Aladdin made our wish come true!

The remake of Disney’s Aladdin has arrived in theaters and this live-action version of the classic story did not disappoint.

Director Guy Ritchie’s latest project tells us the story of Aladdin (Mena Massoud), a “street rat” who steals to survive. While going through the streets of Agrabah, he meets Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) while not knowing who she really was.

As they were escaping the guards, Aladdin and Jasmine became smitten with each other. However, when he finds out that Jasmine was the princess, he gets an offer from Jafar (Marwan Kenzari).

This live-action remake of the 1992 movie had some alluring qualities. One example was the performance of the Genie (Will Smith). Smith’s portrayal of the magical being was on point. His jokes and disguises throughout the film had me cackling.

Robin Williams had set the bar high as the Genie in the original movie. But, Smith managed to put on a decent performance.

Mena Massoud also deserved some praise. The Canadian actor played the main character well. He was sneaky, charming, courageous and manipulative. Basically, his portrayal of Aladdin was impressive.

The musical numbers in the film also caught my attention. We had the classics from the original such as “Friend Like Me” and “A Whole New World.” But, the movie also added new songs for our enjoyment.

One song in particular was “Speechless” performed by Naomi Scott. This song was about speaking out and standing up to what Jasmine believed in. When I heard Scott’s voice and saw her poured her emotions out, I was captivated.

Lastly, there was the aesthetics of the movie. For instance the costume design for the Genie’s character. The blue skin and costume changes reflected his character well.

Although it’s not as good as the original, this Aladdin is worth watching.

“Featured Image via BBC”