Harmoni Rogue

If you expect this movie and its characters to be a simple remake of the '92 animated Aladdin with little deviation at all then you may be disappointed, but if you were hoping that the live-action adaptation would have originality and its own version of the characters with its own way of retelling the story then hopefully you will be as impressed as I was! I have to admit that before seeing the movie, seeing a blue overly-jacked Will Smith in the previews and pictures didn't...look right to me. Robin Williams left such an impact on my childhood growing up with many of his characters: Genie being one of my all-time favorite roles he ever took on. It was very important to me that Will Smith's acting wasn't too corny, serious, or wanting...and I feared that he may try too hard to embody William's acting for the role and thus not make it his own. However reluctant I was, I have liked many other roles Will Smith has played in his career and could imagine that if he did embody the role his own way he could be fantastic! I did give this movie a true chance and I couldn't be happier that I did! Will Smith brought his own Genie to the table just as I'd hoped, and his version is phenomenal to say the least: albeit it different from Robin Williams...but that turned out to be a great thing in my opinion. What's enriching about this movie is that it delivers on the nostalgia without trying to be a "copy" of the original: but it's own modern masterpiece. It really has its own magic and sentiments apart from the '92 version which is surprising and enchanting. It shines new light on the characters and their personal stories which adds to the overall experience well. I notice in many of the reviews that most of the credit is given to the actors of Aladdin, Jasmine and Genie, but many people seemed to not be impressed with the actor of Jafar. While I agree that this Jasmine was other-worldly and talented, and that this Aladdin wholesomely embodies the character we all grew up admiring and loving, I actually was impressed with this Jafar because even though he wasn't as traditionally evil as Jafar (and didn't have the maniacal laughter) from the animation, he did actually show a different side of the character and make him more interesting...and he was still ruthless towards the other characters. He still comes across as scheming, cunning, and powerful. I find him a more realistic take and I think he acted the role well as a believable adversary as well as a power-hungry figure that gains through slippery manipulation and sorcery. I will also note that the actor playing Sultan did a superb job as well! Overall, I expected to cringe and maybe not even watch the whole movie on Disney+, but instead I was pleasantly delighted and plan on sharing this refreshing number with family and friends! Take the risk and you may just find yourself enjoying a brand-new world!