Aladdin

Name: Aladdin
Item: Aladdin
Rating: 5
Author: Common Sense Media Editors

Movie review by

Common Sense Media Editors, Common Sense Media

Popular with kidsParents recommend

Common Sense says

age 6+

(i)

A magic carpet ride of a movie from Disney.

G
1992
90 minutes

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Parents say

age 6+

Based on 20 reviews

Kids say

age 6+

Based on 56 reviews

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Aladdin

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We think this movie stands out for:

Character Strengths

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Educational Value

Meant to entertain rather than educate. Retelling of Middle Eastern folktale and one of the best-known stories in the classic work The Arabian Nights.

Positive Messages

"Love conquers all" is the big message in this movie; also themes of friendship, loyalty, honesty, and fulfilling your promises. Characters learn and demonstrate courage, perseverance, and humility. Some cultural references are wrong/outdated.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Aladdin is a sweet underdog with a big heart, but he's also pretty obsessed with treasure and puts himself in all kinds of dangerous situations to get it. He also pretends to be someone he's not to impress Jasmine. Jasmine is spirited and has strong opinions. Genie is loyal to Aladdin beyond the requirements of their bond. Jasmine's father is caring and attentive, though weak-minded. Jafar is a terrifying leader who subjects people to punishment and peril. Some stereotyping, particularly of the Semitic and Arab culture, and Jasmine doesn't have enough agency.

Violence & Scariness

Big henchmen pursue Aladdin with swords, threats to Aladdin's life. Scary mythical monsters, perilous chase scenes, and near escapes. Jasmine is chained to a chair and forced to feed Jafar. One character is eaten by a mythical sand creature.

Sexy Stuff

Very curvy ladies dance about in scanty outfits -- in fact all women are barely clad in this movie. Aladdin and Jasmine kiss and hold each other close on their first date.

Language

Some name-calling: "stupid," "dumb," "idiot."

Consumerism

Jasmine is a Disney princess whose brand reaches far and wide. Expect to see princess branding on consumer merchandise, food products, etc., as well as in books, websites, and other media.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Genie says once "Mind if I smoke?" and also plays like he's in a bar. Hookah smoking.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Aladdin is the 1992 Disney animated retelling of the classic Middle Eastern folktale Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (a live-action remake came out in 2019). The bad guy, Jafar, can be pretty scary for younger kids with his sorcery and mind control -- as can scenes in which Aladdin is chased by henchmen with giant swords and mythological monsters. There's also some cultural stereotyping: scheming Arab and Jewish merchants with large noses, for instance. Potty humor includes burping and bad guys getting the seat of their garish underwear torn off by an angry tiger. But Genie provides plenty of comic relief to the more dangerous moments; the late Robin Williams is in full force free association as his voice, channeling everyone from Rodney Dangerfield to William F. Buckley and providing some laughs for the adults in the room, too. Also expect a bit of mild name-calling and some revealing outfits on Princess Jasmine and curvy dancers. Overall, the theme of being true to yourself are should resonate with families and inspire discussion between parents and younger kids about not changing who you are simply to please others.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written byOwen h. March 25, 2018

age 13+

Kinda innapropiate

In song friend like me there are curvy girls twearking on Aladdin and at the movie Jasmine is basically a sex slave for jafar

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Adult Written byWaterNymph March 18, 2011

age 10+

Inapporpriate Sexiness

Jasmine is constantly showing her belly button and cleavage, and there is a scene toward the end where she basically becomes Jafar's sex slave.

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Teen, 17 years old Written byLittlestPetShop April 20, 2018

age 18+

SEXUALLY EXPLICIT

I have to sing “Friend Like Me” for my upcoming concert. The video was inappropriate because:
1.) The Genie was rubbing his butt on a paper (Gross!).
2.) There... Continue reading

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Written byAnonymous January 10, 2016

age 2+

Am I The Only One Who Dislikes This?

I hated this movie. It was annoying and there was too much singing.

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What's the story?

In this animated Disney adventure, street urchin ALADDIN (voiced by Scott Weinger) woos Arabian Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin) by pretending to be a prince. He gets help from an exuberant blue genie (Robin Williams), who grants him three wishes. But before this story ends happily ever after, Aladdin must tell Princess Jasmine the truth about his identity, and defeat evil royal adviser Jafar (Jonathan Freeman) -- neither one an easy task!

Is it any good?

Jasmine is no Belle and Aladdin is no Beast, but add a big blue genie voiced by Robin Williams to the picture and you've got a very entertaining Disney movie. Williams brings humor and vitality to a movie that might otherwise be just another "princess forced to marry against her will" story. His imagination and antics clearly inspired the animators, too, and every scene with the genie is off-the-charts creative.

Songs like "A Whole New World," and a magic carpet with more personality than all of Disney's animal sidekicks put together help give scenes without the genie a lift. Jasmine is spunky even though her predicament isn't very original, and Aladdin is sweet and eventually learns his own self-worth. DVD extras include a virtual magic carpet ride in which viewers speed through different Arabian settings as if on a roller coaster, a fun interactive 3D tour of Genie's lamp, and music videos by pop singers Clay Aiken and Jessica Simpson.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about the contradictions in the characters in Aladdin -- how people can be both good and bad, and learn from their mistakes. Ask kids how they think Aladdin acted selfishly or unselfishly throughout the movie.
What are some other examples of Disney adapting classic folktales?
How do the characters in Aladdin demonstrate perseverance, humility, and courage? Why are those important character strengths?