Aladdin (2019)

Jafar is supposed to be the scariest man in Agrabah, and this one has the menace of a guy trying to return a sweater without the receipt. That’s a real problem in a story built on its villain. Guy Ritchie, a director known for fast-talking crime movies, handles a Disney musical like he’s checking boxes, and the big numbers feel staged instead of danced. Will Smith’s blue CGI Genie looks like a bodybuilder made of mouthwash, but the second he stops chasing the original and just plays Will Smith, he’s a blast. Naomi Scott is the real find. Her Jasmine gets a new song, Speechless, and she belts it like she’s waited the whole movie for permission. Mena Massoud is charming and a little lost in the noise. It made $1.05 billion worldwide on a reported $183M. A 5.4 because the songs still work and almost everything around them is stiff. $32.11 says you spot an old brass lamp at a flea market and give it a quick rub when you think nobody’s watching.

What works: Naomi Scott’s Jasmine and her new song give the remake a real pulse, and Will Smith is fun once he stops imitating the original Genie.

What doesn’t: Jafar has no menace at all, and Guy Ritchie stages the musical numbers like crowd scenes instead of dances.

Who it’s for: Families who want the songs on a big screen, and kids who haven’t met the cartoon version yet.