choice for Jasmine. She was the only Middle Eastern cast member I knew since she got some recognition from Power Rangers.

Scott is as beautiful as Jasmine, but I knew there was no way she’d be dressed like a belly dancer. Her royal outfits have cleavage, but no bare midriff. Although teal is still her signature color, Jasmine wears pink, purple, and yellow garments throughout the movie. Despite a rushed introduction, Aladdin and Jasmine do have chemistry. This time it’s more about being forced into the role you were born into. Jasmine uses the name of her handmaiden and never reveals her true identity. She parts ways with Aladdin when he doesn’t return her mother’s royal bracelet. Aladdin being called worthless lacks the bite of the original since it’s too abrupt and he doesn’t have a good comeback. Abu is a CGI capuchin monkey, but his penchant for stealing is exactly the same. Frank Welker returns to voice Abu, Raja, and the Cave of Wonders.

Yet Gilbert Gottfried doesn’t return to voice Iago despite being pretty synonymous with the sarcastic macaw. Instead Alan Tudyk adds Iago to his ever growing list of Disney voice roles. Iago technically has a personality, but he’s not memorable at all and is definitely not meant to be funny. Though he’s nothing compared to their characterization of Jafar. Jafar is easily one of the greatest Disney villains of all time with an intimidating presence, but a deadpan sense of humor. Tunisian actor Marwan Kenzari is a truly terrible casting choice. Kenzari is way too young, soft spoken, and not at all intimidating. Of course Jafar is given an unnecessary backstory to make him more relatable. He was a thieving street rat like Aladdin who was imprisoned by Agrabah’s ally Shirabad. Jafar uses his position as Grand vizier to manipulate the Sultan like the original, but this time he’s more concerned with invading Shirabad.

Iranian actor Navid Negahban is fine as a more serious Sultan, but I miss his childish personality. Jasmine is forced to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom like the original. Despite featuring so many Middle Eastern actors in major roles, people still complained when one white actor was added as an original character. Billy Magnussen is the flamboyant European Prince Anders from Skånland who barely leaves an impression. Yet for some strange reason Disney wants to make a spin-off with the character. Persian comedian Nasim Pedrad is another new addition who plays Jasmine’s handmaiden Dalia. Although her CGI Bengal tiger Raja is her best friend, Dalia was likely added to give Jasmine another woman to talk to.

As I expected, Jasmine has more feminist motivations to make decisions for the kingdom, but she’s constantly silenced. Although I’m fine with the change, I couldn’t care less about political discussions involving a country we never see. Shirabad is where Jasmine’s mother was born and Aladdin sneaks into the palace to return her bracelet. Jasmine may not be focused on love, but she clearly falls for Aladdin. Her identity as the princess is revealed by Jafar who doesn’t wear a disguise when recruiting Aladdin as the “Diamond in the rough.” Instead he tries to relate to Aladdin by offering him power. The Cave of Wonders is not nearly as big and doesn’t emote like its computer animated counterpart. The room of treasure is not as shiny, but it’s really hard to go wrong with the CGI Magic Carpet. Aladdin finding the lamp, evading lava on the Magic Carpet, and being deceived by Jafar are all about the same.

Aladdin (2019) is about 2 hours too long, but it doesn’t take too long to see Genie. No one will ever replace Robin Williams as Genie. His hilarious improvised impressions can never be replicated, so they don’t even try. Will Smith is a big personality like Williams who works better when he’s just being himself. Which is why it feels wrong whenever Smith’s Genie goes over-the-top with his magic. His appearance caused concern when an Entertainment Weekly cover showed him without CGI. It turned out to be a human disguise, but his CGI appearance caused just as much backlash. Genie has the blue skin, facial hair, pointy ears, topknot, gold cuffs, and smokey tail of his animated counterpart. His muscular motion capture body will look unnatural no matter what, so I got used to it.

