Friday, April 22, 2011

Aladdin (DVD) Review


Anxious to follow up on the huge commercial and critical success of Beauty As well as the Beast, Disney developed a different animated masterpiece with Aladdin. Even though not practically as successful when it comes to critical acclaim as the aforementioned film, or later Disney creations like The Lion King and Finding Nemo, Aladdin is nevertheless just as entertaining and in all probability the funniest of all of the animated Disney features. With the voice of Robin Williams leading the way, the film can be a non-stop foray into the timeless fantasy world of A Thousand And 1 Arabian Nights spliced together with the rapier-like wit and quick-fire humor of 1 of America's most talented comic performers...

The film takes place hundreds of years ago in the windswept sands of the kingdom of Agrabah, where a young street urchin named Aladdin wanders the streets, stealing and hustling for survival. Along the way, he's joined by his loyal companion Abu, a clever and enterprising monkey. Yet, in stark contrast to the poverty-ridden streets below, the lustrous facade of a huge palace towers high above the urban globe of Aladdin. Inside, the Sultan of Agrabah lives a carefree life of opulence and luxury with his attractive daughter Jasmine and a cunning, ambitious adviser named Jafar.

Forced to invest her days inside the palace walls, the headstrong Princess Jasmine sneaks out in order to encounter the globe around her. Throughout this hazardous trek by means of the streets of her kingdom, the girl befriends Aladdin who is instantly awestruck by her beauty. But when Princess Jasmine's escape is brought to the attention of Jafar and her father, she is swiftly rounded up, and Aladdin is thrown in prison. Hoping to seize the kingdom for himself, Jafar enlists the aid of Aladdin in an effort to obtain a fabled magic lamp, the purported powers of which are unlimited. Legend has it that only a "diamond inside the rough" is capable of retrieving the lamp from the Cave of Wonders. All other people will be swallowed whole by the endless sands of the desert.

When Aladdin fails in Jafar's quest, he is left for dead. But he soon discovers the mysterious lamp as well as the blue genie who resides inside. Granting Aladdin the ultimate power of 3 wishes (with particular conditions which include not wishing for more wishes or wishing for somebody to fall in love with you), the genie transforms Aladdin into a effective Prince, therefore creating him eligible to marry Princess Jasmine. Riding into Agrabah at the helm of a triumphant parade, only Jafar knows the accurate secret of Aladdin's identity and his success, and he's determined to scheme and connive until he gains control of the magic lamp himself...

Aside from Robin Williams, this film is simply forgettable. With him, Aladdin is transformed into a legendary blockbuster hit. The truth is, the later appearances of comic voices in animated films such as Shrek (Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy), Mulan (Eddie Murphy), Locating Nemo (Ellen DeGeneres), and the Lion King (Nathan Lane & Whoopi Goldberg) can most likely be traced back to the overwhelmingly positive audience reaction to Robin Williams as well as the comic relief his blue genie provided. This once overlooked aspect of the animated film has since become a staple, and Aladdin is the reason why. In addition, the film boasts a attractive soundtrack that gave birth to the chart-topping hit "A Entire New World". Fun for children and adults alike, Aladdin is the perfect film for those who enjoy creativity, humor, and a great story...


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