MALEFICENT…3.2***

 

                        Maleficent" is about a good fairy turning into an evil vindictive villain who  condemns Princess Aurora at her christening  to a grim irrevocable curse to occur on her 16th birthday in the Disney classic animated film "Sleeping Beauty." The curse: that she go to sleep never to awake again except by a kiss of true love. This re-imagined fairy tale goes beyond the beloved story we know. In this case, it tells us the reason behind Maleficent's revengeful hate that causes her to issue such a miserable curse.

 

There is still so much to see and be enthralled about as the story unfolds from Maleficent's wonderful and fun childhood until the horrible thing that happens to her that explains that fateful day of her curse at Aurora's Christening. You will  understand what made Maleficent deliver such a horrible curse. But for me there was more  magic in what unfolds after that day when baby Aurora was taken to live in the woods near the Moors (Maleficent’s fairyland kingdom) with the three small fairies. The film manages to convey a sense of wonder and even awe and the  scenes of Aurora growing up from a baby to a young teen are a pure delight under Maleficent’s watchful eye.

 

Angelina  was born for this role. Those exaggerated cheekbones actually suit her quite well and the horns are in keeping with her image in “Sleeping Beauty”. She captures the many layers of Maleficent's emotion and character in big theatrical gestures, but even more so in those small subtle facial and vocal inflections. I cannot imagine another actress other than Jolie in this role. And be sure to focus on the beautiful scene between  Jolie and her real daughter Vivienne (as toddler Aurora) which is divine beyond description. Elle Fanning is pitch perfect as Aurora, with her disarming smile radiating her character's good nature and blithe spirit. Sam Riley also stood out as the human form of Maleficent's trusted crow, Diaval.  Sharlto Copley looked woefully miscast as King Stefan since he did not particularly look or act kingly. Brenton Thwaites, the awkward young actor who plays Prince Philip, did not particularly look or act princely either. Nor for me did the three small fairies work .. their bodies looked mis-shapened.

 

The land of enchantment in the mysterious Moors, with its fairies and other fanciful creatures is  as a delightful and happy dream world  thanks to the magic of  computer animation artists. The special visual effects were also topnotch especially those  which transformed Diaval into his various animal forms (including fire- breathing dragon)

 

Maleficent is about what happens when your Prince turns into a Frog. It's a personal, inner journey to recover from a physical trauma and emotional betrayal by those who are closest to you and whom you trust the most. It's about how to survive that type of horrific evil without becoming evil yourself. It also refocuses on what “true love” is which is not always the fairy tale version.

 

Rated “G”, it is a movie for kids and adults.. even better for families !!

Clark