The film adaptation of the classic Disney cartoon Aladdin (1992) was controversial even before its release. Guy Ritchie’s film was scolded in absentia for bad special effects, too blue Genie, not enough Semitic appearance of Will Smith, for the wrong Aladdin and Jasmine. Well, the picture is already in cinemas and you can see for yourself what the collaboration between Disney and one of the brightest directors of our time has led to.

I have a very ambivalent relationship with live-action versions of Disney cartoons. I didn’t really like Alice Through the Looking Glass and The Jungle Book , although the latest adaptation is definitely better than Andy Serkis’ Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle . I wasn’t impressed by Burton’s version of Dumbo , but I was fascinated by the fantastically beautiful Beauty and the Beast .

I have the same difficult relationship with the work of Guy Ritchie. I love Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000), but I’m skeptical about Sherlock with Downey Jr. I like The Man from UNCLE , but King Arthur: Legend of the Sword seemed too ragged and unconvincing.

Well, Aladdin 2019 seems to have managed to reconcile yours truly with the film versions of Disney cartoons and the work of Guy Ritchie. Perhaps because there isn’t much of Ritchie himself in this film – the source material and the brand owners’ setup left no room for the director’s vision. However, Richie’s hand is still felt in working with live scenery, in staging stunts, in the final editing of the film.

Filming for Aladdin took place in Britain and Jordan, with the assistance of the Jordanian royal family. To recreate the screen Agrabah using natural materials, huge real scenery was built and this is clearly seen, for example, in the chase scene. The prototype of the city in the cartoon was Baghdad, in the film version you can see the influence of Moroccan, Persian, Indian and Turkish architecture.

I will not retell the plot, everyone knows the story of the acquaintance of the thief Aladdin, Princess Jasmine and Genie. In the new version, in order to please the star Will Smith, the role of the Genie was rewritten, and he became at the same time even more eccentric and extravagant, and more human. Despite the fears of the “Internet warriors”, Will Smith got used to his character perfectly, although in some places he draws a little more attention to himself than we would like. However, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott do a great job in their roles and curb Smith’s appetites.

Naomi Scott, whose choice for the role of Jasmine also had certain questions, turned out to be a wonderful Persian princess of a new generation. Her character was slightly modernized and rewritten – the clever and beautiful Jasmine gained her own ambitions and, frankly, I personally like this princess more. And how chic Jasmine’s costumes are… you have to see it.

In general, the work of decorators and costume designers deserves the highest praise, they really managed to recreate the atmosphere of an oriental fairy tale, making it almost tangible. Aladdin is an incredibly beautiful film and it is far from being in computer graphics, although, of course, it could not have done without it.

Actually, CG itself causes conflicting emotions. The same Abu, Iago and the Flying carpet are made at an incredible level, but there are certain complaints about the animation of the Genie, especially in the first scene in the Cave, in places it resembles graphics from video games of the mid-2000s. In addition, in some chase scenes, traces of accelerated playback are clearly visible.

And, of course, music and dance numbers, it’s still a Disney movie. The original soundtrack of the 1992 cartoon has been remastered. Some of the compositions received a new arrangement, some were rewritten for new artists, for example, the same Prince Ali number was adapted for Will Smith, and a new text was written for the Arabian Nights composition. The Friend Like Me theme has also been redesigned. Plus, the remake has new numbers, for example, the amazing solo part Speechless performed by Naomi Scott. Yes, all the compositions in the film are translated into Ukrainian, which is logical for a children’s film, but does not benefit the integrity of the numbers. Well, this is a great excuse to listen to the original soundtrack and later revisit the movie in the original language.

As for the dance routines, I don’t know if Guy Ritchie ordered Bollywood consultants or just carefully watched Indian films, but the dance routines turned out to be literally explosive and incredibly bright. The Prince Ali room, for example, featured 250 dancers and 200 extras, and the giant camel Ali rides was made from real flowers. Incredible spectacle, I don’t think we’ll see anything more grandiose in the cinema anytime soon. However, there are enough excellent compositions and scenes in the film, the same Friend Like Me at the beginning and in the final of the picture or both versions of Speechless.

I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but now I’m looking forward to the new Disney movie adaptations. And it looks like their number will soon exceed the number of films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since 2010, 9 live-action Disney films have already been released, and there are two dozen more titles on the list of planned ones. The Lion King (2019), Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019), Mulan (2020), Cruella (2020), Robin Hood, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Lilo & Stitch, The Little Mermaid, Tinker Bell, Charming, Rose Red, The Jungle Book 2. Plus, Lady and the Tramp (2019), The Sword in the Stone and Peter Pan will be filmed specifically for the Disney streaming service.

Hopefully this list will also include Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves. Personally, I will look again with great pleasure at the joint work of Will Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott.