Maleficent, 2014.
Directed by Robert Stromberg.
Starring Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.
SYNOPSIS:
A vindictive fairy is driven to curse an infant princess only to realize the child may be the only one who can restore peace.
Very recently I watched Sleeping Beauty for the first time. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. The main thing I took away from it was that the villain, Maleficent, was one evil bitch. Vindictive and cruel with a large dose of the theatrical. She made Scar etc look like a bunch of softies. A lot of this came down to her seeming lack of motivation. Viciously cursing a baby due to feeling slightly put out is right up there on the evil meter.
So I completely agreed with my wife’s belief that she is the most evil of the Disney villains, and joined her in looking forward to the new film. Enthused by Angelina Jolie’s amazing likeness, there was only one thing we agreed could ruin it.
Making Maleficent sympathetic.
The worst things you can do to an evil character are show too much and explain too much. Jolie is perfectly cast, and the moments where she flashes her smile and casts a malevolent eye over the audience are the high points of the film. This makes it all the more disappointing that she is the central piece of such an underwhelming, clichéd, obvious and down right boring film.
I couldn’t even tell you what accent Sharlto Copley is attempting as King Steffan, whilst the nondescript boy who shows up as Prince Phillip is a waste of time. Add in a trio of fairies who are more inept than well meaning and….well it’s just rubbish really.
There are some impressive visuals, yet even this is cheapened by the over-abundance of CGI.
Maleficent could have been a true show case for Angelina Jolie’s talent and a stunning film. Instead it’s a tedious Wicked knock off that doesn’t deserve the attention it will no doubt gain.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ / Movie ★ ★
Chris Cooper is a Flickering Myth Staff Writer, and owner of the blog Super Duper Stuff. Follow him on Twitter @SDCCooper or visit the blog’s Facebook page.
Originally published May 31, 2014. Updated November 7, 2019.
