Captivating the true essence of the good in evil, “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is filled with love, war and betrayal for kids of all ages to enjoy. The movie, which originally hit theaters on Oct. 18, picks up five years after the 2014 adaptation of Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty.”
I remember watching “Maleficent” in 2014 and being immediately enthralled; from the visuals to the audio production, the movie perfectly captured what I imagined a villain’s perspective to be. While I wasn’t sure how it’s sequel could top it’s performance, I had high expectations.
However, simply from the first five minutes of the movie, I was convinced. I laughed, and I cried and I was captured by the direction that “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” was going. The movie started off by reintroducing background information and the plot of “Maleficent.” It introduced Aurora (Elle Fanning) as the Queen of the Moors and depicted Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) as a villain despite her previous heroic actions.
The set up of the plot was also able to help fulfill these high expectations. Essentially, the movie revolves around a wedding between Aurora and Prince Phillip, during which Maleficent is charged with cursing King John (Robert Lindsay), Phillip’s father. Maleficent, who claims to be innocent, flees the scene and disappears.
Eventually, Maleficent is found by a group of winged creatures, similar to her own, who plan on attacking the humans. The group believes Maleficent is the key to either peace or war between the humans and attempt to persuade her to join their fight.
While the film does deal with serious themes of identity and revenge, it was also able to incorporate humor and fun. This addition ensured the storyline remained engaging and helped keep the movie alluring. During a dinner between Maleficent and the royal family in preparation for the wedding, tensions between the families led to an awkward and sarcastic conversation, providing an important break from the major plot.
Along with this, the film was able to address the emotions behind sacrifice and betrayal in the face of death. As the Fair Folk of the Moors gather in the chapel for what they assume to be a wedding, they quickly realize it was simply a ploy to allow the human to form an attack. The creatures, who are trapped in the chapel, are poured powder which immediately freezes and kills them.
However, several Fair Folk, including the lovable blue fairy, Flittle, put themselves between the powder and the rest of the creatures, and sacrifice themselves to ultimately save the Fair Folk.
The movie was able to address important themes with grace and fluidity, perfectly incorporating the right amount of humor and sarcasm.
This unique spin on “Sleeping Beauty” failed to disappoint from start to finish.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5 out of 5)