Aladdin (live action) movie discussion

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

After months of trailers, the movie is finally out.

The scenery was beautiful as well as the costumes. I may have been weary of Will Smith as the Genie but i thought his performance was one of the highlights. He had a lot of great lines! I also really liked the addition of Dahlia.

The new song sung by Jasmine (Speechles) was very pretty. It was also nice to have some extra scenes with her and Aladdin.

Now for the negatives, at least in my eyes. With the exception of Will Smith and the actress who played Dahlia, everyone else seemed to be phoning in their lines. Jafar was not menacing enough and the final battle between him and Aladdin was disappointing. I wanted the snake scene like in the original.

Overall I think it was the best of the live-action adaptations so far.

 

[Q2UnME]

Saw it the other night. I guess I expected more, was rather disappointed. Will Smith was good, but not in the same league as Robin Williams. Over all—-adequately done but that’s about it. 7/10

 

[Kirk Prime]

Comparing Will Smith to Robin Williams is a bit unfair, since Williams was animated. That performance WAS amazing, but I think Will Smith brought a lot to the table. I thought the version of A Whole New World was very good. I liked Jasmine a lot. I get that they wanted to give her another song, though I felt its placement in the show was a little off. It's like they basically wanted that song, but didn't find a spot for it, so they just picked one.

But she does have a hell of a good voice.

I liked the guy who played Aladdin, though I wonder why they didn't just use the Broadway cast.

It was a nice movie.

 

[HugeLobes]

Will Smith is one of the odder casting choices Disney has made with these movies.

 

[USS Fardell]

Spoiler

Based on the 1992 animated film Aladdin, but also the story from the 1000 Arabian Nights. The film opens at sea, aboard a small ship where a father is telling a story to his children. The story proper starts with a view of Agrabah, a desert trade port city, where a youth named Aladdin has to resort to thievery to survive, a so called 'Street Rat' (but he doesn't buy that). However, unexpectedly he meets a woman who claims to the handmaiden to the Princess and helps her escape from some guards (the song is appropriately well done).
Then there is Jafar, the Grand Visier of Agrabah, who is not satisfied with what he has. He is ambitious, power hungry and not satisfied with being second only to the Sultan. (The scene with his underling who he then pitches down a well is well done. Also, see below) As part of his ambition he recruits Aladdin into an expedition exploring the Cave of Wonders, which allows only a 'Diamond in the Rough' to enter. The set up in the opening sequence effectively sets this up. The whole sequence in the Cave is very well done, especially with Abu being enticed by the ruby.
The Genie of the lamp didn't look bad at all! “A Friend Like Me” was different to the '92 version, but then it had to be. Escaping the Cave and the following discussion was also well done. “Make me a Prince!” “There is a lot of grey area in 'Make me a Prince!'” (Good set up for later!) The re-entrance to Agrabah was done very well. The Princess, Jasmine, is suspicious from the beginning, but so is Jafar. The Genie's interactions with the actual handmaiden were very well done also. However, Jafar does figure out who 'Prince Ali' is.
They way both Jasmine and Jafar (separately) figure out 'Prince Ali' is Aladdin was done very well, and quite believable. Jafar's reaction, to test 'Prince Ali' by causing him to drown was quite consistent with his character established so far. The sequence where the Genie, Abu and the magic Carpet save Aladdin from that untimely demise was done very well. However things go further awry when Jafar discovers that he survived, and takes the Lamp! Then; “I wish I was Sultan of Agrabah!”
The sequence where Aladdin realises that the lamp is gone whilst the Genie grants the above wish (and the Palace changes) was a rather good piece of cinematography. Jasmine fighting back against Jafar by appealing to the Guard Captain was also done well, building upon her earlier character development. (Although “Speechless” could have been put elsewhere). “I wish to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world!” The climatic sequence with the Genie rebelling against Jafar by sending Carpet after Aladdin was done well.
As was the scenes after he returns to Agrabah, when he and Jasmine are chased over the city by an enhanced Iago. The build up from earlier pays off when Aladdin tricks Jafar into making his final wish. (Clearly he doesn't like being second only to the Genie.) “I wish to be the most powerful being in the Universe!” … “There is a lot grey area...” A very good payoff. And the father at the beginning is revealed to the Genie made human as Aladdin makes his final wish, for the Genie's freedom.
All very well done, regardless of some minor missteps. 8/10.

 

[.:: TSN ::.]

It was one of the better Disney live action adaptations. Will Smith brought enough of himself to the Genie role to avoid too direct comparisons to the Williams version.

