Common Sense Media Review
A genie that should have stayed in the bottle.
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Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 12 kid reviews
Kids say this sequel to a beloved classic has garnered mixed reviews, with some finding it entertaining and appropriate for younger audiences, while others critique its poor animation, lackluster writing, and departure from the original's charm. Fans of the series may enjoy the character dynamics and music, but many feel it fails to live up to the standards set by its predecessor.
- entertaining for children
- poor animation
- lackluster writing
- not a good sequel
- better for fans
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In this made-for-video sequel, wicked Jafar returns to Agrabah after a clumsy bandit sets him free from the lamp in which he was imprisoned. But, because he must obey the genie's law and not kill on his own, Jafar uses his rescuer as a tool of revenge against his wrongdoers. Aladdin, Jafar's primary target, is now a royal advisor. He manages to stay in the good graces of the Sultan and Princess Jasmine until Iago the parrot, obeying Jafar, double-crosses him. With his friends in chains, Aladdin must first prove that he didn't kill the Sultan, then find a way to destroy Jafar's lamp, thus destroying Jafar.
Is It Any Good?
THE RETURN OF JAFAR has the general look of its predecessor, but this made-for-video sequel doesn't possess the wit or integrity of Disney's Aladdin. The cast is mostly the same, with welcome newcomer Jason Alexander as the greedy thief Abis Mal whose lamp-rubbing sets Jafar loose. The obvious missing ingredient here is Robin Williams, whose manic ad-libbing as the blue Genie in Aladdin had animators scribbling madly to keep up. He's replaced by Dan Castellaneta, who does a fine job but lacks Williams' spontaneity.
New songs yield a couple of good production numbers. They don't help the story much, though, which five people are credited with thinking up, and eight people(!) are credited with writing. The elements are all there -- they just lack focus and ingenuity. For that, blame the three directors and two producers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about where they get the courage to do things they are scared of. How did Alladin find work up the courage to free himself and his loved ones? How do you react when you've been accused of something you didn't do?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 20, 1994
- On DVD or streaming : July 14, 1998
- Cast : Dan Castellaneta , Jason Alexander , Scott Weinger
- Director : Toby Shelton
- Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Run time : 66 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : all audiences
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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