Pakistan, May 26 -- Did Aladdin just wake up? Looks like it. It is an inspired choice to cast Guy Ritchie's live-action version of Disney's 1992 animated hit with persons of colour. That's Will Smith as the Genie, embodying the character Robin Williams brought to hilarious vocal life in 1992 and doing the role proud. Mena Massoud who plays Aladdin, has roots in Egypt. Naomi Scott, who plays Princess Jasmine, is of Indian descent. Nasim Pedrad, as her handmaiden, Dalia, was born in Iran. And Marwan Kenzari, as villainous Jafar, is partly Tunisian. An Arabian nights fantasy filled with brown-skinned actors? Will wonders never cease?

That the film itself is a treat, beyond its good intentions, is icing on the cake, though cliches and ethnic...