Aladdin

Beautiful, romantic and frantically funny. In its brief, often frenetic 85-minute running time it manages to be a riot of entertainment, embracing the best of old-fashioned merriment as well as savvy, up-to-the-minute contemporary humor, thanks in large part to an extraordinary performance by Robin Williams. [25 Nov 1992, p.E1]

Besides the in jokes, the animation and the Alan Menken score supply enough glorious entertainment to hold even brats and cynics in thrall.

The movie that brought a hip new sensibility to animated features and which still stands up in the age of Pixar and DreamWorks thanks largely to a blistering improv turn from Robin Williams.

A thoroughly satisfying musical-comedy romp.

Aladdin is a treat for adults, as much as it is for children, because the big blue Genie of the lamp is none other than Robin Williams. [25 Nov 1992, p.7B]

The animation seeks to dazzle, but with a self-consciousness that's relatively new to the Disney studio. The results are fun and fast moving, but far from sublime.

Aladdin is ultimately less offensive than patently ridiculous, mostly because its ethnic white noise is really just an excuse for Robin Williams—as a postmodern blabbermouthed genie who grants Aladdin three wishes—to put on the most elaborate, narcissistic circus act in the history of cinema.

Even more than The Lion King, this is everything I picture when I think about Disney’s early ‘90s renaissance. Following the lessons and experiences of The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin finds each of the studio’s departments running at peak capacity. The artwork is picture-perfect, expertly exaggerated and densely detailed but also smooth and fluid in action. A catchy soundtrack suits the unique flavor of the Arabian culture; at once hearty, catchy and exotic without feeling manufactured or exploitative (neither of which were a given in Disney’s previous efforts). And, highlighted - but not always dominated - by a typically high-energy performance from Robin Williams, the voice acting is unanimously excellent. It’s an A+ production across the board, one with no weak points or hesitations. What struck me in this viewing was the abundance of rich, vibrant colors. Whether setting a scene or enhancing a particularly important plot development, the palette does its job with aplomb. As a sun-drenched desert film, one would expect a flush of shimmering yellows and oranges, and those tones do appropriately dominate its many daylight scenes. At night, though, a deeper, cooler range settles in, to equally potent result. A set of overnight developments outside the Cave of Wonders are especially magical, due in large part to these color choices. That spooky, panther-themed cavern would’ve been gorgeous even without such a powerful set of blue and purple tints - a marvelous display of imagination - but the dense, confident color selections push it from just another cool movie visual into an unforgettable memory. Aladdin is well-stocked with such moments. The plot is quintessential Disney, for all that entails. Light and effectively humorous, with a strong foil, a lovable lead and (a studio specialty) all manner of loud, colorful supporting players. That Aladdin himself is so pure and simple was a necessity. If his character had been any more complicated, his personal arc more involved than “get over yourself and tell the truth,” he’d have been lost in the wash. With Williams’s Genie running at roughly three punchlines per second, there’s just no room for that kind of competition. As it stands, even poor Gilbert Gottfried is outshined by Williams's light. Probably the first and last time he’s ever been the second-noisiest guy in a scene. There’s a reason so many kids from my generation owned a copy of this one on VHS. It’s a legitimate era-defining film, a feel-good family classic that also serves as a magnificent display of cinematic artisanship. As I now enter middle age and share the same adventure with my own kids, I’m pleased to report it still meets my lofty expectations.

I have fond childhood memories of the movie as me and friends watched it in cinema back then. It is one of my favorite Disney movies and also one of the best movies for the Aladdin story. It is based on the famous “One Thousand and One Nights” where Scheherazade has to tell her husband Shahryar stories to avoid her demise (He is not evil but life has harmed him seriously). It is a mixture of stories from many genres and full of great tales and themes anyone recognizes. Aladdin is one of he most famous figures from this despite being not in the original (Added later). There are countless movies, stories and series about him as his tale is a timeless classic. The movie starts with a merchant who wants to sell an old lamp and tells the story of it. The rest I think I don't need to say as the themes are familiar. Anybody is familiar with the story and elements somehow. It is a great retelling with charming characters, great humor and so immersive you feel along with the characters. In this regard it is an amazing work and many see this as classic. It is the best Disney movie of the era. The animations were excellent and the style is unique and won the audience over. They capture the Arabian or Oriental setting really well and the facial animations deliver the full extent of the characters feelings. The other part are the voice actors which enhance this to a 11/10 ;-). Nearly everyone praises Robin Williams for his role as Genie and rightfully so. He alone is worth watching the movie. But it ends not there as Jonathan Freeman as Jafar, Scott Weinger as Aladdin, Linda Larkin as Jasmine and Gilbert Gottfried as Iago give also a praiseworthy performance. There is no weak performance in the movie and I see this clearly as I want to praise more characters. Like I said the humor works well, it is immersive and the characters feel like real people. This is a / the hallmark of great movies. I have also to talk about the fantastic soundtrack. It is one of the best Disney soundtracks, quite memorable and won Academy Awards. Overall this is a timeless classic I recommend for everyone. It shows the strengths of Disney movies of that time. Bonus knowledge: There is the fan theory that this movie is actually set in the far future after society collapsed in a catastrophic event because the Genie is familiar with our culture and had slept for a long time.

Despite being made in 1992, Aladdin still remains one of the greatest animated movies in history: the story and characters capture your attention quickly, and the bright visuals and OST make you want to rewatch it more than once. Masterpiece hands down.

With its masterly crafted story, grand animation, charming characters and unforgettable songs, Aladin delivers an adventure you will never forget.

Failed to adapt cultural significance of the plot and language, through out slapstick comedy better suited for children. Pronunciation of arabic names and words looks odd. Abu is the only comic relief. Genie as Robin is good but too much improvisation that looks nonsense in some scenes. Too much modern day references kills the genuineness of the story. Songs are not catchy but music is fine and animation is ok but too dark. Afterall illogical rewrites to the Aladdin legend.