| NO MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS BTW!!!!! |
If you were to tell me that Disney could give wings to aroute story centered around a historically crucial villainess and ultimately magic her into a fable-like, partially tragic heroine, I'd call bullshit quicker than Tinkerbell getting aroused at the sight of Peter Pan. Well, when you have a lead with such a high aptitude for acting, almost anything is possible...if you suspend disbelief a little and believe in magic.
Angelina Jolie, making her return to the silver screen after a four year hiatus (not counting voice acting), elevates the standard for not only a villainess, but a heroine in an live-action fairy-tale movie. Disney turned this villainess into a motherly character troubled with the strife of her past and the consequences of emotionally rash decisions made in her younger, vindictive form. Maleficent is a healthy blend of a tragic heroine mixed with dark lady mixed with a Byronic heroine.
There were crucial moments where the character could have either chosen the hard route or taken a lifeline. Early on in the movie, Maleficent frets to make the tough decision in order to preserve the innocence of Aurora, which is something that parents may experience with their children at the dawn of major life stages, like in the movie.
With a cynical outlook on life and love, Maleficent is softened by the purity of Aurora; the character development of Maleficent is harped on in this movie, as opposed to the character development hinted at in most Disney fairy-tale movies (although Beauty & the Beast did a good job with this).
Maleficent, the movie, does a great job keeping the viewer involved and emotionally invested, making you understand both sides; the movie undoubtedly casts shade on the human condition of greed and lust for power, also showing the stark contrast and antithesis of obsession and irrational paranoia of protection.
King Stefan, the true villain played by Sharlto Copley, like all fairy-tale and narrative villains caused his own demise, although he was not caught monologue-ing; Copley transforms the archetypal king into a tragic anti-hero.
King Stefan represents any underdog with a desire to be respected, putting him into a similar category as Tony Montana; he does what he must to ascend through the ranks. Yet, like Al Pacino in another Brian De Palma movie, he doesn't vanquish his threat like he's supposed to...major tragic flaw.
[Sidebar, Maleficent's winged flight in this movie (probably expensive) showed Fox and Warner Brothers what they could do with Archangel and Hawkgirl/man, respectively.]
Aurora, played by Elle Fanning, represents the ingenue in the movie and serves as a balance between the two troubled characters: one led by fear and guilt to protect her, and the other, jaded, led by resentment and jealousy to hurt anyone who cares about her (boomeranging to hurt the three characters in the process).
Aurora also represents hope, as King Stefan has hope that concealing her and sheltering her from the world and its ills will prevent her from experiencing despair; this is an action that I've observed fathers partake in with their daughters; this unfortunately can do more harm than good, and is a selfish act, led by personal, not altruistic reasons; this quest for hope leads the king into a Dark, Forbidden forest, pun intended.
Aurora represents hope for Maleficent in a more positive way; Aurora personifies the good nature of humans and leads Maleficent down a righteous path in an effort to right her wrongs, sacrificing her well-being and knowingly walking up Mount Calvary.
Stretching for similarities, one could say that Aurora bearing the curse of Maleficent represents a sacrificial lamb bearing the flaws of humanity (and in the movie, her father's and Maleficent's); humans must act in good faith to avoid them; Aurora, representing the positive side of human nature, must experience true love's kiss to arise from her death. I am no theologian, so I digress.
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| Right to left: Aurora, Maleficent, Stefan |
Overall, the three main characters (Jolie, Copley, Fanning) with the comedic help of three fairies (Knotgrass, Thistlewit, and Flittle; played by Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville, respectively) and the ravenous crow Diaval (played by Sam Riley) acted extremely well (especially Jolie, who puts on a clinic), transcending this seemingly, and skeptically directionless live-action re-imagining of 1959's animated Sleeping Beauty; oh yeah, the Ent creature Groot makes an appearance, lol.
Technically, the movie was well paced with a substantial amount of material and depth crammed into its 97 minute start to finish run time. The plot was stretched thin, which is expected of Disney, but with the complexity and character development of Maleficent, the thin plot was welcomed as it would have been tedious with more plot points. The beat changes were enough to carry the movie, as well as the unconventional route to "happily ever-after".
I would classify this as an alternative fairy-tale because the script was flipped sideways, serving as a pioneer (in this decade for Hollywood) for more live-action fairy-tale stories (see Cinderelly). The last time I remember this occurring was back in '91 with Hook, yet the captain ended up with the same villainous handicaps as the original animated adaption; no, Enchanted does not count. This universe, created by the writing, gives Disney options for spin-offs.
Visually, the movie was a sight for sore eyes, as the action sequences and the magic were carried out without being completely soaked in CGI juice. Robert Stromberg did a good job directing the movie, as the story was carried out in an effectively efficient manner.
From a cinematic standpoint, it accomplished its objectives by shedding light on and inducing compassion for an established villainess, morphing her into a heroic figure; therefore, I would give it an A, as it was also a magnificent, and refreshing cinematic experience (can't go wrong with a Lana Del Rey closing credit song).
Hitting me in soft spots with light drama, entertaining me comic relief, awing me with stunning acting, intriguing me with surprisingly interesting characters, and leaving me with no choice but to feel good, while dazzling me with visuals and a "hell-yeah" moment or two, and impressing me with a nice battle sequence, magic, and fire (yes, I said fire), Disney does a great job making this a summer blockbuster **crosses fingers for Star Wars** that deserves to be seen opening weekend.
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