I do think that the animated Jafar would have wiped the floor with the live-action Jafar. Staff or no staff.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I'm looking forward to seeing it. I do think that all of these live action remakes face an uphill battle. The stories that they are telling work better with the more exaggerated animation possibilities. Things that come off as silly or way too unrealistic when a person is doing it don't seem that crazy when it's animated. And using Jafar or Scar as examples, they came across as truly evil characters, reinforced by their exaggerated animated features and mannerisms. I can see how live action versions of them would seem less scary.

 

[Owain Taggart]

It was one of the better Disney live action adaptations. Will Smith brought enough of himself to the Genie role to avoid too direct comparisons to the Williams version.

Yeah, I saw it tonight, and I was initially very skeptical , and I'm convinced the trailers, especially the first one, were giving bad first-impressions. Definitely one of the better live-action adaptations. At this point, I'd put it above Beauty & The Beast, but below The Jungle Book. I'm really curious how Lion King will fare now.

1) I think the new versions of the songs work much better after seeing the movie. Seeing them out of context of the movie doesn't do them justice. In fact, I'd say A Whole New World is greatly improved, in part because of the kind of visuals they're able to bring to the table this time around, which really made the carpet ride one of the best parts of the movie.

2) Again, WIlliam's genie shoes were very hard to fill, but really, I think Will Smith did really great. I was actually wrong about his blue form not being his primary form, and there were still times I felt there was some uncanny valley going on, but for the most part, he really kicked ass as the Genie. So, consider me pleasantly surprised and entertained.

3) Jafar. I'm going to have to disagree on this one. I know some of you have said that he isn't as scary, but in some ways, I feel they've made him even more sinister. Keep in mind, that movies are played at a higher volume these days. They gave his scenes some real intensity, in particular towards the end, both in part due to the volume and his actions, and to me they feel a lot more direct and affecting, and that could end up scaring some kids.

4) The new song, Speechless. It might just be me, but I felt like it was out of place. Contextually in what it means in the movie, oh, it's fine. It just didn't feel like a song that had been written for Aladdin. It felt more like a song written for Frozen in terms of its style.

But anyway, I really enjoyed it. The trailers really don't do this movie justice.

 

[Gavin70]

The new song, Speechless. It might just be me, but I felt like it was out of place.

It's not just you. I loved the song and what it had to say fit well in the context. But musically it felt very different to the other songs. And that's a little odd because the music was still composed by Alan Menken. Although I'm not sure why they didn't just get Tim Rice to write the lyrics, as he'd done a number of the lyrics from the original animated version.

 

[Owain Taggart]

But musically it felt very different to the other songs.

Yep, that's it exactly. Thematically, there's nothing wrong with the song, but it's as if it was lifted from some other purpose and its style feels at odds with the overall feel of Aladdin. Of course, that might simply be due to when the original songs were written vs the new song, but they still should have made a better effort to have it blend with those others.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I feel that the appeal of the original was it's speedy pace and the spontaneous humor.. so when williams does his thing, even if you'd seen the original, he still whips through so many gags and puns and imitation ("Here you go Sparky".. "Right here direct form the lamp") it all feels inspired.. and yet quick enough that why would want to make sense of it? The new one, despite hurrying through initial scenes that the animation took it's time to show (like Jasmine first being courted and that's why she leaves for a while) as well as the new movie literally doing the first Cave of Wonders visit as an after thought during a montage as part of a song (also strange that we first see Aladdin from behind during the song) the grinds to a halt, and I think the genie first appears late enough in the film that we are anxious.. and that spontaneity that Williams' used as an ally is gone here.

Mediocre..

 

[Mudd]

Well, it's made Disney about 700 million so far...

 

[Spot's Meow]

It felt more like a song written for Frozen in terms of its style.

I feel like this is true of all Disney movie songs nowadays. It's hard to say quite what's different, but they feel like they are trying to copy the Frozen style a little too much. Which annoys me because I seem to be one of the few people who did not find the Frozen music to my liking, and I still struggle to understand why Let it Go was popular. The last music I really loved in a new Disney film was from Princess and the Frog. I feel like that film doesn't get enough credit for it's wonderful and catchy songs.

 

[Mudd]

I still struggle to understand why Let it Go was popular.

Because Idina Menzel is awesome, and so is the song.

 

[Spot's Meow]

Because Idina Menzel is awesome, and so is the song.

Her singing style is not for me, too "broadway." To me it sounds like her voice is straining to stay at a yell for practically the whole song, and it's not a pleasant sound. Also, I didn't think the lyrics or melody were that catchy.

 

[Owain Taggart]

There's a time and place for it. When it comes down to it, Aladdin has a very specific style to it, and the new Frozen-style song feels a bit too modern. It has its place, but not in Aladdin.

 

[Mudd]

Her singing style is not for me, too "broadway."

Disney owes its "animation renaissance" success to the infusion of musical theater influence and talents like Mencken and Ashman.

Broadway musicals are awesome. Menzel is awesome.

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