BY: Caitlin Gallagher
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, like its predecessor, gives us a side to the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty that we didn’t know before. The film starts with a focus on the newly engaged couple, Aurora and Prince Phillip. With a deep desire to unify their two kingdoms—The Moors and Ulstead—soon betrayal and deceit looms like a dark cloud over their plans and rips through each of their families.
Once more, Angelina Jolie delivers a cunning performance as Maleficent. Riddled with sly and witty one-liners, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil delves deeper into her ancestry and we begin to see a more sensitive side of her. When Queen Ingrith, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, shows what evil truly is as she concocts a plan to destroy Maleficent, a fatal confrontation between the fairy land inhabitants and the humans soon ensues, and Aurora and Phillip must choose how to handle the situation.
The animation in this film is awe-inspiring and really transports you to the vibrant and magical world of Maleficent. As the characters move throughout the castle halls, it feels as if you’re there, too. With its immaculate structure, only intensified by the aerial camera shots, we see just how seemingly powerful the castle and kingdom of Ulstead is. Ripping through the air, the special effects given to Maleficents’ army of fairies is unmatched. As wild and different as they all are, each character and extra is given the same amount of detail and attention as the main characters and cast.
Although the plot is different than the traditional Sleeping Beauty , Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is well-written and well-thought-out. The casting could not have been better, and the depth and stories of each character reveal much more than anticipated. 10/10 would recommend.