Aladdin

Who had the terrifying idea to turn Aladdin into a musical? It’s like watching a three-hour long Bollywood opus and enjoying how everyone is dancing and everything around is incredibly colorful. The only good thing about the movie is Will Smith, even though some people might protest that a genie shouldn’t be black. However, Will Smith is the only reason for which this film is even worth watching. All the rest (apart from the opening show jumping scene) is too horrible for words. (01/27/2020)

Aladdin lags behind the animated version in many ways, but even so, watching the film is mostly a pleasant experience, particularly thanks to the expensive and colour-rich spectacular expedition with a slightly inconsistent concept, influenced by just about everything. The film’s Arabic elements are joined by Bollywood influences (including a dance number at the end) and the aesthetics of Brazilian carnivals. Unfortunately, the film also has breakdance and beatboxing. In terms of plot, it is not an exact copy, as several passages and two new songs have been added, and in some scenes their order has been reversed and their content changed (sometimes for the better, sometimes worse). Will Smith manages to be playful, funny and touching in the role of the Genie. Compared to Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott in the roles of Aladdin and Princess Jasmine have a more difficult time gaining audience sympathy, and with his leather expression and lack of charisma, Marwan Kenzari is downright tragic as the villain in the role of the Sultan's advisor, Jafar. (10/03/2020)

I was the one who objected the most loudly that Aladdin didn't need a live-action adaptation because it could already suffice as the epitome of the adventure genre in the animated version. And yet Guy Ritchie's direction turns the chase scenes in the marketplace or on the carpet into an impressively exciting spectacle, the bond between the main protagonist and the perfect Jasmine (Naomi Scott is the most amazing princess, and I want to see her everywhere now, thank you very much) is perfectly believable by fairytale standards, and the added subplots with Jafar's motivations or the breathtaking song "Speechless" make Prince Ali not only a great summer blockbuster but also the best live-action Disney movie, for me surpassing even the unmatchable Beauty and the Beast. (07/07/2019)

If the main character and the main villain weren't such bland and uninteresting misfits, this could have been a reasonably enjoyable musical, because unlike Tim Burton's Dumbo, which I turned off after fifteen minutes, I didn't have such a problem with Aladdin. It's good to see that everything about the cast isn't digital, but that the filmmakers went to some trouble with sets and set design in general; Will Smith is very good as the genie (even in his much-criticized blue form), and the story was quite interestingly developed. And a great job by Alan Menken, who made his own excellent music for the animated Aladdin even better. However, if it weren't for the credits, I wouldn't have thought for a second that Guy Ritchie directed this. (01/26/2020)

The thief Aladdin would like to seduce the princess, but ends up in the hands of the villain Jafar, who wants to use him to bring him a magic lamp. But Aladdin discovers a Genie living in the lamp who grants him three wishes, and he decides to pursue the princess with his help. But Jafar doesn't give up... Guy Ritchie directs a brisk and visually arresting family fairy tale that brilliantly combines humour, suspense and romance and features a very likeable cast. The problem is that it's too similar to the animated original and doesn't bring much new to the story. How much of a problem that is is for everyone to figure out. But the craftsmanship is more than good. (05/23/2019)