While not a perfect movie, I really enjoyed the first Maleficent and was very excited for the sequel Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Angelina Jolie once again brings one of Disney’s most iconic villains to life and she is fantastic. However, does the movie as a whole live up to or pass the first one?
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The Film Review
The movie takes place five years after the events of the first one. Aurora is now the Queen of the Moors and Maleficent (her godmother) serves as the protector of the lands. Aurora is proposed to by Prince Phillip (now played by Harris Dickinson) and Maleficent knows this is a bad idea, but Aurora thinks otherwise.
There is a meeting between the two families as Maleficent meets Prince Phillips’s parents. These are King John played by Robert Lindsay and his wife, Queen Ingrith who is played by Michelle Pfeiffer. For me, Michelle Pfeiffer is just amazing in this movie and she kind of reminds me of the role that she played in Stardust. I do not want to spoil it, but she is just fantastic!
This special “get to know you” dinner with the new in-laws goes very wrong and before long there is a war! This time Maleficent has some help in the form of not just her trusty raven, but two other characters. Conall (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Borra (Ed Skrein) both of whom are great additions to the cast.
I found Maleficent: Mistress of Evil to be a really fun time. The plot is rather interesting in that Sleeping Beauty is a beloved kid’s tales, but I am not so sure this movie is for younger fans of the Disney Princesses. They may find it a little scary and dare I say even a bit boring as there is a lot of dialogue here.
One thing that is most certainly not boring is the way the movie looks. The director, Joachim Rønning does an amazing job of showcasing this fantasy world. Seriously, this is one of the best-looking movies of 2019 and the CGI really is phenomenal. There are times that it is hard to know what is done on a computer and what is a real effect in front of the camera.
As far as the character of Maleficent goes, once again Angelina Jolie is just flat out awesome. She is certainly not a hero by any means, but I think even calling her an anti-hero is maybe a step too far. For me she is certainly more on the dark side in this movie than the previous one, but at the same time you feel her actions are justified.
I had a great time with Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. I think it is just as good as the first movie, perhaps even a bit better. I do feel that to get the best out of this you have to have seen the first movie. Angelina Jolie is once again great, but many others such as Michelle Pfeiffer and Chiwetel Ejiofor really shine too. Just be aware that it is not suitable for younger kids.
