We see some boats in the sea. In a smaller boat a Mariner (played by the talented Will Smith) wants to tell the story of "Aladdin" to his kids. He begins the story and we cut to an Arabian city. A musical number "Arabian nights" is sung by the Mariner.

We then cut to Aladdin and his monkey Abu. Aladdin (played well by Mena Massoud) is a thief. He often gives his stolen riches to the poor. Then Aladdin intervenes in a street argument between a girl (Jasmine played by the beautiful Naomi Scott) and a law man.

"The law man says she stole a Bracelet. Aladdin gives the man the girls bracelet to make him back down. But then Aladdin steals it back! Then a musical number starts. Aladdin and Jasmine escape the clutches of the city guards. His monkey Abu helps Jasmine to find a way out. What a great exciting introduction. The set design of the city is fantastic"

Then Aladdin shows Jasmine where he lives. He pulls a rope and a staircase appears on the side of the wall! This is a cool scene. Together they see the Sultan's palace in the distance. Jasmine says that ever since the Queen was killed the Princess (daughter of the King) has been in hiding. Jasmine plays a guitar type instrument. He says he also knows how to play. Aladdin tries to give her the bracelet he stole back. But he has misplaced it! Abu his monkey had kept it hehe. Another musical number begins. The musical numbers in the first part of the movie are upbeat and jolly, very entertaining.

Then we cut to the Sultan's palace. The Princess is actually Jasmine, the girl that Aladdin just met! Jasmine has a meeting with her dad. He says she could never be a sultan. Jasmine starts a musical number "I won't go speechless". There is a man in the palace that wants the throne. His name is Jafar (played excellently by Marwan Kenzari). He is a prince from another kingdom. But Jasmine still wants to be sultan.

Her assistant Dalia (played by the beautiful Nadim Pedrad) knows that she prefers that boy from the markets.

"Aladdin comes into her quarters and returns the bracelet to Jasmine. He had evaded the guards. Jasmine thinks quickly and pretends to be the servant to the Princess and Aladdin falls for it. I liked that there is a lot of mistaken identity in the movie, it makes the plot intriguing"

Then her friend Dalia says she's the Princess. Aladdin then leaves and meets the guards on his way out! They arrest him and take him to the desert. Aladdin meets Prince Jafar. It was Jafar that had him arrested. He tells Aladdin that he was once a common thief (as he steals something from Aladdin). He also says that if Aladdin can retrieve a magic oil lamp then he could make him rich.

Aladdin agrees and goes to a part of the desert that has a deep cave. He goes with his monkey Abu. Aladdin falls into the cave and he sees many riches. He spots sees a magic carpet. He likes it. The carpets appears to move and fly! Then he spots the lamp at the top of a tall rock tower formation! He climbs up and nearly falls. Finally he grabs the lamp!

"A voice says 'You have touched the golden treasure and you will never see the light of day!'. Then a fire starts inside the cave and advances quickly. Aladdin then escapes on top of the magic flying carpet and he keeps the lamp. This whole sequence is exhilerating with fast paced action"

Aladdin is climbing up and leaving the cave. Prince Jafar then steps on Aladdin's hand he betrays him. Aladdin falls but ends up leaving the cave with the lamp and the help of the flying carpet. Back on the desert plain Aladdin rubs the lamp and a Genie (played by the versatile Will Smith) jumps out. He is a Genie who has been trapped inside the lamp for a thousand years!

"The Genie then starts a comical musical number about 'Alibaba and the fourty thieves' and that 'You never had a friend like me!'. Will Smith was a great choice for the Genie role as Will has a comical, silly nature to him"

The Genie gives him three wishes. Aladdin first wishes to get out of this cave! The Genie grants his wish. He has two wishes left. Aladdin asks the Genie if he can take on other forms. The genie transforms into a normal person. Aladdin asks the Genie what would he wish for. The Genie says "I would wish to be free... but no master has ever wished that for me". Aladdin then says he wants to wish this for him at some stage.

Then aladdin talks about Jasmine with the Genie. For his next wish Aladdin wishes that he was a prince. The Genie grants his wish. "Prince Ali from Ababua!" says the Genie hehe. The Genie then gives him an entourage! Hundreds of people and guards, elephants etc. Aladdin is transformed into a Prince! Prince Ali. He also has a new haircut and looks more refined hehe. A musical number about Prince Ali starts as they enter the City and the Palace of the Sultan hehe.

The Sultan (played very well by Navid Negahban) says to Aladdin that it's a pleasure to welcome you to Akrabar. Prince Ali says we have gifts for you: jewels, jams etc. Aladdin is socially awkward around Princess Jasmine.

Prince Jafar confronts Aladdin. He says he knows who he is! He says to Aladdin "You... are a man of honour". Then Jafar says he could help him. Genie says to Aladdin "Prince Ali got you through the door, Aladdin will get you further". The Genie doesn't want Aladdin to be too fake. Aladdin chats to Princess Jasmine and says sorry for his embarrasing remarks.

