Publications
Partners
MOVIE REVIEW
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Director: Joachim Rønning
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer
. . . - -
There’s an unwritten rule that sequels cannot be better than the original but, as someone who thoroughly enjoyed watching the first movie in 2014 of the dark fantasy film Maleficent, this one isn’t as bad as many claim it is.
In the original film, we see Disney re-visualising a central tenet of many of its films that a true love’s kiss is that of a mother figure instead of a lover, we also see the soft layers to the scorned villain that is Maleficent (played by Angelina Jolie) when the true villain is revealed to be Aurora’s father Stefan, played by Sharlto Copley. The film ends with Aurora (Elle Fanning) being crowned queen of the two kingdoms – humans and the moors – to forge a unity with her lover Prince Philip (Brenton Thwaites).
Five years after the box-office hit, the proposal to Aurora by Prince Philip (now played by Harris Dickinson) sees Maleficent still fighting off bad publicity while Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer), the real villain basks under pretty privilege. Their union is set to unite the two kingdoms but instead we see Queen Ingrith, Philip’s evil mother’s true character unravel and through the power of propaganda she is able to incite a war between the human kingdom and the moors. All the while Maleficent bonds with her ancestors by going on a self-care journey in the form of a tour of the fey realm guided by Conall (Chiwetel Ejiofor).
Many critics claim the sequel is unnecessary but honestly I would attend theatre time immemorial just to see Angelina Jolie’s enlarged cheekbone structure although, this time around she doesn’t get as much airplay. I also enjoyed the humour amid the brawls and evil plotting. Pfeiffer was quite enthralling and a good casting choice on Disney’s part. The film does have a certain disconnection between Maleficent’s self-awareness and the war brewing at the Castle but, as with all Disney fairy tales, things always come together for the highest good of all, except forthe real villains, in what we call happily ever after.
