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Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! How are you spending your weekend? Hopefully the weather is better where you are than here (it’s raining all weekend!) One bright side? I finally got to see Aladdin! I feel like it was just yesterday that we were reading about how they were remaking this classic animated film. I had my reservations, because Aladdin has always been one of my favorites. So, I have another review coming your way! This time it’s a spoiler free Aladdin review to help you determine if you should see it or not!
When the trailers started to drop – needless to say, I wasn’t impressed. I was very hesitant, especially when it came to Will Smith as the Genie. Yet when I got in the theater, and the opening song started playing, I felt like a kid again. I knew no matter what happened, it would have that magical Disney touch. That was enough for me.
Turns out – I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed this remake, and I think you all will too! Here is my SPOILER FREE review on the new Aladdin remake. Even if you’re hesitant, I recommend giving this movie a chance. You’ll be glad you did!
The Trailer Undersold the Movie
If you were like me, when you saw the trailer for the movie, you probably thought…meh. It looked fun, but it seemed like it was missing something. The snippets of the songs they chose and the scenes just didn’t have that same charm the original had. This was especially true when it came to the Genie. True, I feel Will Smith had unrealistic expectations set on him. Everyone LOVES Robin Williams’ Genie. However, it’s important to remember that Will is NOT Robin. People were automatically going to compare them, but even when you tried to push Robin’s Genie to the back of your brain, Will’s Genie just didn’t seem to make the cut.
Yet, when I watched the movie, I found myself really enjoying his character! I loved the new spin he put on many of the songs – even Prince Ali! When I first saw clip of Prince Ali, I thought the song was too slow and just lackluster. In the movie, the scene was great! Still a bit slow, but it worked.
The trailers didn’t show many of the good parts, especially when it came to Will. He had some of those same quirky moments like Robin had – for example, he uses prop comedy at many moments, which you would have no idea from the trailer! His rapport with Mena was amazing and they worked well together.
On the one hand, I think that’s a good thing. I don’t WANT the trailers to show the whole movie! At the same time, though, I think the trailers didn’t do a good job of selling the fun atmosphere of the movie. So, my advice – forget your expectations from the trailers and go in with a fresh, clean slate!
Character Development = A+
Ok, maybe not an A+. But definitely an A!
We got BACKSTORIES this time around that we didn’t get in the first movie. We learned a bit more about Jafar’s past, and learned the reason Jasmine is not allowed outside the palace. Additionally, Jasmine’s character was much more fleshed out than the original movie. She was smart, sassy, and powerful. She even got a whole new song! I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say I got serious Elsa from Frozen vibes as she was singing. I got chills!
Even the secondary characters had a bit more to their character than we had seen in the past. There were a few additions that I was confused by initially, but they ended up working out in the long run!
Two Words = Mena Massoud
I can’t remember the last time I saw a better “live action” casting. Mena IS Aladdin. His mannerisms, his voice, his singing – he really did it all. I’ve always had a love for Aladdin, and considered him one of my favorite Disney princes. After this, I don’t know how anyone can argue that he is NOT the best Disney prince!
His chemistry with Naomi was great, and he had fantastic comedic timing with Will. I hope this is the beginning of a great career for him.
So is it worth seeing?
So my final verdict? The Aladdin remake is 100% worth seeing. It’s a fun escape from the real world for a few hours, and it’ll bring back the nostalgic feeling of your childhood. I know some of the live action remakes have fallen flat lately (looking at you, Dumbo) but this one? This one is WORTH it. Definitely.
I hope you enjoyed my spoiler free Aladdin review! Did you see the movie yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter so you can get updates when I post new Disney content!
Looking for more summer fun? Don’t forget to check out Avengers: Endgame! Here’s my spoiler free review on the movie!
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