Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil
Ratings: 3.5/5
Duration: 1 hrs 59 mins
Director: Joachim Ronning
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Release Date: 18.10.2019 (India)
Star Cast: Elle Fanning, Angelina Jolie, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ed Skrein, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aishwarya Rai, Juno Temple
Plot: Princess Aurora's decision to walk down the aisle with handsome young prince Philip turns out to be a bad one. She unknowingly puts her fairy godmother Maleficent and the kingdom in harm’s way. Will Maleficent be able to moors and herself from the evils?
Movie Review: Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is an extension of the 2014 original movie. It will remind you of all the fairytale movies that you have seen in childhood and even see now. Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning) is reigning over the moors. All thanks to Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) for bestowing her special powers to the Princess.
But destiny has something else written for her. Aurora’s love and affection for Prince Philip (Henry Dickinson) leads to a set of events. It results in a fatal face-to-face meeting between humans and the fairy folk occupants of the moors. The kingdoms and the inhabitants live are in danger. Like many others, the narrative remains simple with the theme of ‘Good Versus Evil’. But director Joachim Running very cleverly exploits and explores the story with awe-inspiring performances and world-class animation.
From deep moor forests to its interesting creatures and from the breathtaking castles to uncanny props, everything feels real. The world of Maleficent is elaborate enough to keep you captivated and entertained throughout the movie’s screen time.
Talking about the film's leading lady Angelina Jolie, she looks exactly how she did in the original movie released back in 2014. Jolie’s limber figure, porcelain skin, sharp cheekbones, fiery eyes, and extravagant costumes add up to her imposing screen presence. Boasting black horns and wide wings, Jolie looks breathtaking devil, but with a golden heart. Her flawless expressions and controlled performance make her character believable. Wish Angelina had more screen space than the other star cast. Among others, it was only Michelle Pfeiffer’s performance as the strong-headed Queen Ingrith that managed to gain applauds. Pfeiffer did justice to her character by being authoritative. Elle Fanning’s helpless character and average performance make her a weak link.
Overall, the movie doesn’t feel long and stretched, but keeps you invested with a simple yet engaging narrative. It culminates in an eye-catching and action-packed climax. If you’ve missed the original, don’t worry the sequel is enjoyable on its own. With widespread destruction, this fairytale costume drama is not a child’s play. It is decent live-action magic that one can enjoy on the big screen.
