TrueJoshNight
Truly Dreadful Film
Beystiman
It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.
Stephan Hammond
It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
Darin
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
MartinHafer
"Aladin" could have been a fun live action film. Unfortunately, it isn't. Instead of a cute fantasy, the film is bogged down by characters that are almost cartoonish--which is fine if you're Disney but not if you aren't. The film stars Shubhankar Atre as Aladin Chattergee--a nerdy and awkward college student who is constantly picked on by his peers(?). Soon after seeing a gorgeous new exchange student, he decides that he's in love-- though he knows NOTHING about her. She could be Hitler's granddaughter or eats babies for all he knows--but he's smitten (yuck). So, when he gets a magical lamp, he decides to use it to make this girl fall for him.Now this could have worked. Had the genie not been so obnoxious and didn't try so hard to be hip, it would have worked much better. But instead, a fine actor (Amitabh Bachchan) is wasted and comes off as a boorish jerk instead of Aladin's new friend or benefactor. Calling the genie 'Genius' didn't help any. The bottom line is that Bachchan's character came on like a stripper at a Baptist wedding--totally out of place and lacking in Subtlety. It's a shame--he really deserved better material than this.The bottom line is that the film is too much--too loud, too hip and too pushy. I got tired of it rather quickly and assume that you will as well--especially since the its rather low rating on IMDb would seem to support me. The bottom line is that you can do better. Either watch the Disney film or try finding a copy of "Bernard and the Genie"--a British film set in modern times that comes off as sweet and clever, not loud and annoying.
rajandey
Riteish Deshmukh is one actor I really like. I watch all his movies because he is the package with talent. He can give excellent performances if the directors can pull it out of him.Aladin had a nice concept; the concept of using the real Aladdin story and giving it an Indian touch. Aladin Chatterjee, Genius, Jasmin. This could have been a great movie, the special effects in the movie are good.Where does the movie lack? The direction, the way the story is told is kind of boring and doesn't keep you interested at all. Jacqueline Fernandes should get some acting classes, looking beautiful is not enough, because it can make you look stupid on screen when you are supposed to ACT instead of just be there and giving a smile.Riteish Deshmukh is very good though, as Aladin, he is very lovable in the film and delivers a nice performance. Amitabh Bachchan is of course excellent, he is very energetic as Genius and lightens up the screen whenever he is there. Saahil Khan is back after a long time, and delivers very funny sequences, he has improved a lot and I wouldn't mind seeing him in future movies.The music is good, though not the very best from Vishal-Shekhar, You May Be is the best of the lot, which will still be playing in years to come.On the whole, Aladin is a chance wasted. If a visionary director like Rajkumar Hirani or Farhan Akthar would have directed this movie, the outcome would have been much better!
Vishal Nair
Aladin : Sujoy Ghosh Budget: INR 50 Cr This movie produced, directed and written by Sujoy Ghosh comes as a welcome change from the regular run around the trees. Yes its a love story as well but isn't almost every movie made in bollywood a love story? Now Sujoy Ghosh has had a impressive stint with Jhankaar beats and Home Delivery. The former being something very down to earth for a movie freak to relate to and the latter, although an outright copy from a french movie still made a good impression. In Aladin the story was completely revamped to suit the Indian movie enthusiasts. Somehow I have a feeling that Sujoy very well knew that this movie will not be exactly appreciated by majority of the crowd. But as you know he went ahead and took the risk anyway. The result? - Surprisingly impressive.Let me justify why I was impressed. We had 2 huge names playing strong characters. Amitabh Bachchan playing The Genie - Genius and our very own Sanjay Dutt plays The Ringmaster - An Ex-Genie. Now some of us may question why would a guy like Big B of such high caliber be in a kiddie movie prancing around playing magical pranks. The answer is playing a genie required screen presence. The audience need to feel the Aura he normally emits in any movie. The same logic was applied to Sanjay Dutt playing The Ring Master. He had