Aladdin (live-action) (UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Disney
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Rating: PG
Film: 4/5
 
Plot
Experience the thrilling live-action adaptation of the characters and tale you know and love from Disney’s animated classic. When a street urchin vies for the love of a beautiful princess, he uses the powerful magic hidden in a lamp to make himself Prince Ali in order to marry the beautiful young lady.
 
My Thoughts
The House of Mouse has been rolling in the bucks like there’s no end in sight and I have to give them credit for figuring out ways to separate our hard-earned cash from our wallets with such ease. Whether its Marvell, Star Wars, or Pixar, we just keep lining up and watching. A few years ago, the studio started relaunching some of their classic cartoons with live-action equivalents, and for the most part, they’ve done a very good job—at lease judging by the box office take.
 
Remaking Aladdin (and the Lion King & Beauty and the Best) is quite a bold step. For starters, it’s been less than 30 years since their original cartoon versions were released in theaters and their following is still pretty strong. Would they be too fresh in people’s minds? Well, it turns out that wasn’t the case with the live action Aladdin as it raked in over $1 billion in global box office receipts.
 
The hardest part about watching this film is to judge it on its own merit and not compare it to the animated version, which was hard considering I watched the two within the same week to review them. That being said, this film does a good job of standing on its own, but it isn’t nearly as good as the animated version. First, there’s no Robin Williams, who stole the first movie with his hilarity. The good news is that Will Smith’s take on the character is very good too—just different. What made this film work for me was the chemistry between the main characters—Aladdin, the Genie, Jasmine, and her handmaiden—you could tell they all liked working with one another.
 
The UHD presentation is extremely good but isn’t the best the format has to offer. First, it’s an upscale from the 2K theatrical release although the fine detail is a bit sharper compared to the 1080p Blu-ray. Where it shines is in its color palette, which leaps off the screen. The Dolby Atmos mix requires an increase of 4-5db in order to have it “match” releases from other studios, but once that’s done, it features a very active Atmos mix with plenty of discrete effects moving around the room.
 
Video 9/10 
 
Audio 9/10 (Dolby Atmos)
 
Special Features:
 
DIGITAL PRESELL BONUS:

• MAKE WAY FOR PRINCE ALI – Take a look at the gigantic design extravaganza that came together for this scene of Genie-sized proportions.

 
DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE BONUS:

• “SPEECHLESS”: CREATING A NEW SONG FOR JASMINE – Follow the story of Jasmine’s inspirational song “Speechless,” written by Alan Menken, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul especially for this version of “Aladdin.”

 
BLU-RAY & DIGITAL BONUS:

• ALADDIN’S VIDEO JOURNAL: A NEW FANTASTIC POINT OF VIEW – Watch behind-the-scenes moments captured by Mena Massoud (Aladdin) in this fun, fast-paced look at his personal journey.
• DELETED SONG: “DESERT MOON” – Experience a moving duet performed by Jasmine and Aladdin, fully shot and edited, with an introduction by Alan Menken.
• GUY RITCHIE: A CINEMATIC GENIE – Discover why director Guy Ritchie was the perfect filmmaker to tackle this exhilarating reimagining of a beloved classic.
• A FRIEND LIKE GENIE – Discover how Will Smith brings talent, experience and his own personal magic to the iconic role of Genie.
• DELETED SCENES
• Falling Petals Into OJ
• Jafar’s Magic Orrery
• Anders’ Gift
• Wrong Wishes
• Silly Old Fool
• Post Yam Jam Debrief
• BLOOPERS – Laugh along with the cast and crew in this lighthearted collection of outtakes from the set.
• MUSIC VIDEOS
• "Speechless" – Music video performed by Naomi Scott
• “A Whole New World” – Music video performed by ZAYN and Zhavia Ward
• “ A Whole New World” (“Un Mundo Ideal”) – Music video performed by ZAYN and Becky G.
• Blu-ray+ Digital Copy

 

 
Conclusion
I really didn’t expect to like this film given how much I loved the original and felt that it didn’t need a live-action version to be made. That being said, I’m happy to report that it’s quite enjoyable and can stand on its own. The story treads some new ground and there’s also a new musical number from Naomi Scott, who nails the role of Jasmine and her performance alone is worth watching the film at least once. If you’re a fan of the original, don’t let that stop you from seeing this new take on the classical tale—it can stand on its own two legs just fine. Recommended.   
 
    
Reference Review System:
 
 JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
 Anthem AVM60 Audio/Video Processor 
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player 
 System Controller: URC MX-980
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
 HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
 SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer
JL Audio Dominion D110 Subwoofer x 2 (configured as tandem mid bass modules)

Mini DSP controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner