Maleficent
Director:
Robert Stromberg
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Retail: $36.99
ASIN: B00M4ADWTK
Running Time: 97 minutes
Rating: PG
Buy Link: Amazon
Review:
Over the last few years studios have taken an interest in
Grimm's
Fairy Tales once again with the release of two different
Snow White Films, a rated-R
Hansel and Gretel adventure and ABC's
Once Upon a Time that has put a
modern day spin on about every fairy tale that has ever
existed. Arriving on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD is the live-action
re-imagining of Disney's 1959 animated film
Sleeping Beauty,
titled
Maleficent. Directed by Robert Stromberg, the film grossed
over $700 million over the summer despite receiving a mixed-reaction
from critics. The Blu-ray special features are deleted scenes,
Aurora: Becoming a Beauty, From Fairy Tale to Feature Film, Building
an Epic Battle, Classic Couture and Maleficent Revealed.
Angelina Jolie stars in the title role of
Maleficent, a magical
orphan faerie living in the magical realm called the Moors, which is located
just outside of the kingdom. During her childhood, she befriended a
human orphan, Stefan, but as they got older, he quit visiting her.
Unknown to her, he is actually one of the King's soldiers. The King
attempts to invade the Moors, but
Maleficent uses her magic to defend
it. Her actions causes a ripple effect that leads Stefan (played by
Sharlto Copley) to betray her, so he will one day inherit the Kingdom.
Years pass by and Stefan marries the King's daughter Leila
(played by Hannah New), who has inherited the crown, therefore Stefan
is the Kingdom's new King. To celebrate the birth of their daughter
Princess Aurora, the King has invited everyone from the land for her
christening.
Maleficent makes an unexpected visit and curses the
princess, whom will grow up to be beautiful, but when she turns
sixteen-years-old, she will prick her finger on a spindle of a
spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep. Only a "true love's
kiss" can break the curse.
The King appoints three pixies, Knotgrass (played by Imelda
Staunton), Thistlewit (played by Juno Temple) and Flittle
(played by Lesley Manville) to raise his daughter somewhere away from
the kingdom until she becomes of age and the curse is broken.
Maleficent has eyes everywhere, so she easily earns of
where the pixies have taken the princess. Despite trying to hate the
princess, she ends up saving her over and over again during the
princess's childhood as the pixies guardians aren't exactly good at
their jobs.
Time goes by and Princess Aurora (played by Elle Fanning) is
getting closer to turning sixteen and
Maleficent must make a decision
to keep the curse on her or find another way to keep peace between
the kingdom and the Moors.
I wasn't too impressed when I saw the original trailer and
advertisements for the film earlier this year as it looked like
another overuse of CGI, like in
Alice in Wonderland and
Oz the Great
and Powerful. After watching the original 1959
Sleeping Beauty for
the first time this year, I became interested in reviewing the
Maleficent. I got to say that casting Angelina Jolie in the title
role was pure genius as she looks exactly like the animated
character, plus she gives a great performance in the movie.
The CGI effects for the most part are used really well and after a
while I forgot the pixies were even computerized. Sharlto Copley and Elle
Fanning both do a decent job in their roles, though I do wish Elle
Fanning had more to do in the film. Unlike the 1959 animated classic,
Maleficent is the main character while Princess Aurora is just a
minor-character that helps
Maleficent change her evil ways. Overall,
Maleficent is a little darker than I thought it would be, which is a
good thing as the original fairy tales were written dark to begin
with. Though the film isn't exactly perfect, I still thought it was
entertaining.
*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
-59.jpg)
