Maleficent

Ratings: 6.5/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Fairy Tale Fantasy

Maleficent wasn't magnificent. But I have tons to say about it. This movie probably met with an identity crisis - the trailers portrayed a darker side of the classic Sleeping Beauty story we are all so familiar with (actually I'm not) but turned out to be "brighter" than expected. It tells the story from the perspective of the wicked witch... well, at least that was what I thought she was all along... turned out not all the wicked spell casters are witches, for Maleficent was a powerful fairy turned evil due to the betrayal of her first love. Evil isn't even the appropriate term to use here, let's just say she "lost her way". As to whether she eventually found "her way back", think I just gave it away.. *opps* (no spoiler alert here cos Maleficent's the main lead for a reason duh?).

The acting was pretty bad, generally, possibly because the cast had to act in front of a green screen most of the time. Almost every scene was so CG-ed, and the CG wasn't great, making it too unbelievable. The fantasy world that Maleficent lived in was actually pretty cool, with all the interesting mystical creatures, but was made unbelievable because Angelina Jolie's and Elle Fanning's acting gave it away (there was something unnatural about the way they acted). 

I didn't quite get the theme of the movie. It wasn't too "dark", it wasn't too "bright", it was neither here nor there. In the presence of a greater evil, I guess it makes the villains look good. The director crushed the Sleeping Beauty's story by portraying how scheming her Dad (King) was. I mean if it was meant to be a dark version of the Fairy Tale, he should have gone all the way. I was rooting for Maleficent from start till end, I mean what the prick right, since when did the spectrum of good and evil in the fairy tale universe reverse itself? Imagine the Beast psychologically terrorizing Belle to be with him, or the seven dwarfs plotting to cannibalise Snow White, or the Fairy Godmother cursing Cinderella with a disease that would consume her in her later years... should I continue? 

It's warped, it totally ruined what fairy tales are meant to be, and should be meant to be for the rest of eternity. And the "twist" at the end, was similar to Frozen, true love's kiss, I knew it was too easy. But yet, an applaudable point was that it wasn't too draggy. The true love kiss's part was straight to the point... though the lead up was choppy. 

It was a decent Disney film, but it won't be a "legendary" one for sure. A couple of giggles, and a scene with a touching quote from Angelina Jolie won't make me wanna lay eyes on this a second time though. But strangely enough, I... kinda recommend this film... Perhaps Maleficent has cast a spell on me...