This is the second story in a five-part series
Disney has been lacking a little bit lately. The original titles like “The Lion King,” “Mulan,” and “Beauty and the Beast” used to make people break out in song and ignite discussions about the nostalgia each film brings. Now they more often evoke a feeling of disappointment followed by the question “Did you see the new remake?” It is not that the films from the Disney Renaissance should not be interpreted for a new audience, but they just seem to lack the classic magic the originals used to have. This series will break down a few of the movies for comparison, and this article will focus on“Aladdin.”
First, as with “The Lion King” remake, the Disney producers added a new song, called “Speechless,” for pretty much no reason other than to reach for a Grammy. The orchestration is good and Naomi Scott’s voice is pretty good, but the lyrics sound cheesy, even for a Disney movie. With most Disney songs, creative liberty is taken specifically to make a sound or set of lyrics that are particularly catchy and that are arranged in a new, unique way. However, someone could surely find every single one of these lyrics in other popular songs, in songs by Disney and songs not by Disney. The writers for the song include Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Alan Menken. Pasek and Paul were writers for musicals like “Dear Evan Hansen,” “The Greatest Showman,” “La La Land” and “Trolls,” so such simplistic lyrics can come across as a disappointment for some.
Secondly, for the record, Robin Williams and Will Smith are not the same person. One would think this is obvious, but with the way Disney tries to fit Smith in a William-shaped hole, it seems Disney did not get the memo. The song “Friend Like Me” is a jazzy number with eccentric visuals and a catchy rhythm, and the same goes for the live-action remake. However, it does not sound like Will Smith. Why hire an artist who originally got his fame for making family-friendly hip-hop and not let him rebrand a song by doing what he is best at? In fact, at the end of the movie, they play Will Smith’s rebranded version of “Friend Like Me” in his signature hip-hop style, and it is much better suited for his version of the genie.
Although it seems this movie is all mistakes, it may be considered one of the best of the Disney remakes. While Will Smith was shoved into an unfamiliar style for “Friend Like Me,” his original comedy throughout the rest of the movie is perfect for the Genie character. Naomi Scott’s strong performance really captured Jasmine’s essence, sexualizing her less than the original. The same with Mena Massoud, in respect to his acting performance.
Overall, this movie was good on its own, but mediocre at best compared to the original. It lacked the originality necessary to make it feel fresh and not forced whilst also lacking the tradition necessary to keep that nostalgia and those childhood memories.