this evil aura around him every time he came on the screen that was very impressive.Now I believe that is not the only reason these two extraordinary people where requested to grace the characters with their names. I think it was the chemistry they shared in Kaante long back ago.As I mentioned the story is completely revamped to suit the Indian audience as in the original cartoon movie Jaffer dupes Aladin into looking for the lamp whereas here Aladin was destined to have it.The movie starts off normally in a city called Khwaish (fictional city of course) showing Aladin (Ritiesh Deshmukh) a loser orphan being bullied by kids in school just because his name is Aladin. He is asked to rub fake lamps by the bullies every time he is spotted. His miserable life continues to be the same when he enters college as well. Enter lady love Jasmine (Jacqueline Fernandez - OMG she is soo cute) a friendly US return. Of course our protagonist falls in love with her on first sight. Aladin keeps making a fool of himself whenever she is around but somehow she finds it cute I guess.At Alladin bday bash, held by Qasim (Sahil Khan - Lead bully) to impress Jasmine, Aladin is gifted yet another lamp this time by Jasmine from an antiques shop. Only this time its the real thing.Enter Genius (Amitabh Bachchan) a cheerful lively genie who is eager to grant Aladin's 3 wishes and go on a vacation.The rock-star Genius finds out its too late as our baddie The Ring Master (Sanjay Dutt an ex genie) is in town looking for the lamp as well.We find out that The Ringmaster wants the lamp for himself to get back his powers from which he was exiled due to selfish reasons. The Ringmaster uses a mirror, he claims to be the Google in the magical world, and finds out that Aladin is destined to protect the lamp. And then we have the 2 genies display excellent martial art and war of words to defeat one another. Both the characters were played wonderfully by Big B and Sanju baba taking coolness and awesomeness to a new level.The comedy/cheesy dialogues were well timed in the movie so yes there are a few good laughs for the audience as well.Specially in the scene where The Ringmaster displays his joy rubbing the lamp and singing "Main dardi rub rub (rab rab) kardi" had us rolling on the floor laughing even though the whole darn movie theater didn't find it funny.Sometimes I wonder if the Indian audience will ever grow out of KJo movies.The special effects for good specially where Genius breaks the edge of a cliff diving down to save baby Aladin. When it comes to acting except the 2 genies none of them where impressive at all. Ritiesh needs to look for a new career soon if he doesn't do something about his pathetic acting skills. Jacqueline Fernandez, the Srilankan beauty, is just one film old and did a decent job. I fail to understand what actors like Ratna Patak, Victor Banerjee and Mita vahisht were doing or thinking.All in all I can easily rate it 8/10
Pratik Jasani
Really, the title said it all – fantasy mixed with adventure, fairy tale and a bit of science fiction. A small boy looses his parents as they are in search of a lamp but years pass by and he meets a man who is claimed to be his cousin. The only thing is that the man is on the point of retiring from his job.Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandes, Sanjay Dutt, this is directed by Sujoy Ghosh while Vishal Shekhar provide the music score.Amitabh Bachchan in a role that has been mentioned quite a few times for a while now, is as usual, excellent and he has managed to carry it off rather well. While Ritesh Deshmukh, in the title role, has done a job that, perhaps, he could have taken it a bit further but never the less, he has performed well. The same, however, can't be said for Jacqueline Fernandes and she could have been more convincing in her role. Sanjay Dutt, is just excellent in his role as the villain and is worth watching. I felt that his role, could have been extended and it would have been better. But both Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt, really carry this film on their shoulders to a level that one can say that is worth watching if you like such films.What also makes this film a bit interesting are the visual effects and these are worth watching and especially the woman who breathes nothing but fire and the fight sequences. The song to listen for "Ore Saawariya," is the one to listen for and is worth listening to.A good film to watch if you like a bit of everything, fantasy, romance, adventure, fairy tale and science fiction is mixed in. A good film for the kids as well.