MALEFICENT Movie Review

***Our family received complimentary tickets to the 3D screening of Maleficent***

Leave it to Disney to take one of the most beloved princess fairy tales, re-imagine it through the eyes of the wicked Maleficent, and make yet another blockbuster hit.  

About Maleficent:

Maleficent explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty" and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.    

After seeing Maleficent with my family (kids 3 and 7), I read a handful of critics’ reviews and man, were they tough.  We absolutely LOVED the movie.  I must admit, from the time I saw the trailer, I knew I had to see this movie.  The draw for me was not so much the story of one of Disney’s scariest villains, but to see Angelina Jolie - movie star, director, peacekeeper, mother – as the infamous evil Maleficent.  Okay, so I may have a slight girl crush and pretty much was Team Jolie all the way through the Brad Pitt love triangle, but don't let that deter you from watching Disney’s awesome live-action re-imagined story of Sleeping Beauty.  

The film takes us to a spectacular fantasy world of the forest kingdom full of creatures that will delight your imagination.  It is here we are introduced to a young Maleficent and of course we like her!  So when we learn the reason why she has become vengeful, it is difficult not to root for the hero-turned-villain.  It’s also hard not to ignore the differences between the original Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent’s retelling, but I think it was refreshing that the fairy tale was given a modern spin.

My kids did think the movie was scary at times, as there were battle scenes, fight scenes, and of course the delivery of Maleficent’s curse, but they were nothing a 2 second hand squeeze couldn't fix.  The movie also has its funny moments and I very much appreciated the dry humor Maleficent delivers.  

From beginning to end, the visual effects were stunning.  I especially liked the scene where Maleficent swoops down from the sky and flies over and through the moors.  I was only a little disappointed that Lana Del Rey’s creepy rendition of Once Upon a Dream only appeared as the credits rolled, but overall Maleficent was awesome and sure to entertain both kids and adults.  

  

Rated PG.  Running time 97 minutes.