I went to see the new live action remake of Disney’s Aladdin yesterday, on opening night.  I love Disney movies, and appreciate the new interpretations and added storylines that come with the new live action films.  Aladdin was not my favorite of the recent remakes.  That honor would probably go to Maleficent or Beauty and the Beast.  Aladdin was, however, an enjoyable ride (on a magic carpet).

Will Smith’s Genie was not as funny as the character made famous by Robin Williams, but it was still fun to see his take on the all-powerful master of the lamp.  I love when the remakes give us a literal live-action interpretation of the original, but I also appreciate the added storyline elements and new songs. One of the main additions to Aladdin was a heightened focus on Princess Jasmine’s wish to rule her father’s kingdom after him.  The new original song in the film is entitled Speechless.  It is a feminist anthem about the power of a woman’s voice. It might have been interesting to have the film have an even larger focus on Jasmine and her storyline.

Overall, I quite enjoyed the movie, but not quite as much as the recent Broadway musical production of Disney’s Aladdin.  That performance took my breath away.  It was so beautiful, funny, and entertaining.  If you ever get a chance to check it out, I highly recommend it.  As for the new live action film, I highly recommend it for fans of Disney, musicals, and remakes.  I’m all three, so for me, it was an enjoyable night.