Top 10 Problems that Aladdin (2019) Fixed
#10: Who Is The Peddler?
Top 10 Differences Between Aladdin (2019) & Aladdin (1992)
If you’ve ever thought that the mysterious peddler at the beginning of the film and the Genie are the same person, you would be right. Not only is the animated version both voiced by the late Robin Williams, but the original artwork shows an undeniable connection between the two characters. In the new live-action movie, there’s no room for speculation as we see Genie in his human form at the beginning, but as a sailor telling his two children the story of Aladdin and Jasmine. When the Genie begins the story and leads us into another Arabian night, we get excited like it’s 1992 all over again.
#9: Cave of Wonders
Telling Aladdin not to touch anything - other than the lamp - in the Cave of Wonders seems like somewhat of a tall order, and it’s one that he and Abu fail to follow in the animated movie. Even before the monkey grabs that ruby, both have touched other things by virtue of just walking through the cave - and without consequence. In the live-action version, Jafar instructs Aladdin to take nothing but the lamp. It might seem like a minor difference, but it actually makes so much more sense, especially when you look at the state of that cave. It would be impossible to walk through it without touching something, even by accident.
#8: Clothing
What are the chances that a princess only has one rather revealing outfit and a thief hasn’t even thought to steal a shirt? In the 2019 movie, our leads have been given a more realistic and practical wardrobe update. Jasmine has a range of beautiful outfits that combine her Arabic culture with her late mother’s and actress Naomi Scott’s South Asian heritage. The costume designers even created an outfit that is a clear nod to iconic blue two piece from the 1992 animation, which you can look out for during the dance scene.
#7: A Whole New World
Top 10 Small Details You Missed in Aladdin (2019)
Who among us hasn’t dreamed about being whisked off on a magic carpet ride? It seems wrong to pick holes in a magic carpet, but here we go. In the animated version, Aladdin and Jasmine somehow manage to travel the world in one night, with notable stops in Egypt, Greece and China. However, in 2019 they stay more local, flying over Agrabah and its neighbors in all their beauty. We know how much Jasmine loves her country, so it’s rather poignant that she gets to see it from this magical point of view.
#6: “Arabian Nights”
The 1992 animation managed to cause offence with its opening lines and even Disney’s attempts to fix this for the VHS release missed the mark. So for the 2019 remake, it was time for a complete revamp of the “Arabian Nights” song; one that avoided any negative racial stereotypes. Similarly,, you’ll notice Genie singing ‘Friday Salaam’ instead of “Sunday Salaam” in the new rendition of “Prince Ali,” which is a more accurate representation of the religion of Islam. The part about Aladdin having slaves was also removed, as slavery is certainly not ok and definitely not something to be bragged about.
#5: Jasmine’s Mother
Ever wonder what happened to Jasmine’s mom? While the Sultana only gets a brief mention in the animated flick, we get to learn a bit more about her in the live-action movie. She is from the neighboring kingdom of Sherebad and her marriage to the Sultan was likely arranged. We learn that she was loved throughout the kingdom, so her murder came as quite a shock to everyone. It also caused the heartbroken Sultan to become overprotective of his daughter. They don’t explicitly name the murderer but, we’re all looking at you, Jafar...
#4: Where Is Ababwa?
Top 10 Best Songs from the Aladdin Franchise
What we learn from the 1992 animation is that if you put on a good show, you can get away with anything, no questions asked. Prince Ali’s dazzling entrance causes almost everyone to forget they’ve never even heard of Ababwa. Fast forward to 2019 where Jasmine and Jafar are more suspicious about this land they’ve never heard of and Aladdin’s unconvincing explanation hardly helps. His cover is almost blown when Jasmine asks him to point out Ababwa on a map, but luckily for him, a little genie magic is just what he needed in that moment.
#3: Jafar’s Final Wish
There’s nothing more worrying than a power-hungry tyrant with a magic lamp, but this is exactly what ends up being his downfall. When Jafar wishes to be a genie in the 1992 movie, he forgets that a genie’s powers comes with a master and ‘itty bitty living space’. Surely, he’s smarter than that? In the live-action movie, he dreams bigger and wishes to be the most powerful being in the universe. And that probably would have worked out for him too if it wasn’t for those darn grey areas, but shh - don’t tell him that.
#2: Jasmine Has a Bigger Role & She’s Not the Only Woman
In the 1992 animation, Jasmine is told she must marry by a certain age. Yeah... just let that sink in. In the live-action remake, Jasmine wants to be Sultan out of her love for Agrabah. She’s unconvinced that any suitor could possibly rule the way she would. We can’t talk about the film’s awesome women without bringing up Jasmine’s handmaiden and confidant, Dalia. We love how funny and smart she is and that she even gets her own story. Two totally badass women is just what this movie needed.
#1: The Wishes
Top 10 Best Disney Wishes
It’s hard to forget the basics of wishmaking 101 according to Genie, or so you would think. In the animated flick, there are a few instances where the rules weren’t quite adhered to. This brings us to the updated 2019 rulebook. For every wish, you must rub the lamp first and be super specific with your words - you know, to avoid those grey areas. Some viewers argue that 1992’s Aladdin never actually made his second wish. However, in the remake, those very grey areas come in handy when Genie saves Aladdin’s life.
