Aladdin Review: 4 Ups & 5 Downs

1. The Wildly Inconsistent CGI

Aladdin Iago
Disney

Despite Aladdin clearly touting a colossal budget, the quality of the visual effects are ludicrously inconsistent throughout the film.

To be fair, there are moments of pure digital splendour, with the Genie's cave proving particularly impressive, but even in the middle of scenes, the fidelity of the VFX can switch from good to awful at a moment's notice.

This is no more apparent than with the Genie himself, who sometimes looks terrific, yet moments later might resemble an offputting uncanny valley Will Smith stapled to a CGI rig.

But the film's biggest offence in the effects department is unquestionably the finale, which offers up a repulsive magic carpet chase sequence full of blurry, garish effects more likely to rouse unintended laughs than genuine wonder.

And that's not to ignore a final showdown with Jafar that throws everything at the wall effects-wise, but clearly needed either more time or money to fully realise its vision.

So, Aladdin isn't great or even really that good, but it's certainly not awful - and here's everything it actually gets right...

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.