The Disney live-action remake machine rolls on, and the most surprising thing about the 2019 take on Aladdin is just how ridiculously entertaining it is. A back-on-form Guy Ritchie (after his inexplicable King Arthur) relentlessly fills the screen with vibrant colour and exuberance almost the point of breathlessness, and the world-building is done beautifully. It is perhaps inevitably mostly done in a theatrical style, with the Broadway-style musical numbers slotted in with ease and attacked with vocal vigour, including a rather obvious Let It Go/Defying Gravity new song for the princess. Mena Massoud plays the title character with little edge but sufficient charm, but Naomi Scott gives Jasmine real strength. It is not perfect - Will Smith's Genie veers from great to a little Fresh Prince in delivery and looks CGI-odd, and it sometimes feels like a rag-bag of genres (but all done very well) - but my goodness the film rockets along and always aims to please, mostly successfully.
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