This movie has an infamously bad reputation, but it’s not entirely warranted. The premise is great and in a few choice parts the execution is as well. But there are just so many bafflingly terrible plot, character, and directoral decisions that it bring down the good parts, making them fewer and further between as the movie goes on.
Closest comparison: It’s like Army of the Dead (2021) by way of Justice League (2017).
Setting: Disaster Action
Plot: Super Hero
Tone: Action Comedy
This movie is a mess. The action is decent, but all of the good parts (with one possible exception) were shown in the trailer and, bafflingly, were better executed in the trailer. The acting ranges from passable to poor, with a few pretty cringe-inducing moments. There are a few times where the cinematography is beautiful, but for the most part everything just looks boring. Even the special effects, while mostly top-notch, have a few scenes that look rough to the point of being unnerving. There are some good ideas buried within the story but the script is never able to do anything with them.
Closest comparison: It’s like Killer Elite (2011) with the art direction of Oblivion (2013).
Setting: Government Thriller
Plot: Sci-Fi
Tone: Action
It’s good, but uneven. The normal, baseline parts of the movie that should go smoothly are rough and often badly acted. Then the movie turns around and absolutely nails the parts that are tricky and hard to pull off. Out of nowhere a few scenes are played for awkward cringe comedy, which are followed up by scenes of Aladdin and Jasmine’s endearing, believable chemistry. The Prince Ali number, a delightfully spectacular riff on the song, was much better executed than One Jump Ahead, which walked when it should have run and mismatched its lyrics with the action. Luckily the movie gets better as it goes and comes into its own with some surprisingly impactful moments in the third act.
Closest comparison: It’s the best live action Disney remake to date.
Setting: Fantasy
Plot: Adventure
Tone: Adventure
