ALADDIN & THE KING OF THIEVES

"ALADDIN & THE KING OF THIEVES"
(1996) (voice of Robin Williams) (NOT RATED)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
None	None	Moderate	Moderate	Mild

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Minor	None	Moderate	None	None

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
*Minor	*Minor	Mild	Minor	Moderate

QUICK TAKE:: In this second sequel to "Aladdin," the title character discovers on his wedding day that his father he's never met is alive, and may be involved with the King of Thieves.

PLOT:: It's the wedding day of Aladdin (VOICE OF SCOTT WEINGER) and Princess Jasmine (VOICE OF LINDA LARKIN) when suddenly the King of Thieves (VOICE OF JOHN RHYS-DAVIES) and his forty thieves show up and not only ruin the wedding but destroy the palace and attempt to steal a special scepter. With that scepter, one can have any question answered, and Aladdin finds out that his father, Cassim who he's never known, is alive but under the control of the King of Thieves. Postponing the wedding, Aladdin, with the help of the Genie (VOICE OF ROBIN WILLIAMS), searches for and finds his father who turns out to be the King of Thieves himself. It seems that Cassim wants the question answering scepter so that he can find the hand of Midas which turns everything it touches into gold. Aladdin wants to help his father go straight but must contend with Cassim's evil right-hand man, Saluk (VOICE OF JERRY ORBACH) who wants to overthrow Cassim and become the new King of Thieves.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Hmmm. Let's see. It's another sequel to the very popular "Aladdin." It's a Disney animated feature. And Robin Williams is back as the voice of the Genie. Nah, kid's won't want to see it -- they'll want to own it.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT:: Since this is a straight to video release, the film wasn't rated by the Motion Picture Board. It's pretty much like the original "Aladdin" and thus should be considered a G rated film.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: Other than Saluk, the rest of the major characters are good role models. Even Cassim, who's the king of thieves, reforms his ways and finds that the greatest treasure to him isn't gold, but is his son.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

OUR TAKE: 4 out of 10: Don't you hate it when sequels to movies are made not because there's more story to be told, but instead because there's more money to be made? Disney, seeing the success of the first sequel, "The Return of Jafar," figured if they brought Robin Williams back into the fold they'd make even more money. And I'm sure they will. The problem is, this video isn't anywhere near the fun or artistic quality of the original film. Now of course most kids aren't going to notice this and will probably immensely enjoy the video, but parents won't want to sit through it after the first viewing. Williams is the only spark this movie has and provides some enjoyment for the adult viewers, but other than that the film is boring, predictable and looks like a Saturday morning cartoon. We give it just a 4 out of 10.

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:: This film is much less risque than this summer's "Hunchback," and doesn't offer much in the objectionable category other than a moderate dose of violence and intent to kill (which has always been common in kid's cartoons -- think about Elmer Fudd shooting at Bugs Bunny -- but nowadays the killer characters are just mean and vicious and might scare kids). The character of Saluk, with his dangerous clawed hand, is nothing but a despicable, mean spirited person. As always, read through the scene listings to determine if you want your kids to see this movie.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: None.

BLOOD/ GORE: None.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Of course all of the bad guys (with their stealing and violence) have both attitudes.

FRIGHTENING/TENSE SCENES: See "Violence" for a list of scenes that some kids may find frightening.
An oracle (that comes from the desired scepter) might be scary to younger kids with the ominous music and large, foreboding character that are heard and seen.
As the thieves return to their hideaway, they come to a great sea which is separated with the issuance of a verbal command. They ride through the parted sea and the great walls of water start to come together as Aladdin and his team barely make it through just as the water fills in behind them.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Saluk's claw: Used to shred guards' clothing, to attack people and to try and kill Aladdin.
Knives: Thrown by the thieves at other people to impale their clothing to walls so that they can be robbed.
Machine guns: Seen in the hands of many S.W.A.T. members that the Genie has turned into as they confront Cassim.
Bows & Arrows: Used by the palace guards to stop Cassim from escaping (not fired, but just aimed).
Swords: Used in several fight scenes.
Laser gun: Fired by the Genie during the final fight sequence.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: The Genie turns into lots of ninja fighters and does some quick martial arts moves to scare off some of the thieves.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): The movie is filled with enough suspenseful music to warrant a moderate rating (especially for younger kids).

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: None.

SEX/NUDITY: During an extremely quick bachelor party for Aladdin, the Genie comes out of a cake dressed like a stripper (but it's so fast kids will probably miss it or not get the joke).

SMOKING: The Genie is seen doing Groucho Marx and Bing Crosby impersonations (with an unlit cigar in hand and a pipe blowing bubbles respectively).

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: Aladdin talks about how his mother died when he was very young (a Disney tradition), and that he never knew his father. Later when he finds that his father is alive, he's happy at first, and then upset that he's the king of thieves. He tries to help his father reform his ways, but when he doesn't, he's mad at him again. When he learns that Cassim is in trouble, he doesn't want to help, but is quickly persuaded to and all ends happily.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: The hand of Midas (that turns everything it touches to gold).
Stealing and robbing (which the forty thieves do).

VIOLENCE: Right before Aladdin and Jasmine's wedding, several menacing looking bad guys (the forty thieves), including Saluk with his claw-like weapon, climb out of baskets and make their way to the palace. Saluk then claws an elephant which causes an elephant stampede through the palace, creating a panic and destroying much of the palace in the process. The thieves then throw knives at people, pinning their clothes to the palace walls so that the thieves can rob them. The palace guards fight back but are knocked aside by the thieves. Saluk is seen shredding one guard's clothing to bits with his claw.
Aladdin and the King of Thieves fight and struggle. Jasmine slugs a thief, knocking him out. The monkey causes a chandelier to fall on four of the thieves.
The monkey pulls the parrot Iago (VOICE OF GILBERT GOTTFRIED) from a fissure that has closed on his tail. In pulling him out, he also pulls out all of his tail feathers.
Aladdin stops Saluk from striking Cassim who then returns the favor as Saluk prepares to slice open Aladdin with his claw.
Aladdin must then face "the challenge" where he must fight Saluk to the death. As a big thunderstorm rages and lightning flashes, Al and Saluk fight. There are many swings of the claw and kicks to the body. Al grabs a knife and it catches on Saluk's claw and they struggle as a growing fire rages very near to them. They end up out on a cliff edge that Saluk eventually throws Aladdin over. Al slides down the cliff side, stopping himself with his knife. Saluk then comes down to the next ledge and again fights with Aladdin who finally kicks Saluk backwards. Saluk loses his balance and falls to his death (we think).
The other thieves then grab Aladdin and appear ready to do him harm, but instead they greet him as the newest thief in their group.
Saluk is then seen fighting with sharks in the sea and tosses on onto the shore.
Aladdin, posing as Cassim in order to break Cassim out of jail, lands on top of several guards to get them to chase him.
The head guard catches Aladdin (thinking it's Cassim), but Jasmine's father comes along and pushes the guard into the wall, knocking him out.
During a musical number where Saluk tries to convince the other thieves that Cassim is their foe and not their leader, he must fend off the attacks from the thieves. They throw knives at him which land in a stick he's holding. And they come at him with swords, but he kicks them away.
There's a big fight/escape sequence at the end. Aladdin and Cassim fight Saluk and his men, and once done with them, must escape from the depths of a chamber inside the Vanishing Island (where the hand of Midas is located) as it begins to sink back into the sea. Hallways begin to fill with water and Aladdin, Cassim and the other "good guys" just make it out before being swallowed into the sea.

Reviewed August 14, 1996

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