Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews for Disney’s latest live action remake of a classic animated film.
The Guardian: **** “It is lively, colourful and genuinely funny, and doesn’t break what didn’t need fixing about the original.”
The Wrap: “The remake rehashes the original in a pleasing but perfunctory way: It’s extremely satisfying to see these roles finally filled by non-white actors, but the movie still feels like a wholly western interpretation of one of the tales from “One Thousand and One Nights.” “
www.gamespot.com: “It’s not perfect, but it’s a big, extravagant musical that’s filled with fun performances, bright colors, and some exciting moments. Will Smith’s turn as Genie isn’t better than what Robin Williams brought to the character, but it’s different enough that it stands on its own merit.”
The Telegraph: *** “If you thought that Guy Ritchie would bring no small amount of grit to the fairy-tale world of Disney, you’d be mistaken. His Aladdin, the latest in a series of remakes (we’ve just had Dumbo and Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King follows in the summer), is a big-hearted fantasy musical with a gorgeous colour palette and a strict moral code which tries very hard – but doesn’t quite succeed – in improving on the studio’s 1992 original.”
Variety: “Where the director really shines is in melding practical elements with virtual ones. Whether making Smith’s computer-enhanced and cerulean-skinned Genie look natural sharing the screen with Aladdin or swooping the camera along magic carpet rides through virtual sets, Ritchie’s style embraces the kind of expressionism needed to pull off such a fanciful tale.”
The Verge: “It’s a shame that Ritchie couldn’t execute the musical vision Aladdin requires, and that the music itself wasn’t more imaginative. The film has its positive elements, and with stronger numbers, it might have gelled more effectively.”
www.rogerebert.com: ** ” It’s quite possible that nobody seeing this film will feel that anything has gone missing. The audience I saw it with at a sneak preview seemed to mildly enjoy it, though it’s impossible to know in such circumstances if it was really the movie winning them over or the fact that the tickets were free. Aside from a few jokey buddy-comedy exchanges between Aladdin and the Genie, most of the bits that seem to work best are imported from the original.”
entertainment.ie: *** “The absence of Williams means the new ‘Aladdin’ never has quite the charm of the animation, but it’ll leave you with a smile on your face thanks to those delightful musical numbers.”
Time Out: *** “When Aladdin gets it right, it propels you high on a magic-carpet ride. But the odd bum note thrusts you straight out of Arabia and back into your cinema seat.”
Escapist Magazine: “Aladdin is a pretty average film, existing more as a tribute to the original than as a movie in its own right. Since most people are just going to go to hear the songs and see sort of new variations on their favorite scenes, it will probably deliver.”
Aladdin is out now in cinemas.