Aladdin (2019)
Starring Mena Massoud as the titular character and Will Smith as the iconic Genie, Aladdin is a live action remake of the 1992 original animated feature. It is adapted from the short story in the Arabian Nights (as is introduced to viewers in the first song of the movie). The tale is about….. well if you need to be told what this tale is about you should just look away. With a runtime of 130 minutes it is almost half an hour longer that the animated classic and seeks to answer questions raised over 27 years ago.
The film panders to the present day audiences and presents to us a not a whole new and unrecognizable world but a slightly evolved one. (Why though)
Plenty of songs are retained from the original and bring nostalgia and delight to one and all.
The lyrics of the opening song ‘Arabian Nights’ have been retained despite being subject to a plethora of studies regarding Orientalism which is a point in favour of this one as it retains the fear of the Arab region by the west with which the original musical was written.
The ‘A Whole New World’ song is splendid. The absence of CGI animals in the magic carpet sequence works for me as the song seeks to emphasise Jasmine breaking free from the confines of the palace without a disguise. The sequence respects speed and the effect of the wind on Aladdin and Jasmine and restricts the protagonists journey to within Agrabah itself.
‘Friend like me’ is our first impression of the blue genie and one can’t help but think about the iconic Robin Williams’ rendition of the song. Quite unfair to compare the two as they both are good in their own rights.
‘Ali Ababwa’s’ colourful costumes and procession is a shoutout to the daily parades witnessed at Disneyland’s parks throughout the world and that’s about when you finally get used to Will Smith as the genie and see that he has actually done quite well.
The absence of excessive GGI in all of these numbers is excellent as Disney avoided the complaint of the film being “effects overloaded.” The only change in the songs is that the midriffs of the dancers in ‘Ali Ababwa’ have been covered.
There is another song in the movie which sees Disney Princess Jasmine finally getting her solo. The power ballad ‘Speechless’ leaves the audiences speechless but does precious little to elevate he character for the climax where Jafar, Aladdin, the carpet, Abu and the genie are the primary characters. Was the only purpose of this song was to allow Disney to have a horse in the race for the Best Original Song at the end of season Film Awards?
There is a feminist narrative added which is completely out of place in the time period Aladdin is set in and just aims to pander to the present day audiences.
However, some of the other additions in the film work, such as the humanizing of the genie and him getting a farewell. This lends weight to his desire that his master frees him with their 3rd wish. The introduction of Dalia (handmaid to Princess Jasmine) into the story seems to serve just this purpose. On the lighter side we discover the Jasmine had many more outfits than the blue gown she has become synonymous with.
The Sultan isn’t a buffoon as he was in the animated version and his actions in the live action actually lend weight to the vizier Jafar needing to hypnotize him.
Our big bad Jafar gets a minor backstory which is another thing that works as it lends weight to his character and helps the audience understand his motivation. It is a blessing, for sans that he is pathetic as the villain and seems as the sort of mini boss one needs to defeat before meeting the real enemy. He has the desire to be the most powerful person in Agrabah, has utter disdain for the word second and doesn’t want to take power by marriage but rather from a coup d’etat. (So have the laws of Argabah already been amended to the present day where the one with the blood of the royal family is the true ruler?) Personally, I felt that the animated version Jafar was much scarier than uh.. this…. He is saved by the effects in the climax and once again that small backstory.
Despite the 3D making the picture seem darker than usual it enhances the movie and the scenes of the genie magic.
The live action movie has a conclusion that takes forward what we saw in the animated and literally spells out something contradictory to what we assumed in 1992. It does feel convenient but once again, but it wasn’t touched in the original and we just assumed it. Who knows if the ending we got last time round could have actually been an open ending where we could assume either one of our protagonists became the ruler of Agrabah.
Aladdin is a movie which is a must watch for all Disney fans. The shoehorning of present day ideologies may be a tad annoying for those hoping for a faithful adaptation, but with an abundance of colour and foot tapping music it is the type of film to watch just to get refreshed and I promise you, you will leave the cinema hall with any one of the songs playing in your head.
Originally published at my blog http://theperspectivesofanintrovert.blogspot.com.
