Aladdin 4K Blu-Ray Review – Better Than It has Any Right To Be

The Movie

As someone who was raised during the fabled renaissance era of Disney animation, Aladdin is near and dear to the heart. Likewise, the original film has become a seminal work for the Mouse House, especially for when it was made. So when the film was slated to be the next in a series of live-action remakes, eyebrows were naturally raised. In many ways, the original Aladdin was ahead of its time, which made it an even tougher uphill battle for the remake. Simply put, the 1992 film is a stone-cold classic whose success is hard to replicate in the modern era.

Based on this alone, it’s hard not to judge Aladdin based on its predecessor. In terms of pure merit, the remake needed to justify its existence while adding something new to be worthwhile. Notwithstanding the fairly low expectations going into it, the remake proves that it’s a story worth re-telling in live-action. Despite what the botched marketing for Aladdin might imply, Disney’s live-action remake of the animated classic is a fairly magical experience – for the most part. Unfortunately, the movie also falls short of being a true “diamond in the rough.”

Although Guy Ritchie is largely known for his work in the crime drama genre, he’s transitioned into blockbuster studio filmmaking in the past decade. During this time, the English director has seen various successes and failures from Sherlock Holmes to King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Barring Ritchie’s supremely underrated 2015 film The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Aladdin is easily his best effort in a decade. Ritchie’s craftsmanship is highly unexpected here, especially in regard to bringing the vibrant world of Agrabah to life. Tonally speaking, the dramatic elements are well realized. Interestingly, it’s the awkward, almost dry comedic sensibility that Ritchie brings to the table that ultimately makes it unique and different.

Especially considering the perception going into it, Aladdin starts off in a sudden and slightly abrupt manner. However, the film quickly finds its flow by the end of the first act. As much as Guy Ritchie’s trademark stylized filmmaking is present in Aladdin, it also feels like nothing he’s ever done before. More often than not, Ritchie’s blockbuster fare is frenetic in nature, which ends up being a detriment to studio sensibilities. Despite being an odd choice to direct Aladdin on the outset, he turns out to be a great choice for the material.

As surprising as the direction and casting are in Aladdin, the screenplay by Ritchie and veteran scribe John August is hit-and-miss. Story-wise, the film is basically a retread of the original. The situations are essentially the same, but they also play out in slightly different ways than before. Indeed, there are some good setups and payoffs in the writing, but it’s never enough for it to truly elevate the material. Structurally speaking, the first half of the film is solid. The story is rushed throughout, but it’s from the midpoint onward that the writing gets to be a bit dodgy. The basic elements are there, and yet the film coasts mostly on the chemistry of the three leads. As a result, the third act is underwhelming – mostly because it feels forced and bloated. Ironically, this is this biggest plot change in Aladdin.

Perhaps the biggest changes come in the form of Jasmine and Jafar’s storylines. While the former updates the character in a more relevant manner than it’s predecessor, the latter is a big disappointment. In the original, Jafar was both a smart and intimidating presence. He’s a devious and cunning character, none of which translates into this remake. Even though his plotline in the original is slightly farfetched and exaggerated, Jafar’s story is easily the biggest victim of the remake. Casting might be part of the issue, but it’s certainly also the writing.

From the moment that it was announced, the casting of Aladdin has remained a point of controversy. Especially for fans of the original, the casting choices of the live-action remake remained contentious throughout its production. Perhaps the biggest surprise is how well Will Smith’s performance integrates into the film. Stepping into the shoes of the late, great Robin Williams is a tough order for any actor. Let alone someone who has created such a recognizable persona like Smith. With that said, Smith’s turn as Genie is perhaps his most energetic performance in the better part of a decade. Smith is a natural performer, but he could have easily fallen into doing an impression of what had come before. Luckily, Smith puts his own unexpected spin on the material, while still staying true to the heart of the character.

Mena Massoud grounds the titular character in a way that is both earnest and endearing. In many ways, the Egyptian-born Canadian proves that he is a multi-faceted talent worth keeping an eye on. Similarly, Naomi Scott puts an interesting, yet important spin on the character of Jasmine. Scott’s casting is pitch-perfect, bringing a vulnerable, regal and modern approach to the classic Disney princess. In short, it could very well be a star-making performance. Out of all the main players, Marwan Kenzari’s performance as Jafar is easily the most disappointing. It’s hard to tell if the direction, writing or casting are to blame here. It’s probably a combination of all these elements, but this is by far the film’s biggest casting misstep. Ultimately his nasal, almost whiny performance feels disconnected from the rest of the movie. Despite this, the film should be applauded for the effort of ethnically diverse casting.

Technically speaking, Aladdin is a sight to behold. Especially within the costume and production design departments, the film might be an early shoo-in for awards season. The overall work visually is staggering at times, especially during some of the musical numbers. The “Prince Ali” sequence alone features nearly a thousand dancers and extras. So there’s something to be said about being able to stage massive musical numbers in the way that Ritchie does. Furthermore, the fact film is shot and presented using mostly wide-angle lenses help its effectiveness.

