A Whole New Excitment For A Familiar World - Aladdin Trailer Review

Hesitant is the best way to describe how I feel about Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin. The trailers have been below par for me, and the magic of its predecessor has been lacking. Not to mention the monumental task of bringing new life to the Genie (which the late Robin Williams so wonderfully played). Now the official trailer has been released, and thankfully my hesitation has turned to excitement…the magic has arrived with this new trailer and the film looks spectacular.


The first thing you notice is just how beautiful the production design looks! The fictional city of Agrabah is brought to life with a flare and tenacity I only ever see in Bollywood…with such vibrant colours and audacious sets (but with 100 times better CGI which is what really makes each scene so beautiful to look at). The blend of practical and visual effects could be better, and I’m wary it will end up resembling more of a theatre production than a cinematic spectacle (the former isn’t bad but if you’re spending $150m + it should be the latter). Something looks a bit off and the film needs to be careful it doesn’t come across as “cheap”. Looking at the Genie does however give me more confidence around the visuals…and on that note HOW GOOD DOES THE GENIE LOOK!?

No matter who was cast as the Genie, it was impossible to please everyone. I however, did like the casting of Will Smith, and this trailer showed he CAN bring his own comedic vibes and charisma to the role. The Genie looks great, and I am so glad he’ll be switching from blue, to CGI, to human and more throughout the film – just like the animated film, the Genie has no bounds! A mention to the rest of the cast of course (I just wanted to see the magic carpet in action to be honest) -  Aladdin finally looks like the charming street rat we all love, and the glimpses we see of the action scenes he's in look to be really exciting. With Jasmine, you got to see (and hear) just enough of her, knowing that she’ll shine full in the film. And using “A Whole New World” was a masterstroke, with the nostalgic element tying up the trailer in a beautiful way.

The plot seems pretty like-for-like compared the original (although we won’t know for sure until we see the film), and unlike a lot of people, I am perfectly happy with that. The issue with remaking films like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin, is that their animated predecessors were actually really good films in their own right, hence there is less of a need to change the story in the live-action remakes. For some (like me) they don’t mind, it really just depends on what you are looking for. The trailer makes the film feel new, just not different. Nostalgia sells and Disney knows, so the trailer doesn’t have to show all of the (if any) new elements, it just has to get people like me (who were hesitant) excited for the film which is why I love this trailer the more and more I watch it.

And before I end, allow me to say again… HOW GOOD DOES THE GENIE LOOK!? See for yourself below J…
 
 

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