As I trailed into yet another remake of a Disney movie, I felt unexcited, yet hopeful – unexcited that I may have just wasted another 15 dollars on a movie that was either too similar to the original, or so radically different I forget what I’m watching, but hopeful that Disney would pull through with a new movie to obsess over. Luckily for me, I was not disappointed by “Aladdin.”

Something that Disney tends to do is produce a carbon copy of the original when they do these remakes, or they will do something completely different to the point that people end up being confused and upset. I thought Disney did a great job of making sure neither of those two things happened with the remake of “Aladdin.” I love that Disney makes new versions of their classics so every generation can enjoy them. This version stayed true to the original story except for one thing: Jasmine wanted to be Sultan. This was a very interesting choice for Disney, but I greatly appreciated it. This generation is much more satisfied with seeing a woman take a position of power than sitting through another film where the man saves the woman because the woman can’t save herself. I hope that this film opens the door for many more like this, because it is good for young girls to see that women can be powerful and be great leaders without dependence on anyone. I love that Disney makes new versions of their classics so every generation can enjoy them. 

The movie stars Mena Massoud as Aladdin, an unfamiliar face to me, but not to the big screen; he already appeared in “Jack Ryan,” “Open Heart,” and “Masters in Crime.” His acting performance was terrific, along with his impeccable dance moves during the song “Friend Like Me.” The role of Jasmine was played by Naomi Scott, who also appeared in the iconic Disney Channel original movie “Lemonade Mouth.” While I enjoyed her performance thoroughly, I could not help but notice that her pop-like voice did not seem to fit with the style of the original movie. Of course, Will Smith as the genie truly stole the show in his twist of “Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali.” While his singing was a bit lacking, his character was so full of life that my eyes were constantly drawn to him.

The soundtrack also stayed close to the original, but with a few additions. The movie did produce one new song called “Speechless.” Jasmine sings it twice, at times when she feels that the people around her want her to stay silent, underscoring the fact that she will not go “speechless.” It is a very powerful song, but I was not a fan at first. The song “Speechless” seemed like an attempt by Disney to produce the next “Let it Go” from “Frozen” or “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana,” which were both smash-hits that empowered their audiences and made a ton of money. “Speechless,” however empowering, does not fit with the style of music in “Aladdin” and seemed all too forced and artificial. Whatever Disney’s intentions were with the song, it eventually grew on me despite it being totally unnatural when placed in the movie’s setting. 

Disney’s “Aladdin” (2019) did not disappoint, offered a fresh take on the story, and while featuring a slightly unnatural song, brought a long-loved story back to life with an amazing cast. I would highly recommend for any family to come to see the magic of a Disney story made just for a new generation, or for anyone who wants to see a fresh take on a familiar tale.