Maleficent review

 
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     This is one of those instances when you watch a movie and see it's flaws and consider it not a very good movie... but you still liked it. It's sort of how I felt about Divergent thought it wasn't a very good movie but still enjoyed it. I don't think I'll ever be watching Maleficent or Divergent again but still had fun so no money wasted.


   Maleficent is "supposed" to be Sleeping Beauty but from Maleficent's point of view-notice how I put air quotes around "supposed", you see the thing is that in the first thirty minutes or so they do set up a story where it would fit in perfectly to sleeping beauty. It's after the famous 'curse' scene happens does the movie decide to rewrite the story. Basically Maleficent not wanting the girl to die before the curse looks over her and overtime builds a strong mother-daughter-sister sort of relationship, she even tries to reverse the curse but it doesn't work. Even when she finds Aurora's Prince and he kisses her it doesn't work, she ends up breaking the curse herself (on the forehead and platonically you perverts), and she ends up crowning Aurora queen by the end.


   First let me start out with the positives. The visual's are gorgeous and the world is very stunning, the film was directed by a guy who once mainly did special affects and he does his best to make everything look fantastic. Angelina Jolie does a great job, she plays a good maleficent and was badass, expect her costume to turn into a big Halloween staple. The movie is also very funny but not overplayed like say Thor: the dark world was, the balance was kept perfectly. The action was very well-done as well.


  Now for the negative, like I said the film was directed  by a Special effects artist and from what I can tell this is the first movie he's ever done. This is problematic as it is evident the director Robert Stromberg has a better grip on visuals and action than he does on story and characters. Those are the main problems: the story & characters.


  Some reviewer says that while the film is sort of sexist towards the males of the films- this is true.  King Stephan is a bastard and there is nothing really to feel sorry about him, I think at  we were suppose to feel sorry he lost his daughter and the fact he went insane but with some of the things he does (We'll get to that later) you want him to suffer. Prince Phillip while cute really has nothing too him and I think he is in this for only eight minutes. The only really interesting male character was Tom Hiddleston- I MEAN the crow that changes from one animal to another as well as can change into a human. He is very funny and makes a good sidekick- albeit like Prince Phillip there really isn't that much too him. Although he does interact with Aurora way more and for a while I thought she was going to end up with him... furies anyone?


   Aurora is really nothing more than a pretty face and has no real personality to herself other than to be happy, cheerful and kind.


  The story is also basically wicked but where as wicked (both the book & the play) were filled with shades of grey, Maleficent is completely justified and completely right in the situation. The film also has a weird subplot about the humans and the forest that is really unimportant, unnecessary, forgotten about and just plain boring. Thank god Jolie, Fanning and Riley make a good team or the film would be very boring. The story is overall lackluster and weak. The last ten minutes of the film is annoying because it basically gets hijacked by Zack Snyder and turns into a slow-motion fest.


   Now something I want to bring up is Frozen, now unlike the majority I am not a fan of Frozen. There are a lot of reasons why I don't like but one of them is the fact that Elsa is a very underdeveloped bad guy, yes she does have the iconic song but beyond that her character remains very ambiguous. In this film they do it much better where Maleficent while she is more of anti-hero has a clear personality and character to her. This is more of a positive though, I still need to get to one more negative and something that will probably be a little controversial.




    If you haven't heard by now, the thing most critics are talking about is Maleficent's main motivation. What happens is a dying King says that however kills Maleficent will be his successor. Maleficent's old flame, Aurora's father Stephan, goes to find his old friend/lover. He spends time with her, charms, her drugs her and basically mutilates her by cutting off her wings... now you see why this is so controversial.


  Disney basically made a fairy tale version of a rape/revenger film. Jesus Christ Disney, guess people can't make fun of you guys for being so conservative anymore if your willing to go that far. The scene is pretty disturbing so if you think about bringing a child with you, you might want to think twice. You'll see a lot of parallels between this movie and other rape/ revenge movies such as kill bill (or as some people will say I spit on your grave but I have never seen that film and don't plan too.) It's not even rape undertones, they basically beat you over the head with it.

  Now of course Frozen has homosexual and self-acceptance undertones but the difference between this movie and Frozen is at least homosexuality is as touch of a subject anymore and isn't a bad thing. While they weren't promoting the act ,rape is not a easy or decent manner to touch upon. Plus this is a kids movie, and while Homosexuality is a good conversation the parents can have with their kids, I don't think any parent wants to discuss rape with their kid. While the kids in my theater didn't notice for the most part, the adults in my theater (including my mom and grandma) did, and from the looks on there faces they were probably considering leaving with their kids before something else happened.


  Now of course Disney probably didn't intend for this to happen but I am surprised no one realized this and didn't try to reshoot the scene so it came off less... rape related.




   I am giving Maleficent a 6.5/10- despite all the flaws I did still enjoy it but... man Disney I can understand why you guys don't do dark, you can go way too far.