I will
admit, I was a bit apprehensive going into this film. I was nervous about Will
Smith trying to fill the role of the iconic Robin Williams as the Genie. I
sometimes feel that he has a tendency of stealing the show and with two
relatively unknown leads as Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and Jasmine (Naomi Scott) I
was a little worried that he might overshadow them.
I was pleasantly
surprised by the film. There were a few things that I wish they had done
differently and it’s not my favourite live action that Disney has released so
far, but it was a really enjoyable film.
First of
all, the setting and the costumes were all so well done! Jasmines outfits were
so intricate and detailed and I liked that they gave her more than just the turquoise
one she had in the animated version. I think my favourite outfit she wears in
the film is what she wears when she meets Prince Anders with the pinks and blues
but all of her outfits were so vibrant and colourful.
The whole
set of this film and the different locations were all so lavish and elaborate
which works well for this film as the culture and location where the film is set
are known for having ornate buildings as well as clothes and jewellery. There was
one scene in particular which stood out for me and that was when Prince Ali is
being sung. The vibrancy of the colours in this scene was so vivid it felt
like you were actually there watching the parade pass you by in the street.
Acting
wise, there were a few moments in the film when it sometimes fell a little bit
flat. I feel like Marwan Kenzari, who played Jafar, was a little stiff and
wooden in some places. This could be seen as part of his character and how he
decided to play Jafar but there just wasn’t enough from him, especially at the end
of the film when he becomes the master of Genie and starts demanding all the
power. Despite not being an old slimy guy like in the animated version, he was
still just as creepy and controlling when it came to Jasmine. He even goes as far as to say that she wouldn’t make a good ruler basically because she is a woman and
a couple of times directly told her that women should be seen but not heard.
These
interactions between Jasmine and Jafar though are what the new film brings forward
that the animated version had in the background, but it’s never explicitly
spoken. Jasmine is a fighter, she is and has never been a stereotypical Disney
Princess, waiting for a prince to come and save her. The whole premise of the
animated version is that she wants to marry for love and not just because of
some stupid law.
Naomi Scott
perfectly brings to life this strong and empowered version of Jasmine that is so
relevant in today’s society. She knows her own mind, knows what is best for her
people and wishes to be a fair ruler, but once again she is not a male heir and
therefore has no claim to the throne. Her father is still trying to marry her
off, but throughout the film she defies her male superiors and fights for her
right to be the next sultan. Even in the animated one, Aladdin becomes sultan,
Jasmine doesn’t get a look in, her father just changes the law so that she can
marry whomever she chooses, not just a prince.
This new
version on Jasmine expands on the strength and passion that the animated version
always had and takes it to a whole new level. The new song that was written,
Speechless, has such a powerful message and is very relevant in the world that we
currently live in. It’s basically a power ballad, encouraging you to speak
up for what you believe in and if someone is treating you like shit then you
have the right to fight against it and prove them wrong.
Surprisingly
Will Smith’s version of the Genie wasn’t half bad. Obviously, it was no Robin
Williams, but Smith even said himself that he was worried of stepping into Williams’
shoes because he is such a beloved and iconic Disney character. Will Smith did manage
to make the genie his own and take it in a different direction which he managed
to get away with. There were plenty of comic elements which were pulled off
well and I liked the relationship between Genie and Aladdin that was portrayed.
The two characters seemed to have a genuine friendship and it made the characters
a bit more relatable. In the original, they obviously do have a friendship, it’s
just expanded on in this new live action film.
There
was however one thing about this film that I felt was a little bit of a let-down,
and that was the music and singing. Having listened to the soundtrack since seeing
the film, there are some songs which sound fine which are mostly the ballads;
Speechless, A Whole New World and the 2 reprises of One Jump Ahead. Friend Like
Me wasn’t too bad, but I think that’s because Will Smith was able to rap a
little which is what he does best singing wise.
The other
songs sounded like they had been autotuned just a little too much. I know they
don’t usually sing live on set they just dub the songs over afterwards, but it feels
like you could really tell they weren’t singing live for most of the songs. Prince
Ali specifically sounded a bit too rocky, a bit too modern, and I think that Will
Smith should have been able to rap a little bit more on this track, it seemed
like they were trying to stick to the original too much and it fell a bit flat.
He sounded like he had been autotuned on Arabian Nights, the opening number as
well and it just let the film down a bit.
I also
wish that they had included Proud of Your Boy from the Broadway/West End stage
show as it’s such a beautiful song and I think it would have fitted in
perfectly after the first reprise of One Jump Ahead as it comes after a scene
where Jasmine and Aladdin have been talking about their mums. And I would have liked
to have seen how Jasmine snuck back into the palace at the beginning of the film
and show her adventurous side.
Overall
though I thought this was a really good remake. It had everything that is loved
from the original and they added a few more subtle things to bring it up to the
21st century. I do recommend going to see it if you haven’t yet as
it will have you singing along and feeling nostalgic for the animated version
that is loved all over the world.
Rating:
4 out of 5
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