It took a few scenes, but you settle into it. Visually it is amazing, which is not at all what I expected after the first trailer. The shots of the city make it feel magical, but still somehow believable. Rajah the tiger gives a good sneak peak at how good the Lion King animals are going to look.

The cast is reasonable. Props to the movie for mostly casting actors that have a middle eastern background. Will Smith does as well as anyone could following the legendary performance of Robin Williams. It was good to see him making the genie his own character, and not trying to do a Williams impression.

The songs started out a bit rough. The pacing of the first couple was a bit strange, and “One Jump Ahead” featured a scene that seemed to be oddly sped up. However, as the movie continues the songs become more and more enjoyable. It’s hard to add to a classic like this, but “Speechless” was great addition for Princess Jasmine.