I took the family out for a movie night to see the new movie Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. I thought, “here is another movie where Disney is just trying to cash in on the first movie’s success.” I figured it was going to go the way of most sequels and we would regret the price for admission. But, at our local NCG Cinema, at least the popcorn (though pricey) is always good.
My son picked a good spot and we settled in to watch the opening scene in the woods. On a side note, throughout the whole movie they keep referring to the area as the “Moors.” “Moors” by definition are a grassy savanna-type area with low-growing vegetation, and they kept showing wooded areas with a good amount of water. But I digress on this small annoyance for me.
Without giving too much away, Aurora has grown into a young woman and is in love with Prince Phillip, who returns her love. He asks her to marry him and she says yes. Now, Maleficent being who she is, wants none of this as she hates all humans, with the exception of her adopted daughter Aurora. Enter the King and Queen of Ulstead who invite Aurora and Maleficent to dinner to celebrate the upcoming nuptials. This is where we get to see who the true villain is (insert dramatic music here). From here we end up with the Moors Fae and the kingdom of Ulstead in conflict and ready for war.
On the whole, I was riveted by the special effects and creativity that went into the movie. I loved the colorful imaginative Fae Folk that Walt Disney Pictures and Roth Films included. Every time you think you’ve seen them all, they seem to squeeze another one in. I was surprised by the storyline which actually existed and made sense. Remember, I was thinking this was just going to be another Disney money grab capitalizing on the fame and name of the first movie and its celebrities. I found myself very interested in the folklore of the Fae and how they were created, even though some of it was a bit of a reach. I also found a few parts of the movie a little too predictable, but I didn’t find myself thinking, “is it over yet?”
I would also like to add that I enjoyed Angelina Jolie‘s portrayal of Maleficent. Her facial expressions throughout the movie were priceless, such as when she attempted a friendly smile and it would seem more look like she was ready to tear into you. It was chilling and comical at the same time. Michelle Pfeiffer as Queen Ingrith was a great fit as well. Once again, Michelle is 100% on her game in this role. But I’m not going to give too much away here either. For me, these two actresses are what really make the movie enjoyable.
On a scale of 5 stars, I give Maleficent: Mistress of Evil 4 Stars.
