For the past few years, Disney has dedicated much of its time and money as a company to remaking all of its animated movie classics into live-action form. This latest business move has received varying responses from the masses, but more importantly, it has achieved varying results.
Financially, most of these remakes have been hits, but for now, it is most important to focus on these movies in the context of a critical response. Some Disney live-action remakes have received great reviews, others poor reviews, and few others have achieved a decent middle ground from mixed reviews. These varying responses can be aggregated best through the gaze of Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Will Smith Saves Aladdin - 57%
Aladdin is the only movie on the list that is certified rotten. Although the very next entry comes dangerously close to doing just that, Aladdin fails to suffice in maintaining the same charm or spectacle that the original had and, overall, is rather forgettable.
If anything in the movie is memorable, it's Will Smith. Most critics seem to agree that Smith rises to the occasion and remains as charismatic to work with, despite receiving a weak script and the high expectations of filling the late Robin Williams' shoes as The Genie.
9 Yes, There's A Lady & The Tramp Remake - 65%
Compared to other successes on the list, the Lady and the Tramp remake may have flown under the radar compared to the rest of the movies on this list. Mostly because it was the first Disney remake not to be released theatrically, opting instead to be released exclusively on Disney+ shortly after the streaming service debuted online before it grew as immensely popular as it is now. It's easy to see why.
While more recent Disney+ content has been exceptionally and consistently entertaining, 2019's Lady and the Tramp is a copy-and-paste snog to sit through that lacks the same charm that the original had, not to mention some of the weakest CGI in this line of Disney remakes.
8 Beauty & The Beast Honors The Original - 71%
In many respects, Beauty and the Beast is just as much of a homage to the original animated movie as it is a remake. In fact, it often tries its best to try new things in subtle ways rather than completely copy-and-paste the original story. It winds up being something that both long-time fans and new viewers can appreciate.
One of the most striking high points of Beauty and the Beast is a tremendous cast led by incredible chemistry from leads Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. The same can be said for its intricate attention to detail, visuals, and cinematography.
7 Christopher Robin, Disney's Unique Spin On Winnie The Pooh Pays Off - 72%
Disney took an extremely unique approach to bring Winnie the Pooh and his friends to the big live-action screen. Rather than just take a casual Winnie the Pooh adventure and adapt it, this remake took a look at a Christopher Robin who was all grown up, and his friends returning to remind him not to take life so seriously all the time.
It's a sweet sentiment that's sweet enough to endure in the hearts of older audiences while also bringing joy to the children watching around the world.
6 Mulan Manages To Exceed Expectations - 73%
As with most remakes, Mulan was at the center of controversy on behalf of fans who adore the original. The 2020 movie had an even bigger upward climb considering it spent a decade in development hell, sparked even more controversy for having a mostly white production staff for a traditionally Asian story, and it was postponed theatrically due to the novel coronavirus.
It feels like an understatement to say that Mulan had extremely high expectations, but considering that the movie's score is ultimately fresh, it paid off with flying colors.
5 Critics Like Cruella, But Audiences Love It - 78%
Taking the classic 101 Dalmations tale and flipping the perspectives to focus more so on the villain, Cruella is Disney's latest attempt to bring their classic characters into live-action form. Cruella appears to be Disney's attempt at recreating what made Maleficent work by taking a classic, vile villain and remaking the story from their POV to make them a sympathetic villain.
The Tomatometer suggests that it works and the Audience Score of 97% suggests that it works even better on moviegoers than it did on critics.
4 The Forgotten Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book Remake - 80%
The idea of Disney remaking their classic animated movies isn't anything new. In fact, while the frequency has been turned up to 11 in more recent years, Walt Disney Pictures remaking their classics dates all the way back to 1994 when they remade The Jungle Book, starring Jason Scott Lee as Mowgli.
This remake sought to retain the spirit of the original animated movie while also grounding the story within the realms of reality, going as far as to not let any of the animals speak. Critics had qualms with the movie paying little to no semblance to the book that both versions are based on despite the title but ultimately agreed this remained as entertaining as the animated version.
3 Cinderella Feels As Classy As It Is Classic - 83%
Cinderella as a story has probably been remade for the big screen more times than any other Disney animated movie in existence. Countless actresses ranging from Julie Andrews to Anna Kendrick have filled out the iconic glass slipper in some way, shape, or form. Lily James is adorable as the latest iteration, but it's Cate Blanchett's Evil Stepmother who steals the show.
Blanchett alone makes this version of Cinderella a must-see, but what makes it such a swing in the right direction is none other than director Kenneth Branagh's classy vibe he attaches to it, giving it an old-fashioned vibe similar to what the original gave audiences in 1950.
2 Pete's Dragon Offered Perfect Remaking Material - 88%
Pete's Dragon was always one of Disney's more understated and perhaps even underseen movies by the masses. It was something of a forgotten classic and on that basis, maybe it formed the perfect basis to be ripe for remaking. And judging by its Tomatometer score, perhaps it was.
More than anything else, Pete's Dragon manages to maintain the same charm as the 1977 classic of the same name but adds a certain flair to its imagery that wasn't as prevalent in the original. The dazzling CGI is as much a feast for the eyes as the story is a feast for the soul.
1 The Jungle Book Remake Is Arguably Better Than The Original - 94%
Most of the positive entries on this list have been cases of a remake either being considered to be just as good as the original or at least doing justice to what came before it. It's rare that a remake—made by Disney or otherwise—is considered to be better than the original.
The Jungle Book is a happy exception. In fact, many critics think that the live-action version in some areas is able to improve on what few flaws can be found in the animated version.