Genie shows off his phenomenal cosmic power, but now his lamp needs to be rubbed in order for his three wishes to be granted. So Abu rubs the lamp in order to trick Genie into getting them out of the cave. The friendship between Aladdin and Genie is believable when the latter becomes a mentor figure in human form. Aladdin makes the same promise to wish for his freedom. Wish one is the same with Aladdin becoming Prince Ali and Abu transforming into an elephant with leftover effects from Dumbo (2019). Although they call way more attention to his made up country Ababwa. This time Genie is by Aladdin’s side at all times when he fails to win over Princess Jasmine. Comedy in the remake can’t compare to the original, and constant talk of jam doesn’t help. Jafar is suspicious, but the Sultan welcomes him without flying on the Magic Carpet.

Jasmine reluctantly dances with Prince Ali at a party where Genie takes control of his movements. It’s a new sequence straight out of Bollywood. Aladdin and Jasmine’s romantic Magic Carpet ride plays out the same way and still ends with a kiss. The only difference is having Genie distract Dalia since they have an unexpected attraction to each other. Jafar discovers who Aladdin is with Iago’s help. This time he tosses him to his watery death strapped to a chair in broad daylight. Abu and Magic Carpet fetch the lamp and Genie has Aladdin sign a document for his second wish. The snake staff is broken like the original, but Jafar actually goes to jail this time. Aladdin’s sudden selfishness towards Genie doesn’t really work, but Jafar stealing the lamp in disguise does make sense. Though his maniacal laugh is too little too late. Jafar wishes to be Sultan and a powerful sorcerer with Aladdin arriving after the fact.

For some reason, Numan Acar is given a lot of attention as Hakim the palace guard. Jasmine speaks up and singles him out for his loyalty to the family. Jafar makes them all vanish and tries to marry Jasmine out of spite. Aladdin ends up in the Arctic with Abu, but the Magic Carpet has to fly all the way from Agrabah. The climax is kind of pathetic compared to its animated counterpart. It makes me wonder why the remake is even PG. An exciting sword fight against a giant snake is replaced by Jafar turning Iago into a giant bird that chases Aladdin and Jasmine on the Magic Carpet. I know Iago is supposed to resemble the Roc from Arabian Nights, but Disney already fumbled when Maleficent didn’t become a dragon. Jafar does wish to become a genie since it’s the only way to defeat him. I know people complain about Genie’s CGI, but it’s nothing compared to Kenzari’s face on a giant red body.

The ending is way more complicated with Aladdin choosing Genie’s freedom over Jasmine. He becomes human, marries Dalia, and becomes the Mariner from the beginning. The law doesn’t change, but Jasmine is named Sultan by her father. Aladdin and Jasmine end up together despite all the extra steps added. The Bollywood dance number after the credits with the cast is too much fun to leave disappointed. Like Beauty and the Beast (2017), Alan Menken returns to compose the soundtrack and rewrite a few lyrics to be more culturally sensitive. “Arabian Nights” is changed once again, but it works for the opening introduction of Agrabah. As much as I love “One Jump Ahead,” it doesn’t make a lot of sense when Jasmine is present. Massoud isn’t the greatest singer either. The song is reprised twice after Jasmine accuses him of stealing and again during his struggle to tell the truth.

Will Smith is already a great singer, so I knew “Friend Like Me” would be a showstopper with a hip hop beat. The Vegas visuals are unique enough to stand on their own, but I’m not sure why Genie never asked Aladdin’s name before singing. “Prince Ali” is just as grand with Smith’s riffing and the same amount of spectacle. Jafar doesn’t get his villainous reprise, but there’s no way Kenzari could’ve made it work. The Oscar winning “A Whole New World” is always a highlight even in live-action. Though they don’t travel anywhere special and Massoud struggles with the song, Scott is a powerful vocalist. Which is why Jasmine finally gets her own solo number with an original song called “Speechless” written by Pasek & Paul of La La Land fame. Jasmine literally freezes time when she sings her power ballad, but it is another Oscar bait song that didn’t get nominated. Since a Genie prequel isn’t happening, only time will tell if a sequel gets made. Though it’s not the new fantastic point of view it could’ve been, Aladdin (2019) reminds me how much I appreciate the original.

Aladdin and Jasmine take a magic carpet ride

Live-Action Remake of: Aladdin (1992)