There’s no one else who could have played the evil Disney villain Maleficent. Other actresses could have, I guess, but it would have been a waste. Angelina Jolie is perfect in this role and once again uses her remarkable look and superb skills that takes this family-friendly fairy tale to a whole new level.
Directed by Robert Stromberg, who’s best known for his special effects work in films like Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, and Oz The Great and Powerful. Stromberg’s directorial debut is impressive, although most obviously in the visual arena.
The story of Maleficent is a familiar one, a prequel to the 1959 Disney classic Sleeping Beauty. Essentially, it’s about an evil fairy who places a curse on the king’s newborn daughter Aurora after being wronged by her father, and it all comes to a fault 16 years later when the curse is set to strike. That’s the TLDR version, but we’re lucky enough to see Maleficent’s origin story at the film’s start.
Before she was the “Mistress of all Evil,” Maleficent was once a young orphan fairy who befriended and fell in love with a human named Stefan. Driven by his desire to lead the kingdom, Stefan joined forces with an evil king and set out to ruin Maleficent. He was tasked with killing her, but could ultimately only sever her wings in her sleep (watching Maleficent realize she can no longer fly really shows Jolie’s dramatic range).
Soon Stefan is King, and Maleficent vows to enact revenge on the old friend who destroyed her. He has a daughter and Maleficent places a curse on her that will begin on her 16th birthday. What follows is the story of Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning) and Maleficent and the way their relationship develops even though a curse awaits her. I won’t spoil the rest for you, but it’s most likely not what you expect.
Fanning also rules the screen in a role that seems as if it was written for her (even though it wasn’t). She’s childlike and innocent, but there is a sense of wonder that should come across as cheesy, but it doesn’t at all and that’s largely due to Fanning’s acting.
But of course, it’s Jolie’s movie. The film isn’t called Sleeping Beauty after all. And it’s obvious that Stromberg knows that. When it comes to visuals, she is a force of nature. Both her makeup and costume barely feel as though they are placed upon her, but rather that they are her. Jolie’s strong face and facial expressions give new meaning to the term “evil” and even her voice still remains in my head hours later. But one can’t discount her acting as well. There’s just something about Jolie that demands our attention, as viewers, as though we are so sucked into her story that there’s no alternative.
This may not be a film for the ages, but it really doesn’t matter. Kids will love it (even if it is a bit scary at times) and so will their parents.
Just as Snow White and the Huntsman was ultimately only a success for its visual components (let me also say that Kristen Stewart is absolutely no Jolie), Maleficent won’t quite be forgotten or remembered (don’t even get me started on Mirror Mirror). Jolie, however, owns this film in a way that continues to prove why she is a true superstar deserving of every accolade that comes her way. The film is worth it for that much.
“Maleficent” is now playing.
