By Robert Yaniz Jr.

Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin adaptation is a fun but flawed riff on one of the gems of the Disney Renaissance.

THE HYPE

The original animated Aladdin is an essential film of my childhood. To me, it’s more than just another Disney movie. The tale of a street rat who stumbles across an all-powerful Genie voiced by Robin Williams remains one of my all-time favorite animated films. So news of a live-action remake stirred both hesitation and excitement. Perhaps director Guy Ritchie’s film could follow in the footsteps of the recent highlights like the reimagined Pete’s Dragon and The Jungle Book.

THE STORY

Unfortunately, one element of this new Aladdin that does suffer is its story. The parts that do work are largely lifted almost exactly from the animated version. Although it does make some wise updates regarding Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), the film is still a bit too reverent to its predecessor. Moreover, its tone is a bit wobbly in places, as if Ritchie can’t decide whether he wants to ham it up or present a more serious tale. At least it doesn’t share the embarrassing fate of that other big 2019 Disney remake (we’ll get there). What Aladdin lacks in narrative distinction it makes up for in execution, thanks to its cast.

THE CAST

Disney made a socially conscious effort here to remain truer to the ethnic background of these characters, and it mostly pays off. Mena Massoud is a charming choice for the titular character, and he and Scott nail the instant chemistry necessary to believe their characters would fall head over heels in an instant. For her part, Scott creates a more fleshed-out version of Jasmine, complete with her own power ballad. And Will Smith’s Genie — who caused a huge ruckus prior to the film’s premiere — finds a way to amp up the star’s playful image without tarnishing the memory of Williams’ indelible performance. Truly, the only misstep is Marwan Kenzari. Despite his efforts, he lacks the menace that made Jafar my favorite Disney villain.

THE PRODUCTION

From a production standpoint too, Aladdin falls short of expectations. The art direction is glossy but unremarkable. The musical numbers are well-choreographed but somewhat hollow. And the visual effects run the gamut from boisterous and immersive Genie antics to nearly cringe-inducing green-screen work. In short, the live-action Aladdin suffers from an affliction many suspected it might have. This production simply fails to improve upon almost any elements of its animated counterpart.

THE VERDICT

How you respond to Ritchie’s Aladdin will depend greatly on your own expectations. If you go into the film knowing it will fall tragically short of the 1992 classic, then you’ll likely have a lot of fun watching Ritchie and his cast essentially execute their cover version of a timeless standard. This version of Aladdin isn’t downright embarrassing but is far from transcendent. In a world where Disney seems hellbent on raiding the mythical Disney Vault, “just fine” feels like it’s destined to become the default setting for the next several years of live-action Disney remakes.

Aladdin stars Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Nasim Pedrad, Navid Negahban and Will Smith and is directed by Guy Ritchie.