Live-Action Aladdin - Take The Kids?

Disclosure: My family and I were invited to a pre-screening of ALADDIN in exchange for this post.

A few days ago we had the opportunity to go to a pre-screening of Disney’s newest live-action release, ALADDIN. From the moment we saw the previews of this movie the kids were really excited to see it. Now, as parents we were both a little hesitant about this one probably for the same reason that most parents our age are feeling. Will Smith as the Genie…more on that later.

Introducing Disney’s Aladdin

A thrilling and vibrant live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, “Aladdin” is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future. Directed by Guy Ritchie, who brings his singular flair for fast-paced, visceral action to the fictitious port city of Agrabah, “Aladdin” is written by John August and Ritchie based on Disney’s “Aladdin.” The film stars Will Smith as the Genie; Mena Massoud as Aladdin; Naomi Scott as Jasmine; Marwan Kenzari as Jafar; Navid Negahban as the Sultan; Nasim Pedrad as Dalia; Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders; and Numan Acar as Hakim.

“Aladdin” is produced by Dan Lin, p.g.a., and Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a., with Marc Platt and Kevin De La Noy serving as executive producers. Eight-time Academy Award®-winning composer Alan Menken provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Oscar®-winning lyricists Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and includes two new songs written by Menken and Oscar and Tony Award®-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

My Thoughts on Aladdin

Aladdin has always been one of my very favorite animated Disney movies, I was even Princess Jasmine for Halloween one year as a little girl. Just like Beauty and The Beast I was nervous about how they would pull this off. I was pleasantly surprised once again and found myself smiling, singing and dancing through out the movie.

I absolutely loved the beautiful costumes and dancing through out the movie. Wow! I also loved that they stuck to the same story-line for the most part. They did add a character – Dehlia the handmaiden and at first I wondered why but she was a perfect addition to the story. The live action Aladdin was full of action, love and humor. The whole cast was great and I felt like the favorite pieces of the original Aladdin shined through perfectly!

Should You Take Kids To See Aladdin?

When we left the theater that evening the kids were so excited to tell their friends all about the movie. While there were a few scary parts surrounding Jafar (as expected) this is a movie that is perfect for all ages. I saw both Jude and Teagan singing along to the songs through out the movie. So fun! Teagan even brought her Jasmine doll to the theater to watch with us.

I would recommend this movie to ages 5 and older, due to the live-action and darker parts with Jafar but loved that once again Disney proves that movies do not have to be filled with curse words or scenes that make mom blush. A clean movie filled with silly jokes from Genie and innocent love.

My opinion – YES! Take the whole family to see Aladdin!! Have fun, sing, dance and laugh!

The Verdict On The Genie

Okay, we have to talk about it. Will Smith as Genie. This was the one reason I was really nervous to see the live-action Aladdin movie. I love Will Smith, he is a very talented actor and an actor that I have had on my TV and movie screen my entire life. But, him stepping into the lamp…the lamp that was once Robin Williams was a huge space to fill. Robin Williams was THE Genie. I was worried that Will Smith would attempt to be Robin Williams as the Genie rather than create a new version of The Genie.

My opinion, Will Smith did fantastic. He was hilarious, fun and a great Genie. While there were a few glimpses of Robin Williams, I felt like Will Smith recreated a perfect version of The Genie. He had the kids and adults laughing through out the movie.

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ALADDIN opens in U.S. theaters on May 24th! This weekend is a perfect time to get your whole family to the theater to see Aladdin. Check out the trailer below to get a glimpse into a whole new world!