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“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” is a phrase we have
all heard and been intimated by…okay a phrase men are scared to physically
encounter. However, in the new
Disney movie, Maleficent, Angelina Jolie
takes this phrase and exhibit her wrath upon all those who try and betray her.
The
movie Maleficent is based upon the Disney film “Sleeping Beauty.” The original story has a sweet 16 year
old girl living with 3 fairy godmothers, hoping they can protect her from a
spell that has been cast on her.
Only “true love’s kiss” will reverse this spell. Flash-forward to the current film and
we have the exact same premise, with a great twist—the Maleficent perspective
and motive.
The film begins with a young girl, Maleficent, living in her
own fantasy world, trying out her powers and wings. She is a sweet girl and commands other creatures to follow
and obey her. For the first 15
minutes, the movie has a distinct Guillermo del Toro feel. Many of the creatures look like they came out of the film
Pan’s Labyrinth or even del Torro’s modest film Hellboy. The creatures and special effects are a
wonder to behold, as is Maleficent.
As beautiful as the world and CGI may be, living in utopia was not to
be. One day, a young boy shows up
in young Maleficent’s world, forming a friendship and bond that the film
revolves around.
The two friends, Maleficent and Stefan (Sharlto Copley) grow up, each seemingly caring for the other, until one
day, a King decides he wants more land and a bigger kingdom, which involves
Maleficent’s land and kingdom.
This puts her dear friend Stefan in a tough spot. He, along with many other powerful men,
is allowed to rule after the King if they deliver the powerful Maleficent to
the King.
Stefan lures Maleficent
out by claiming to warn her of the vicious King, but uses the guise of a
friendly date to drug and then cut off her wings. When Angelina Jolie wakes up, realizing she has been
betrayed and has lost her wings, her acting is truly horrifying. It was one of the few scenes where I
not only was moved, but would have been concerned had I any small
children. It is great acting, but
a bit much for young children.
Somehow, knowing that Jolie went through breast cancer issues in her
family made this scene and its “date rape” implications very powerful; Men, in
this case, Stefan, using a woman to get what he wants. Stefan does indeed become the
next king. While Jolie clearly
owns the movie, the great, but underrated Sharlto Copley gives another great
performance as a nefarious “bad guy.”
If you have seen Elysium, then
you know what I mean when I say he can be a brutal villain when he wants to
turn up the heat. If he isn’t careful, Copley will soon by typecast whenever a
villain is needed.
As Maleficent tries to grow without her wings, and as
Stefan begins ruling his new kingdom, a welcome celebration is brought fourth,
bringing the two “frenemies” together—the birth of Stefan’s daughter. Kingdoms are brought together, as are
the festivities. But this also
brings the wrath of Jolie, I mean, Maleficent, and it is at this party that
Maleficent renders her now famous curse that “nothing can undo….except love’s
true kiss.”
From this point, which is around the 30 minute mark, we
know where the movie will go:
there will be a cute girl that fails to avoid a curse, but is still
saved. There will be battles and
there will be a happy ending because Disney made the film. However, what makes this film a solid
and special one is how these events are molded and seen through new light. Jolie does a fantastic job in this
role, as both villain, but then sympathetic character, one that many will
relate to when it comes to a life of regret. Many of us go through life, knowing that one mistake can
come to define us. We pray for a
chance to make things right or to “go back and start over.” Jolie, as she gets to know the young
Aurora, has these same feelings in regards to her curse upon “the little one”
and her life. You can see the
changes she wants to make and why she tries to seek forgiveness, which is a
great motive and thing for all ages to see.
The
movie, while PG, has a few violent spots should parents be considering taking
the little ones to the theatre. However,
a positive message ends the film, and the 3 fairy godmothers are quite humerous
in their various roles as “protectors.” After seeing Jolie do a great job, I wondered
why she doesn’t do more films. She
is a household name and has her own marketing circus due to “Brangalina.” But there is another famous phrase she
probably lives by when it comes to films: “Quality, not quantity.”
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