Aladdin(1992) | Prairie Grown Reviews

“Do you trust me? Do you trust me?”
“Yes…?”
“Then jump!”

Summary:

Our story begins outside the city of Agrabah, at the cave of wonders. Jafar has been searching for the lamp found deep in this cave for years and has finally found the cave. Unsure of the dangers inside the cave, he sends a poor man to fetch the lamp in exchange for the rest of the treasures inside. The cave tells Jafar that only a diamond in the rough will be allowed inside. The poor man nervously enters the cave and is instantly swallowed up by the cave.

While Jasmine is of age to marry a prince, every man that The Sultan has brought to her has been rejected. She is tired of the old rules of arranged marriage and wishes to select her own suitor. Frustrated with tradition, Jasmine escapes the palace and flees to the city. It is at this point that Aladdin saves her from the guards after she accidentally steals an apple from the market. Even though they initially escape the guards, they are eventually caught. Jasmine is released after revealing she is the princess, but Aladdin is not so lucky. Jafar takes him prisoner and tricks him into going to the cave of wonders. Will Aladdin be the so-called diamond in the rough or will he face the same fate as the poor man ?

Characters:

Aladdin ( as voiced by Scott Weinger) is a charming, brave and clever young man who while he steals to eat, he is not a bad guy. Aladdin constantly proves he is more than how he lives by doing things like giving food to starving children, stopping a prince from whipping children and helping Jasmine when she almost gets her hand cut off for stealing. Jasmine ( as voiced by Linda Larkin) is the princess though she is no damsel in distress as she constantly wants to make decisions for herself which is why she wants to marry for love. It is her drive and want for independence that causes her to leave the palace and meet Aladdin. The Genie ( as voiced by Robin Williams) is a loud, fast talking, all powerful being who aids Aladdin in trying to impress Jasmine by granting him three wishes. While the genie is very up beat he is not entirely happy as being a Genie means he has no freedom

Sebastian: 9.2/10

This film is one of the greatest animated films of all time as it proves by the fact that it still holds up today. The characters are still interesting and charming with Aladdin and Jasmine being great characters to root for while the Genie is revolutionary as they did not use big name celebrities in animation before Aladdin and Robin Williams has a performance that is still funny and entertaining to this day. The music is outstanding with songs that you won’t forget and that you will sing along to on repeat viewings. This movie has action, adventure, romance and magic which makes it perfect for kids and adults alike. The plot also teaches kids about accepting oneself and being honest which is a great message.

My only weakness with the film is that it ends abruptly and I would have liked more in the resolution of the story with more detail.

All in all a classic Disney film that will continue to please old and young alike for years to come.

Austin: 8.5/10

This movie has a fun, cheery plot that uses a lot of symbolism to portray deeper meaning in a children’s movie. Watching this movie for the first time since I was a young child, I noticed quite a few things that would have gone over my head as a kid, but kept the movie interesting for me as an adult.

My favourite part of this movie would have to be the diversity of characters. Robin Williams is a fantastic genie and by far my favourite character. From our protagonists, Jasmine and Aladdin, to smaller characters such as Iago and The Sultan, every character provides value to the movie. There is very little wasted dialogue, every scene has a purpose. This allowed for a shorter, but more captivating movie.

My biggest weakness of the movie would have to be the lack of details. Very little is known about the city of Agrabah, Aladdin’s parents or Jasmine’s mother. I feel like there was a lot more story to explore, although this does give more details for the writers to explore in the sequel.

I found this movie to be a decent children’s movie, that still kept me entertained. It is a classic Disney movie that can be watched and enjoyed by the entire family.

Nathanyal: 8.0/10

As with all Disney movies, the main strength for this movie comes from the top-quality animation and voice acting. The drawings and actions of the scenes create a solid outline of the world, and the voice acting colours in the outline, creating a vibrant and intriguing world. Another strength of the movie is the plot and its mix of both dark and lighthearted moments. This blend allows viewers of all ages to enjoy the movie. As typical of a Disney movie, Aladdin also features memorable musical numbers. The only major weakness of the movie is the pacing. Being a ninety-minute movie, the last few scenes during the climax of the movie became quite rushed. The final battle with Jafar did not carry the same weight as other scenes in terms of grandeur or suspense.

All in all, the movie was enjoyable to watch and provides good content for both young and old viewers alike.

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Sources:

Clements, R., & Musker, J. (Directors). (2011). Aladdin [Motion picture on DVD]. Milano: Walt Disney studios home entertainment.