Newsflash!!! The great and wise Disney Studios fulfills an exalted wish, granting us Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, Will Smith as the Genie and Marwan Kenzari as the Conrad Veidt-ish Jafar, with all the melodious Alan Menken/Tim Rice/Howard Ashman tunes we know and love (and more) in a live-action, Guy Ritchie refashioning of the '92 feature-length, blockbuster cartoon. To quote Daffy Duck, "Well, ruffle my hair and call me, Frankie." Didn't see that one comin'...ahem.
As most know, I'm not keen on Disney remaking its animated productions. Don't care for "Beauty and the Beast '17" (and "101 Dalmatians '96" and "Dumbo '19" are in their own lopsided niche, or should that be, ditch?), so why the hell would I give a hoot about a live-action "Aladdin" (no offense to the stage shows), regardless of its quality cast?
I must confess that for whatever odd reason, I don't feel the same intense bitterness toward this one that I felt (and still feel) toward "B & B". Maybe it's all that exotic, Arabian splash or that Smith's Genie has the right Robin Williams vibe (in big, blue or "regular" guise), while still being his own goofy guy. In the same way, Alan "Doom Patrol" Tudyk is an ideal, vocal stand-in for Gilbert Gottfried's colorful Iago. If only there had been more to hear from him; Tudyk can do no wrong.
Awright already, don't let my cherry-picked gushing give the wrong impression. Despite its good points, in no way do I believe this live-action edition is a breakthrough for the ages. I appreciate it not trying to be a Gus Van Sant, shot-for-shot "Psycho" (and for one, there's a distinguishing, albeit mushy subplot), but it still copies its cartoon counterpart enough that I can't help but ask, why, oh why? Really, what we're served sure ain't no "whole new world". And no doubt this thing cost a mint; so why not have downsized and made an animated sequel with the new cast employed? Bet that would've won over young and old alike. (Shucks, the tactic hasn't hurt the "Toy Story" franchise.)
Maybe it all comes down to proven formulas and the profit that they garner. The live-action "B & B" made a colossal chunk of change. That set the pace, the trend...whatever one wants to call it: ironic, too, comin' from Hollywood, where a let's-share-the-wealth adage is spewed to no end, but never practiced by the loudmouth know-it-alls who preach it.
Now that I think about it, maybe I don't like this remake so much, after all...maybe not in the least. Anyhow, what's done is done (all padded, two-hours-plus of it). Might as well sit back and watch it rake in the bread, and thereafter "Lion King", "Lady and the Tramp"..."Steamboat Willie". As the late Doris Day so aptly sang, "Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be..."
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