With one masterful stroke, Disney started creating films that were the antithesis of their landmark films. They realized that fairy tales just don’t cut it anymore for today’s generation, and they started to reimagine and retell classic stories, by adding modern issues such as women empowerment and the environment, while still maintaining that feel good Disney vibe complete with fantastic songs that we all missed. Giselle in Enchanted was the start and biggest symbolism of this change. The Disney princess was about to join the real world. This trend was further established with the release of Tangled, and etched in stone with the landmark hit Frozen. Now, Disney has decided that it wasn’t enough to simply reimagine the heroine, but they now decide that the villains need to be rehashed as well. If damsel in distress princesses weren’t a good fit for this day and age, then evil witches, stepmothers and incarnations of evil weren’t as well. So Disney comes out with their first film reimagining the villain, starting perhaps with the most iconic one of them all- Maleficent.
The title of the film is pretty self-explanatory, so let’s go straight to my thoughts on the film. First of all, given the subject of the film, and the fact that it was a live action film instead of an animated one, I came into the film with a certain expectation that this film would be a bit more “adult” than the usual Disney fare. So I was caught a bit off-guard when it showed that this film was rated G. This may be something bad or something good, it really depends on the viewer, but this film was straight-up vintage Disney. Those who see it as a good thing may see it as very light-hearted, and very family oriented, while those who may have expected something more serious may be disappointed by the shallowness and kid-friendly nature of the film. To each their own, I guess, but I believe that we can all agree on the fantastic performance given by Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning.
Jolie just further cemented her place as one of Hollywood’s most versatile leading ladies. Much like her husband, she seems to be a fantastic fit for any role that’s given to her. She’s no longer limited to the stereotypical action hero star, but she shows that even in a fairy-tale like movie, she can be fantastic. Elle Fanning on the other hand, may have had her breakout role here. I wouldn’t be surprised if in the next few years, we see her in bigger films and more serious roles. Not everyone gave standout performances though. Sharlto Copley, as King Stefan was just a pain to watch. He mumbled his words, had no personality in his acting, and was simply bland and pathetic in his role. The only thing that got me through his scenes was the fact that he kinda resembled WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan (YES! YES! YES!).
The other big star of this film was the fantastic CGI. It was a beautifully made film that will surely leave the audience amazed, whether they’re 7 or 70 years old. Special mention should also go to Vivienne Joile-Pitt for just being UNBELIEVABLY cute and adorable.
Overall, Maleficent is a very enjoyable movie to watch. It has superb acting, very serious and timely themes, and just the right touch of humor. It may suffer from a very simple script and dialogue, especially for those who were expecting something a bit more brooding and dark, but that doesn’t take away from all the other aspects. And while it may not generate the same impact as Frozen or Tangled, it is clear where Disney is heading in the long run. I salute Disney for having the courage to retell these classical stories. It fits perfectly in today’s day and age where people are no longer as infatuated with fairy tales but still long for the magic of film as a means of escape from the real world, at least for a little while.
7/10
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