I've always thought I've written reviews about this movie a lot until I realize it's just a song from the movie I talked about as I've made covers of it a few times. So I thought today to share my view on the "Aladdin" movie that was released in 2019.

The movie is directed by Guy Ritchie, starred by Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, and Will Smith as the Genie. Marwan Kenzari plays Jafar. Aladdin is a fantasy musical that touches on an important aspect of life I've been quite interested in, making choices.

The story introduces Aladdin, a poor young guy who lives on the street and steals to survive in the city of Agrabah with his closest companion, Abu, his mischievous pet monkey. Aladdin has a good heart, and one of the moments that reveals his heart is when he shares food with hungry children despite having very little for himself.

And then, we have the Princess Jasmine, she is not simply a princess who needs a man to rescue her. She wants to understand her people, make her own decisions, and have a meaningful role in governing Agrabah. Her song, Speechless, expresses her determination not to remain silent when people try to control her or deny her voice.

And to my favourite part of the story, The Genie and Aladdin on a journey of making choices, building friendship and making sacrifices for another. Will Smith's portrayal of the Genie adds humour, energy, and personality to the story. The Genie is powerful enough to transform people's lives but remains trapped in a lamp, waiting for someone to summon him. I also liked the way his friendship with Aladdin develops in the story.

Aladdin's three wishes had lessons to teach too, the first being "To become a prince" where his new identity made it harder to build a relationship with Jasmine, his love. The second wish "To be rescued from drowning" where Aladdin got help from the Genie even without saying a word and the last wish, the most meaningful wish "To free the Genie", a sweet conclusion of their friendship.

And then, there is Jafar is the main villain, and what makes him dangerous is his hunger for power. As the Sultan's adviser, he already occupies an important position, but he is not satisfied. He wants to rule Agrabah and believes that possessing the Genie's power will finally give him the authority he desires. He gets Aladdin to find the Genie for him and struggles to get it.

Overall, I find "Aladdin" to be an entertaining and meaningful story. The colourful setting, musical performances, magic carpet scenes, humour from Will Smith, and adventure make it enjoyable to watch, while the characters give the story something worth thinking about after it's ends.