JOIN USMaleficent 3D English (U) ¬¬¬Director: Robert StrombergCast: Angelina Jolie, ElleFanning, Sharlto Copley
In 1959, Walt Disney pictures made the animated film Sleeping Beauty. It was the third of a string of Disney princess movies, which, even today, draws criticism for the subtle premise that music, magic and blind faith is a panacea for life’s problems.
Of course, such a story would require the use of an all-powerful and tyrannical villain, which in the case of Sleeping Beauty was the evil and heartless Maleficent.
Those who watched Sleeping Beauty as children would never forget the haunting image of Maleficent. Perhaps they could blame Disney for a possible fear of the dark, or the prospect of night safaris being terrifying. One would imagine that a bloodthirsty witch with gargantuan horns, a green face and glistening yellow eyes is not suitable for young viewers.
But with this movie, Disney has flouted the ol’ rule book and made its character a little more humane.
Fifty-five years later, Disney has chosen to make Maleficent, as though it wants to appeal to the adult demographic that watched the animated classic as kids. This movie is Disney’s second chance at telling the Sleeping Beauty story with a drastic character reconstruction and swapping animation for live-action.
This Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) would, perhaps, give some of us a little closure on that long-forgotten, almost-demonic image that sometimes made us sleep with the lights on as a child.
The story line is not far from that of the classic, but gives us a background on Maleficent’s origins — the magical land of the Moors — cut off from a greedy human kingdom.
For those who have watched or heard the classic fairytale, the way the plot pans out is one of the many things that would prove to be gripping, besides Maleficent’s character transformation. Director Robert Stromberg, who gave us the academy-award winning special effects in Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, has excelled with the visuals.
The graphics are impeccable and, would not, at first glance, make one question its realness. Angelina Jolie’s performance is captivating at every turn, doing justice to her character’s mirth and mirthlessness.
The biggest downside of Maleficent, however, is that it may not be to the taste of those who don’t relate to Sleeping Beauty.
If you’re an adult who needs to take their kids to the theatres, the fairies in this movie ought to be perfect for their amusement. If you’re a grown up who likes to think that there is some wonder left in your life, Sleeping Beauty or not, don’t hesitate to book tickets to Maleficent.