In terms of the music, the film features a new song from returning composer Alan Menken. Nevertheless, most of the music is a slightly more bombastic version of what came before. The visual effects are also impressive, especially in terms of the digital characters that ILM brings to life. The Cave of Wonders sequence absolutely rocks, but the real MVP here are the animators behind the magic carpet. In all of these respects, Aladdin delivers in spades.

Overall, the film somehow manages to capture the spirit of the original, while also adding its own variation on things. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s still enjoyable enough to make it passable by the standards of the original. As a standalone film, the remake is good, but not great either. As a remake of an animated classic, it is ultimately far more entertaining than it has any right to be. Smith’s manic performance is a highlight, playing into the literal wish-fulfillment of the character and story. In truth, Aladdin is very much more than the sum of its parts. There are myriad reasons why the film should have never worked. And yet, the film ends up being far more enjoyable than anyone in their right mind would have predicted.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Picture

Aladdin arrives on 4K Blu-ray with a solid video presentation. As per usual with Disney releases, the film was sourced from a 2K Digital Intermediate that preserves the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1. Especially when compared to the accompanying 1080p version, this 4K transfer offers noticeable improvements all around the board. The film’s extensive color spectrum is vividly represented, even if the dynamic range is average. Luckily, the HDR10 also provides a noticeable boost in contrast, as well as overall brightness. Image detail and textures, especially with various the fabrics of the costumes, are expertly realized in this transfer. Overall sharpness is also outstanding, and no encoding errors can be found. As a whole, this video transfer is good, but nowhere near reference quality.

Rating: 4/5

The Audio

Similarly, the Dolby Atmos mix for Aladdin is slightly underwhelming. Even when compared to the included 7.1 track, this Atmos mix offers only slight improvements in pure sonic quality. Channel separation is present, but not nearly as dynamic as it should be. Luckily, dialogue and music levels are appropriate, while they are primarily assigned to the front channels. Especially for a story that relies so heavily on sound, this mix, unfortunately, requires significant volume calibration. Kick things up by about five of ten decibels to get the most out of this track. Subwoofer use is sporadic, but it’s also assigned effectively throughout the action sequences. Otherwise, overall activity and environmental ambience are acceptable.

As a result, clarity, positioning, and overall immersion are excellent. With all that said, Alan Menkin’s reimagined score is easily the highlight of this track. It features a mix of iconic and bombastic music, which is ultimately the master that this track was created to serve. Although it is technically proficient, the fact that this Atmos track doesn’t knock your socks off at a standard calibration is a big letdown for such a music-heavy film.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Special Features

The supplemental material in this home video release of Aladdin is meager at best. There are a few standard featurettes, deleted scenes, and a blooper reel. Although a few decent behind the scenes moments are revealed, there’s not nearly enough material in these featurettes to be memorable. Ultimately, however, the lack of a commentary track from Ritchie makes this disc feel barebones.

Aladdin’s Video Journal: A New Fantastic Point of View (10:39; 1080p): Star Mena Massoud takes viewers through the production of the film using a series of self-shot cell phone clips. Although this collection of raw behind the scenes footage is awesome, it’s far too short to have any real substance.

Guy Ritchie: A Cinematic Genie (5:28; 1080p): A short featurette that touts the directing talents of Guy Ritchie. Although it lightly glosses over Ritchie’s stylistic contributions to the film, this only scratches the surface of his influence on the remake.

A Friend Like Genie (4:31; 1080p): A quick featurette that takes a look at Will Smith’s presence in the film. Aside from the comparisons to Robin Williams’ iconic portrayal of Genie, Smith also explains the challenges of putting a new spin on the role.

Deleted Song (2:20; 1080p): Introduced by composer Alan Menkin, “Desert Moon” is the second new song created for the remake.

Deleted Scenes (10:44; 1080p): A decent collection of deleted material from the film. Aside from spending a bit more time with Jafar, it’s easy to see why these sequences were cut.

• Falling Petals Into OJ
• Jafar’s Magic Orrery
• Anders’ Gift
• Wrong Wishes
• Silly Old Fool
• Post Yam Jam Debrief

Music Videos (11:33; 1080p): A trio of music videos to promote the film’s release.

• “Speechless” – Performed by Naomi Scott
• “A Whole New World” – Performed by Zayn and Zhavia Ward
• “A Whole New World” (“Un Mundo Ideal”) – Performed by Zayn and Becky G.

Bloopers (2:07; 1080p): A standard gag reel that features some silly moments from principal photography.

Rating: 2/5

Final Thoughts

Aladdin is most certainly a better remake than the film’s marketing campaign would have you believe. The 4k video transfer offers a slight improvement over its 1080p counterpart, while the sound mix is acceptable for the most part. Despite a solid audiovisual presentation, the special features on this release are largely disappointing for such a popular and endearing story. In summation, this 4K release of the film is solid. While it will be sure to please average viewers, die-hard fans might be disappointed by the lack of quality supplemental material. As a result, Aladdin comes recommended, but only if you know what you’re in for.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5