May 24 2019

Aladdin

A chance encounter between thief of the streets Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and the princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) leads to an unlikely romance separated by Sultan law and Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) the City of Agraba’s second in command. If only there was a way to bend the rules, be given power beyond human comprehension, perhaps a little magic? Enter, the Genie in the lamp (Will Smith). With Aladdin’s discovery of the magic Genie there may actually be hope of a continued engagement, unless temptations of greed take over instead. It’s all fun and games until someone goes powermad, how will it ever shake out? Written by John August and Written/Directed by semi unlikely candidate Guy Ritchie, this live action remake of the 1992 Disney classic oddly enough carries forward enough of the original spirit infused with more modern hip hop sensibilities to make for a surprisingly enchanting watch. Specifically Smith embodying the creative genius of some of Robin Williams’s most beloved improv and comedic dialogue with his own Fresh Prince sensibilities feels pleasantly at home and honorable to the legacy. Meanwhile, the triple threat powers of Massoud and Scott are not lost with musical numbers just as catchy as they were 27 years ago; the overall chemical mix between the two sizzles nicely. On directing, Ritchie certainly has his arms and influence noticeable throughout, editing comes to mind in several sequences ramping and warping speed to a slight distraction, still, it’s all about fun and Aladdin delivers in healthy scoops. Aladdin is rated PG.