Aladdin (1992) Review

Aladdin, directed, written and produced by Ron Clements, is the 31st animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and was released in 1992. Featuring the voice talents of Scott Weinger and the legendary Robin Williams, this film is what Disney is all about: producing a light-hearted film with a strong meaning behind it designed to educate and fascinate children.

As with most Disney films, Aladdin, begins in a situation where it seems that all is well and the main characters seem at ease. Typically, bright colours are used to depict both the protagonists and the setting, but Jafar, however, sports darker colours on his clothing, a stunt used by Disney to to make it clear to the audience that he is the main antagonist.

The preliminary setting of the film is a thriving city, which is located somewhere in Agrabah, a fictional sultanate of Arabia. The film replicates this setting very well because we are shown lots of sand and dust on the floor of the city and the buildings look accurate to the ones we see in the Middle East at the moment. We get a very good look at the market area of the city where we see lots of locals trying desperately to sell their products to make ends meet. The two other main settings in the film is the palace and the cave where the magic lamp is found. The colours used to depict the cave are chosen very carefully to suit the mood of the film at the time. The dark depths of the cave help the audience to experience the tense moments the characters are feeling, which is crucial to any good film.

The first problem we see to occur is that Princess Jasmine is not happy that her father is dictating who she marries; this is something she is not comfortable with this and seeks freedom in the nearby city. This is where she meets Aladdin. The title-character is acted brilliantly by Scott Weinger, whose voice talents are perfectly suited to the heroic character and complements Aladdin's sidekick monkey Abu. Although Aladdin is a scavenger, Weinger's voice shows a certain class about it, suggesting the fact that he may be the suitable husband for Jasmine. It is, however, Robin Williams as the Genie who steals the show in a performance that is both mystical and hysterically powerful. Regarded by some as one of Williams' finest performances, the purpose of the Genie is represented well and the character quickly becomes an integral part of the film's plot.

Of course, it wouldn't be a happy ending without the main antagonist being locked away forever and the main protagonist falling in love with a beautiful princess, but, nevertheless, Aladdin, is a spectacular piece of cinematography with a score and visuals to die for.