Hi, I’m Eloise and I’m a Disney-fanatic.
I’ve always been a massive Disney fan and absolutely love the Disney Princess movies. My favourite though, is Beauty and The Beast (probably because Belle loves reading books and so do I!). However, as it was my childhood favourite Disney Princess movie, I was very anxious to see the live action ‘remake’. BUT I was very impressed with the final production! So that gave me faith in Disney’s ability to remake their animated Disney classics. And… if you didn’t realise, 2019 is THE YEAR of Disney remake releases, And. I. Am. Here. For. It!
Which brings me to the Live action ‘remake’ of Disney’s Aladdin. Just WOW. WOW WEE. First off, I must say that Aladdin, the 1992 animated musical fantasy, was never really a childhood fave. I mean, I liked it, I remember watching it a couple of times, but it’s not like I loved it enough to get Mum to buy it on video (these were the days before DVD). So, I didn’t have super high expectations for the remake…
There has been a lot of skepticism over the casting of Will Smith as Genie – how could he ever live up to the original Genie – the wonderful late Robin Williams? Then more disappointment came up after the teaser trailer and a first look photo of Will Smith as Genie were released. Granted these concerns were perhaps warranted – it’s Will Smith – humanlike not Genie-like and he looks like he’s just been body painted blue… However, after seeing the film I can confirm that Disney DELIVERED and really made Genie a genie! Let’s all just take a moment to sigh with relief.
Any other Will Smith-related concerns you may have will vanish when that first big musical number of Genie kicks in! Will Smith’s Genie is a lot of fun and while staying true to his character, he was also able to bring in his own personality and fill those big boots-or rather, that big lamp, Robin Williams left behind. RIP.
The other main characters Aladdin, Jasmine, The Sultan and Jafar played by Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Navid Negahban and Marwan Kenzari respectively, were perfectly casted. The chemistry between Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott really showed on screen and makes one truly believe in soul mates and happily ever afters.
Mena Massoud as Aladdin, is such a believable peasant-turned-prince character- a hero that you only want to see succeed. Also, not too bad on the eye either if you know what I mean (wink, wink, nudge nudge). His sidekick monkey, aka Abu, is the most adorable little fur creature ever and makes me want a pet monkey…
Princess Jasmine, portrayed by Naomi Scott is such a determined, beautiful, compassionate young woman. She really comes to her own by the end of the film and becomes a positive display of female empowerment!
The overall production of Aladdin is spectacular to say the least, and there’s a strong authentic feel that Agrabah is an actual city in Arabia. This is done by realistic yet stunning city views, enchanting music, and explosions of colour during the festive scenes – especially the “Prince Ali” musical sequence that features 1000 dancers and extras!!!
Disney’s 2019 Aladdin is a magical, colourful, extravagant adventure and one that you need to jump on the carpet ride to see ASAP. It might even be my new favourite Disney remake to date…
As a Disney Fanatic – Aladdin did not disappoint! It’s A Whole New World you do not want to miss, and to sum it up in three words: “Shining, Shimering, Splendid.”
