Movie Review: Maleficent

I went into Maleficent with few expectations. Well, maybe my expectation was that it was going to be simply a so-so movie. I had read a few reviews prior to seeing the film that further made me believe this. Still, as a fan of Disney films, I felt inclined to give it a viewing. To my surprise, it became one of my favorite movies so far this year.

Starring Angelina Jolie, Maleficent shows the classic story of Sleeping Beauty, but with a twist. This time we hear the villain’s point of view. The whole concept reminded me of one of my favorite books as a kid, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. I relentlessly read and re-read that book, always full of delight to find the connections between the original story and the story of what “really” happened. These same emotions filled me as I watched Maleficent tell her tale.

Part of the reason I loved the film was due to Angelina Jolie’s performance. I am usually one to say I’m not much of a fan of her roles, but her portrayal of the horned villain was actually quite beautiful. She displayed love, pain, fear, anger, and even some occasional humor to give Maleficent a well-rounded personality. She especially shines in the most famous scene, when Maleficent curses baby Aurora.

While the character Maleficent was wonderfully portrayed, the other leading characters were ultimately one-dimensional. Maleficent’s main foe is a destructively cruel king, who takes over the villain role from her. The whole time I knew he would need to be defeated, and I welcomed that time as I found him very grating.

Actress Elle Fanning plays the famous Princess Aurora, who is smiley and kind. There isn’t much more to her than that, but she does a suitable job in the role. If you are a fan of Prince Phillip, you will be very disappointed as his character is bit of an afterthought. His role becomes a bit unnecessary even, especially after the film’s final twist.

Something I noted in other reviews was the criticism that this film turns Maleficent from evil to kind, which completely changes the classic tale. Admittedly, Aurora was never one of my favorite Disney Princess, nor was Maleficent my favorite Disney villain, but this film made me want to return to 1959 film to re-watch it after not viewing it for many years. I do not think this film will change the way I view the original, but it will give me a higher appreciation for the characters.

Overall Maleficent was magical, heart-warming, and visually beautiful. As soon as the film ended, I wanted to watch it again. It was the perfect movie to spend an afternoon escaping into an enchanting world.

Now, who can I talk to about making The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs into a movie? :)