Maleficent is Disney’s sequel to the first movie inspired by Sleeping Beauty.
Maleficent, mistress of evil, (Angelina Jolie) has become a maternal figure in the younger Princess Aurora’s (Ellie Fanning) life.
The family relationships are put to the test when she becomes engaged to Prince Philip. The meet-the-parents dinner ends in disaster. We discover that the soon to be mother-in-law has a sinister side.
Maleficent discovers her clan as a ‘dark fae’. This race of fairies was on the brink of extinction, but here she finds acceptance and a purpose.
The costumes are an absolute standout and a front-runner for awards. The dark fairies would make great cosplay inspiration. Aurora’s wedding dresses are sure to be on the wish lists of brides to be.
The storyline is slammed together. The fighting between the humans and fairies becomes a shamble. The all-out warfare (reminiscent of Lord of the Rings) feels too heavy for a children’s film.
The raven shapeshifter (Sam Riley) was a warm welcome.
I enjoyed the film but left feeling manipulated. I would have liked to have seen the film split into two different films.
Maleficent is perhaps no longer the Mistress of Evil, but a leader of the dark fairies?
2.5 stars.
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