Starring a perfectly casted Angelina Jolie in the lead role, 'Maleficent' finally provides a back story to one of my favourite Disney villain's of all time...(the other being Ursula, as both effortlessly rock off-colour skin and Animalistic features, serving more grandiose fabulosity than any Queen known to Ru Paul!)
Updated with a few twists in regards to Disney's version of 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Maleficent' humanises the mysterious sorceress, as we learn that originally she was in fact a kind hearted fairy of sorts, who gained her dark personality courtesy of King Stefan (the real villain this century around) who despite claiming he loves Maleficent, spikes her drink and clips off her fabulous wings (hence the fierce cape and crow sidekick), in order to be crowned ruler of the Human Kingdom.
It is because of his betrayal, Maleficent casts her infamous spell on Princess Aurora (played by a rather dull Elle Fanning) but unlike the cartoon version, it doesn't take 16 years for Maleficent to find the Princess but rather, as soon as she's taken into the forest by the kind-hearted but extremely dim-witted Fairies. Due to their inability to raise the child, a fresh twist in the plot sees Maleficent become the key maternal figure, watching over Aurora as the years pass, and when the time arrives for Aurora to return to the castle, attempts to break the spell first with her own magic and then later, by encouraging Prince Phillip to kiss the sleeping Princess. Though he admits his love, his kiss doesn't work and with all hell breaking loose in the castle as an enraged King Stefan seeks out Maleficent in order to kill her, another twist sees the sorceress's kiss to the forehead, wake the Princess up, signalling that the strong bond developed between the two characters represents an alternative kind of true love.
With the ensuing battle between Maleficent and King Stefen bringing forth the climax of the movie (though I'm disappointed she didn't turn into the dragon), the re-imagined Aurora is thankfully blessed with brains and makes herself useful as opposed to being a helpless damsel in distress. Realising that her father is the root of the chaos, she sets Maleficent's wings free from the glass case in which her father had kept them locked up, immediately helping Maleficent to regain her lost power and defeat Stefan once and for all.
Prior to the recent revelation by Jolie that the 'wing clipping' scene is a metaphor for rape, I must admit that while watching 'Maleficent', I did feel as if there were definitely a few messages to take away (even though that one missed me but does make sense!). Those being; when traumatic things happen to people it can change who they eventually become, innocent people should not be punished for the actions of those who should know/do better, true love comes in many forms knowing no boundaries and female solidarity can be one of the most powerful forces that mankind has ever encountered.
Regardless of what some so-called professional critics think, IMO 'Maleficent' is definitely a good movie that provides entertainment and real life lessons all at once.
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