Live Action Aladdin Review!

Aladdin!

Let's just get right into it shall we?  I loved this movie!   I thought they did a good job on trying to incorporate the old story line while at the same time making it their own.   

Songs: Any good Disney lover knows that one of the best thing about a Disney movie especially an classic Disney movie is it songs.   As all of the live action movies have been coming out I've been wondering if they are going to have the songs or if they are going to get rid of the songs all together and so far we've almost had an even split. 

As someone who loved the music from the original Aladdin I can honestly say that I loved the music in this one and yes I did notice the change in some of the lyrics, but what can I say I am one of those people that sings along with all of the songs even as I watch it in theaters.  

Now let's talk about the new song that they added.  Jasmine's song Speechless.  I really liked it.  If you really think about it Jasmine didn't really have her own song in the original movie and she kind of deserves one.  I like how it talks about breaking free and being her best self. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0azWs8Ym26I

Storyline:

Now we can talk about the stuff in between the songs otherwise known as the storyline.  I believe that the best way to describe the storyline is to go character by character and talk about how their story unfolded: what changed, what didn't, what I liked about the actors, what I didn't.  

Aladdin:

Aladdin, himself, follows the same story that was given to our favorite street rat all of those years ago.  He's just an orphan who has got to steal to eat and has got to eat to live and he'll tell us all about it when he's got the time.   He's also the same diamond in the rough that we know and love.  The part where he is finally able to get food and then upon seeing a starving child he promptly gives it away. 

The one thing that I did not like about our new Aladdin was his singing ability.   I mean yes he did have kind of a nice voice, but at times I felt like it was off and it almost felt like he was talking parts of it.  

He is still one of those princes that we can all totally fall for and relate with.   

Jasmine:

Out of everybody I think that Jasmine was the character that had the most change.  She was still the carefree princess that we all know and love.  She still hated the fact that she had to marry someone that she didn't love.  And she still ran away from the palace and met Aladdin and almost instantly fell in love.  

Now let's talk about the things that changed in her.  The reason that she ran away from the palace to begin with was not to get away from all of the different princes that were trying to woo her and to just escape life as a princess in general she ran away because she wanted to get to know her people better and see what they were actually dealing with.  

Yes she hates the fact that she has to marry someone she doesn't love, but she also hated the fact that she had to marry someone in order to take the crown.  And all of these things led into the fact that she was still a carefree princess.  

At the end of the movie she is actually made Sultan by her father.  Which would never really happen in real life because just like it was said throughout the movie only a man can be made Sultan.  But Jasmine is not afraid to break out of the statue quo and that's what she did. 

Genie:

The first thing that I want to talk about when it comes to Genie is the whole Will Smith controversy.  First of all let me start by saying that I loved Will Smith as the Genie.  Yes, there were a couple of things that I wish he had done more like Robin Williams, but isn't that what we're all thinking anyways.  I mean Will Smith is not and will never be and did not try to be Robin Williams.  And I am also so thankful for the fact that they did not try to make him like Robin Williams.  

I liked the fact that it was actually the Genie now a human that was telling this story to his kids to try and calm them down and to teach them a lesson.  I also just liked how Will was able to throw in his own little flair.  And let's not forget the fact that he is able to find love.  

Really besides that everything was the same.  

Everybody Else:
Let me break this down for you.  Jafarr was not nearly as scary as the Jafarr that used to scare me as a child.  Yes he was evil and he was the guy that we all came to hate as the movie went on, but he wasn't scary like at all.  Iago was just a parrot.  He was kind of annoying, but nearly as annoying as the bird from the original. 
We didn't really get to know the Sultan that well, but we know that he loves his daughter dearly and that he loves his kingdom.   And then there was Dalia who wasn't even in the originals. 
Dalia is Princess Jasmine's handmaiden.  She is the woman that Jasmine pretends to be as she goes about the kingdom.  She is also the woman who steals Genie's heart.  She is sassy and funny and you can't help to fall in love with her right away too.

Honestly I have a lot more opinions on the story line but in order to save time and hurt feelings let me just say that it was a great movie!  For the most part I loved everything about it!  I felt like it was talking to me and that it was probably talking to a lot of us as we watched it.  I feel like it was trying to tell us to not be afraid of who we are and to not be afraid to speak out when things don't feel right to us. 

If you have any other opinions I would love to hear them.  But for now that's all for me.  I hope you have a magical day!