SPOILER ALERT With Jimmy Nichols: Aladdin — wishing I could see it again for the first time

After watching “Hercules” last week, I wanted to keep watching Disney movies I loved from my childhood. After thinking it over, I landed on another one of my favorites from my childhood, “Aladdin.” 

From the characters, to the jokes and the songs, it is one of the best Disney animated films. However, is it still as good as when we were kids, or am I remembering it through rose-tinted glasses? 

Starting with the positives of this childhood classic, the movie's humor is top tier, largely thanks to Robin Williams's performance as Genie. Williams made this role iconic with his quick and timeless jokes. 

He makes jokes for both the children and their parents. It is filled with pop culture references and visual gags, like when Genie changes forms to mimic a celebrity. 

Other characters have funny moments and jokes, but Genie is hands down the comedy king of the movie.  

Another peak of this movie is the songs. Songs like “Friend Like Me” and “A Whole New World” are timeless classics with two completely different vibes. 

“Friend Like Me” is Genie’s song and is an upbeat, jazz song. With trumpets, saxophones, and other horns, Genie dances around the Cave of Wonders, explaining his powers to Aladdin. 

He can do whatever Aladdin wants him to do and will be his greatest supporter. This number is fun and is one of the best songs in the movie. 

The other great song in this movie is “A Whole New World.” This is the slowed-down love duet of Princess Jasmine and Aladdin. They are flying across the world on a magic carpet, and this is where we see the two fall in love. 

Eagle-eyed viewers might also see some Easter eggs in this song, as the two appear to fly over from the garden in “Hercules” where Meg sings “I Won’t Say I’m in Love.” 

While these songs are the most popular, the movie has a couple of other sleeper hits. One is the opening song of the movie, “Arabian Nights.” It is a quick song, but it offers a song with instruments and beats inspired by the region it is set in. 

The last song I want to talk about is “Prince Ali.” This song plays as Aladdin approaches the palace as a hopeful suitor for Jasmine.  

It is another upbeat song sung by Genie. It is over the top and fun in all the best ways. 

However, this song brings up my issues with the movie. Genie and the three wishes the user of the lamp gets from him come with rules, but if you abide by the rules, your wishes will be permanent. 

Aladdin’s first wish is to be a prince. Genie dresses him as a prince, gives him a profession, and claims he is from the fictional country of Agrabah.  

However, this wish does not seem to fulfill Aladdin’s desire. The rest of the movie, Aladdin talks about how he wants to marry Jasmine, but he is unable to because he is not a prince. 

This is my issue with the movie, because he literally wished to be a prince. He did not wish to look like a prince or to clean up, so he no longer looks homeless, but to be a prince. 

I am not saying Genie should have created a landmass or people for Aladdin to claim he rules, but it could be a one-meter by one-meter land area nearby that Aladdin “rules” over.  

My next issue is the second wish, where Genie saves Aladdin. Guards of the palace working for the villain Jafar try to drown “Prince Ali” and throw him into a river. 

Knocked out and unable to do anything, Genie claims he cannot give any more free wishes and needs Aladdin to wish him to be saved. After shaking Aladdin, his head nods forward, and Genie takes this as wish number two.  

The free wish Aladdin had already received was to be free from the Cave of Wonders. I wish they had used the Cave of Wonders as his actual wish because then the tension on the third wish would be believable.  

On the third wish, Aladdin had said he would set Genie free, but because his first two wishes had not worked, he could not make that guarantee anymore. 

Genie felt like Aladdin was different and not a liar, and it hurt his feelings. Eventually, Aladdin can marry Jasmine, despite not being a prince, and he sets Genie free.  

Despite the flaws of the wishes, “Aladdin” is still one of the greatest Disney movies of all time. It has so many iconic scenes and dialogue, and it is enjoyable to watch even 30 years after its release.