Maleficent ~ Movie Review

With yet another take on a Classic, Disney has followed up the Julia Roberts version of Snow White (Mirror Mirror), with the re-imagined Sleeping Beauty; Maleficent. Its lovely to think that perhaps all these spell wielding evil-doers of our childhood were secretly misunderstood, after all; winners write the history in reality as well. However working in that logic is some what flawed if translated into reality, who really believes that ancient baddies like Attila The Hun were just looking for 'true loves kiss'.

Like all grown up little girls I was really looking forward to this film, my favourite Disney Princess film, made with excess CGI and a great action actress what could possibly go wrong. It turns out a fair bit. The story line is similar to the original, but the casting man should really take a holiday.

I understand Angelina Jolie as Maleficent (the cheek bones alone!) she plays a strong character with a gentle undertone of motherhood. However King Stefan was ridiculous with no charter affinity. I was left wondering why of all the people you could chose, an listless egomaniac would top the bill.

Princess Aurora was the poorest rendition of beauty and grace I have ever seen. It felt as though they ran out of time for casting and just panic called the only girl they could think of, that was the approximate age and colouring. Limp and lacklustre she manages to fall far from the Princess ideal of hopeful excitement and wonder. Don't get me wrong, Elle Fanning is an amazing 16 year old, equal in talent and promise to her sister Dakota, but just so very wrong for the role. Instead of inspiring young girls I can only see an increase in eyebrow tinting appointments.

The three fairies an integral part of the original; Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. Well not any more, re-branded as Flittle, Knotgrass and Thistletwit, perhaps because they have more meaning and are easier to remember? Rather than raising Aurora as their own and caring for her they appear to be regulated to poor comedy and idiocy. All to showcase Maleficent's mothering nature, I understand letting them slip out of the limelight for the story line, but surely to mark them as limited intellect is taking the whole pseudo fostering a little far.


I guess it doesn't help that Imelda Staunton wearing pink is a traumatising memory from Harry Potter.

Understandably the film comes across as a Jolie ego wagon, but the rest of the characters have had little thought. The scriptwriting is heavily bias but the stand out support comes in the form of the magically transformed crow Diaval. Despite being a trusted advisor / servant for Maleficent, he feels a strong affinity for both her and the Princess. Sam Riley comes across as a solid actor with great future potential.

I enjoy watching Angelina Jolie stretching her legs as a villain, the costume and acting were enough to convince a few young actresses which led to her and Brad Pitts daughter, Vivienne, playing the role of the younger Princess Aurora. The softening of the character as the film progresses is a nice touch and adds depth to this re-imagined fairy tale.




With DVD and Blu-ray release scheduled for November the 4th, it makes for perfect timing for those that still wait for Xmas, and will no doubt be ideal for many Princess loving family's as well as those with a love for the darker misunderstood world of generally villainy.

On a side note if you are a big fan: Jolie also teamed up with Chistian Louboutin to produce a range of shoes called 'Malangeli' for the various premiers. Which are available, for an undisclosed price, profits from sales benefit the SOS Children’s Villages, the NGO supported by Jolie, providing stable, loving homes for orphaned and abandoned children in 133 countries.