- ★★½ out of 5
“It’s a grandeur for the family. But not for adults alone.”
When I first saw the behind-the-scene picture of the Maleficent movie, same time they announced that they’re in the process of making it; I was ecstatic: it was because of the fact that everyone in my generation, and the generations before me knows who Maleficent is and that she has infiltrated the general audience with fear yet with sophistication.
I personally feared Maleficent when I was a child. Watching Sleeping Beauty was a fairytale trauma, together with Alice in Wonderland due to the fact that they’ve put so much power to these characters plus an evil-ish depth to the story: it’s really amusing but scary at the same time.
Plus the fact that Maleficent is played by Angelina Jolie was a wow. Then the trailers came and we saw the first outing of the actress as Maleficent: it was just mind blowing. It already felt like she was destined to the role itself. Ecstatic became ecstasy to my senses: then I waited for a year and a half.
Now, it’s here.
Maleficent is a story ripped off from one of the world’s most popular fairytale: Sleep Beauty. It tells the tale of the ultimate villain, Maleficent, and what the real story is.
I have to admit, after watching it, from all my rapturous emotions being super excited to watch the film: it kind of was an ‘OKAY’ movie. Maybe because I was too much expecting from the ‘twist’ itself in which re-imagined fairytale stories are intended for, or maybe because of a technical status which didn’t made me happy.
RATED WHAT???
What I mean to say is that the film was Rated ‘G’… for those who don’t know what ‘G’ means: it’s for General Patronage. Adults can see it and kids too.
From the moment the film rating popped up before the movie; I was taken aback, figuratively and literally (even bumped my head, thankfully to the soft cushion of my seats, Thanks JMall Cinema!). I was expecting for a hold back from all the actions I’d be seeing in the film. My partner told me then, “There will be no blood.” And of course as a Disney film, there will be minimal or no blood at all.
I can’t even remember any killing in the movie, except for the fact that soldiers were thrown away or dropped by huge metal chandelier outside and inside the castle, but there was never a feeling of death in the movie. Well of course, again, it’s Rated ‘G’ and for adults movie goers, it will never be enough.
STORYLINE
We all know that The King is the lazy ass character who will give an incentive to guys in town who uh, could save the kingdom’s princess so that they could bang her right after; and we all know Sleeping Beauty/Aurora is just asleep for the entire movie-time; Prince Charming/Phillip as the hero who desperately rescued Aurora from being a damsel in distress and Maleficent as the fashionably evil one.
But in the re-imagined movie today; there’s this chance for the Evil one to tell her side of the story, and it’s definitely not what we thought it was going to be.
The depth of her becoming evil was for me quite lacking, because of the straight fact that they couldn’t push the limits beyond Rated ‘G’. It was a bit disappointing in that part and I could’ve wished that she was pushed so much leading on why she became evil. The trailer promised a ‘dark version’ of the re-imagined story, but I don’t see any resemblance of darkness in emotional sense to this film. The mood of the fairytale land where she resides was first blooming and colorful, but when she turned evil; everything went dark, but there’s nothing more ‘dark’ after that.
Which leads me to the next point.
HUMOR ME, MALI
I wasn’t expecting for the movie to be quite humorous in the midst of Maleficent’s evil presence. The danger didn’t lurk for the Kingdom and Aurora, but it was for Maleficent only. But even when there’s this threat to her mortality in the land; there were times where you can’t help but give out a giggle because of some comic characters surrounding Maleficent, like Diaval (Sam Riley) and Aurora herself (Elle Fanning).
There were more of cute, queer and heart-warming scenes between Maleficent and Aurora but was essential to the story as you watch it and will all make sense once the climax hits.
BEING GOOD IS PREDICTABLE, SO STAY BAD
Maleficent started as a cute, young fairy whose wings gave her the ability to soar through the magical land and to the skies above. After that tells a failed love story that lead her in becoming evil. But then, the movie gave chance of redemption to evil queen after years of being an accidental fairy-god-mother to Aurora.
Most of the movie geeks who posted predictions on how the story will go about, pointed out on how it might be disappointing to find out that Maleficent is not evil after all.
It’s a straight FACT after watching the movie. Yet still, the duality of the character; the emotional turmoil: a fight between good versus evil and the chance of redemption is the entire plot of it.
In the middle of the movie, you can really tell how it’s going to end because you can’t really lead someone astray who’s seen hundreds of movies, no matter how you give twists to it and especially on a Rated ‘G’ film rating.
AN ACTING PRACTICED THROUGH TIME
Angelina Jolie IS Angelina Jolie. Wow. The role was PERFECT for her and her natural vicious façade brings life to the most feared Evil Queens of all Disney.
Her acting was superb and her unprecedented punchlines were funny. She was just outstanding throughout the film. A fact that acting really is practiced through time and Jolie is a testament to that.
CONCLUSION
The beginning of the movie was really straightforward and strong. It will captivate both young and adult’s attention to watch and listen because we might miss something.
But I wished Maleficent stayed as a badass rather than the hero in the end of the movie, but still it was amusing especially on its visual effects that puts excitement to anyone watching on a big screen plus it’s heartwarming perfect for the young ones.
And there was no greater push towards her being evil which lacked the emotions of being feared.
As an adult, it was an OKAY movie rather than spectacular, but still, NOT hideous. It’s a grandeur for a family movie.
RATINGS: 2.5/5
Maleficent is a 2014 American movie starring Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Shartlo Copley, Sam Riley, Brenton Thwaites, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Leslie Manville. The film is directed by Robert Stromberg based on the story of Sleeping Beauty.