"Then Jasmine dances with Aladdin! Aladdin dances alongside other people and then dances an individual dance aided by the Genie hehe. Great dance number here, very vibrant colours and intricate moves"

Jafar says to his evil parrot to keep a good eye on Prince Ali. Aladdin asks the genie for a favor. He wants to meet the princess privately. Genie aks the assistant of the princess out on a date! This is to leave the princess alone. Now Jasmine is alone and Aladdin sneaks in. She asks him where is "Ababua" (the kingdom of Prince Ali which is fake) on the map. Then the Genie helps him out and draws Ababua magically on the map! Aladdin wants to show her around the city. Aladdin then jumps outside a window and lands on the magic carpet. Jasmine jumps on board!

"Aladdin then sings the memorable number 'A whole new world' and then Jasmine joins in. The visuals of the magic carpet on top of the city are cool! They go over land and sea at speed. They stop on top of people celebrating in a party. Then Jasmine finds out that Prince Ali is Aladdin! Aladdin kisses her! What a great sequence"

He says that he was actually a thief pretending to be a prince. The evil parrot sees Aladdin on a magic carpet and says "fascinating" hehe. You know he's going to tell Jafar.

Jafar knows that Prince Ali is aladdin.

"They tie him up in a chair and kick him out of a window from a great height! Then Aladdin drops to the depths of the ocean. The lamp goes down with him. Aladdin has to make a second wish. Aladdin rubs the lamp and then passes out. Genie cheats, grabs Aladdins hand and gets him to sign a contract with his hand! The second wish is granted and Aladdin is saved. Aladdin survives. This action sequence is exciting and memorable"

Jasmine tries to accuse Jafar of trying to kill Aladdin. Then Jafar tries to put the Sultan under a spell. But Aladdin knows better. The Sultan imprisons Jafar. Then the Sultan thanks Prince Ali. Aladdin chats with Genie. He says he wants to keep pretending to be a prince but Genie wants him to speak the truth. Jafar then steals the lamp from Aladdin when he's out in the street! Aladdin starts another musical number.

Now Jafar has the lamp. As his first wish Jafar wants to be Sultan of Akrabar! The wish is granted. His first order is to summon an army to envade another country. Then Jasmine starts a musical number "speechless". Jasmine orders Hakim (the second in command to the Sultan) to not betray her family. She says that he has to choose. "Will u do what is right" Jasmine says. Hakim agrees with her and calls her Sultan! Hakim wants to arrest Jafar.

Jafar's next wish is to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Then aladdin is close by and tries to grab the lamp! Jafar stops him and tells the princess that prince ali is just a common thief called Aladdin. Jafar magically banishes Aladdin to a snowy freezing outpost. Aladdin magically disappears. Jafar then tries to kill the Sultan so that Jasmine will marry him.

We cut to the snowy outpost and Aladdin is trying to escape. Then the magic carpet shows up! Then Jafar tries to marry Jasmine. Just as it is about to occur Jasmine steals the lamp! and jumps off a window! Aladdin is there to pick her up just in time with the magic carpet! But then the wicked parrot steals the lamp from them.

"Aladdin's only choice is to chat to Jafar and try to trick him. Aladdin says Jafar will only ever be second. A secondary being and not the most powerful. Aladdin influences Jafar to wish that he wants to become the most powerful being in the universe! Then Jafar wishes this. He ends up of course becoming a genie. The trick worked! Genie then locks up Jafar in his own lamp. This is a memorable scene"

The Genie then throws Jafar's lamp in the caves thousands of miles away. The Genie says that Aladdin has one last wish. Aladdin says to Genie for his last wish "I wish to set u free!". Then the Genie'sshackles from his wrists disappear and he becomes human. Genie and Aladdin test that he still isn't a Genie. He shouldn't be able to take orders/wishes. "Get me some jams" says Aladdin. The genie can\t fulfil that order! He is now free.

The Genie had fallen to the assistant to Princess Jasmine. The assistant had also liked him in return. The Genie says he will like to travel the world with her. She says she wants children! haha. The Sultan fears losing her daughter again. The Sultan says to Jasmine "you shall be the next Sultan". Aladdin walks away. Then Princess Jasmine says "stop thief!" She kisses Aladdin! A very romantics scene. Then they marry. There is fireworks! The End. Then there is a big musical number with Will Smith as the lead and many dancers.

"Mena Massoud as Aladdin carried the film well. He had the physicality and charisma to play Aladdin. The surprise standout was Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine. She had the ora of a princess yet she was very down to earth. Marwan Kenzari also did outstanding as Jafar, the prince that was the nemisis of Aladdin. Will Smith of course played the Genie to perfection. He was comical and silly and always gave great advice to Aladdin. The Sultan had a great presence and was played well by Navid Negahban"

The set design of the villages, markets, buildings and the Sultan's palace were magnificent. This set design transported you back to that era. The musical numbers were slotted in well and some of them were spectacular and funny. All in all a very entertaining 2hrs 8min.