Maleficent (2014)

Maleficent (2014)

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4.2
 
3.8 (1)
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Imon Reza
Updated September 13, 2024
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent (2014)

Movie Info

Year Released
Directed by
MPAA Rating
PG
Runtime
97 Mins.
Release date
May 30, 2014 (United States)
Budget (In USD)
$180,000,000
Revenue (In USD)
$759,853,685

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Movie Overview | Maleficent (2014)

Movie Title: Maleficent (2014)
Tagline:
Don't Believe The Fairy Tale.

Storyline

Synopsis
A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. She rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal – an act that begins to turn her heart into stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading King’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom – and to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.

Plot
A strong fairy, Maleficent lives in the Moors, a mystical forest realm bordering a human kingdom. She falls in love with Stefan, a human peasant lad, as a child. As they age, Stefan's love is eclipsed by his desire to be king, while Maleficent protects the Moors.  King Henry retreats when Maleficent mortally wounds him while trying to conquer the Moors. Henry says on his deathbed that whomever kills Maleficent will rule and marry Leila. Stefan drugges Maleficent but cannot kill her, so he cuts off her wings as "evidence" of her death. 

Maleficent turns Diaval, a caged raven, into a human to save him from a farmer while digesting the treachery. Diaval promises to help and announces Stefan's coronation. Maleficent and the Moors she defends turn dark and bitter once her wings were gone.  Later, Diaval tells Maleficent about Stefan's daughter Aurora's christening. Maleficent enters unexpectedly and curses Aurora: before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday, she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel spindle and fall asleep. 

Maleficent mocks Stefan's appeal for forgiveness but suggests that true love's kiss can break Aurora's curse, which she and Stefan believe does not exist. Stefan orders Knotgrass, Flittle, and Thistlewit to hide and safeguard Aurora in a forest cottage until her sixteenth birthday. He destroys every spinning wheel in the kingdom and hides their remnants in the castle dungeon before sending his army to kill Maleficent, who surrounds the Moors with thorns. Stefan obsesses about slaying Maleficent and goes insane, refusing to visit his wife on her deathbed.  

Maleficent and Diaval watch Aurora grow and discreetly take over her care from the unskilled pixies. Aurora becomes close to Maleficent, whom she calls her "fairy godmother," after repeated encounters and begins visiting the Moors. Maleficent quietly and unsuccessfully seeks to break the curse to avoid hurting Aurora, forgetting she said "no power on earth" can. Aurora encounters Philip, a neighboring kingdom prince, later and is moderately attracted to him.  Aurora gets Maleficent's permission to dwell in the Moors the day before her sixteenth birthday. When she tells the pixies, they reveal Aurora's curse and genealogy.

Aurora rides to her father's castle, heartbroken. Stefan, still planning Maleficent's murder, locks her in a chamber. Aurora is drawn to the dungeon by the curse and falls asleep after pricking her finger on a restored spinning wheel spindle. Maleficent and Diaval kidnap Philip and infiltrate Stefan's castle to save her. The pixies nudge Philip to kiss Aurora, but it does not wake her. Maleficent tearsfully apologizes to Aurora and kisses her forehead when they leave. Maleficent loves Aurora like a mother, waking her unexpectedly.  Stefan and his guards attack Maleficent, Aurora, and Diaval as they escape. 

Maleficent turns Diaval into a dragon to help her, but both are subdued. Aurora unleashes Maleficent's trapped wings, which rejoin and help her fight back. Maleficent brings Stefan to the top of a tower, where she refuses to murder him and leaves, but Stefan assaults her from behind and pulls them both off. She saves herself with her wings, but he falls to his death. After Stefan leaves, Maleficent restores the Moors and crowns Aurora queen, uniting the kingdoms. Aurora also dates Philip.

Other Info

Characters
  • Milt Banta (based on Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”)
  • Winston Hibler (based on Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”)
  • Bill Peet (based on Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”)
  • Erdman Penner (based on Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”)
  • Joe Rinaldi (based on Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”)
  • Ted Sears (based on Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”)
  • Ralph Wright (based on Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”)
Writer: Charles Perrault (based on "La Belle au bois dormant")
Screenplay: Linda Woolverton
Producer: Joe Roth

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Editor review

1 review
A Wickedly Enchanting Reimagining of a Classic Fairy Tale
(Updated: January 04, 2025)
Overall rating
 
4.2
Entertainment Factor
 
4.0
Story
 
4.0
Actors Performance
 
5.0
Cinematography
 
4.0
Sound Track
 
4.0
Maleficent (2014) is a captivating reimagining of the classic Sleeping Beauty fairy tale, told from the perspective of the iconic villainess. Directed by Robert Stromberg, the film is a visual masterpiece that transports audiences into a richly imagined fantasy world, brought to life through stunning production design and breathtaking special effects.

At the heart of the story is Angelina Jolie's mesmerizing performance as the title character. Jolie fully embodies Maleficent, imbuing the once one-dimensional "Mistress of All Evil" with depth, complexity, and a tragic backstory that elicits genuine empathy from the viewer. Her transformation from a benevolent fairy to a vengeful antihero is both unsettling and captivating to witness.

The film's narrative ingeniously reframes the classic tale, flipping the script on the traditional "good vs. evil" dynamic. By exploring Maleficent's motivations and the events that lead to her curse upon the infant Aurora, the audience is compelled to re-examine their preconceived notions about heroism and villainy. This nuanced approach allows for a more compelling and emotionally resonant interpretation of the familiar story.

Visually, Maleficent is a true feast for the senses. The magical realm of the Moors, which serves as Maleficent's domain, is a stunning, otherworldly landscape teeming with fantastical creatures and breathtaking imagery. The film's color palette, ranging from lush greens and golds to ominous shades of black and purple, effectively captures the shifting tones of the narrative.

While the film's pacing may lag at times, the overall experience is one of enchantment and wonder. Maleficent stands as a bold and imaginative reimagining of a classic fairy tale, elevated by Jolie's spellbinding performance and Stromberg's visually dazzling direction. For those seeking a fresh perspective on a beloved story, this film is a wickedly enchanting treat.
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User reviews

1 review
Overall rating
 
3.8
Entertainment Factor
 
3.0(1)
Story
 
3.0(1)
Actors Performance
 
3.0(1)
Cinematography
 
5.0(1)
Sound Track
 
5.0(1)
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A Mediocre Maleficent
(Updated: January 04, 2025)
Overall rating
 
3.8
Entertainment Factor
 
3.0
Story
 
3.0
Actors Performance
 
3.0
Cinematography
 
5.0
Sound Track
 
5.0
This movie is like candy floss (aka cotton candy) - lots of pink, fluffy stuff, odiously sweet and totally lacking in substance. I don't know why Angelina Jolie is in the movie because either she can't act, or she did not feel like acting, or she did not think acting was required, just floating around in a variety of fantasy dresses and weird headgear, pouting, smiling (she has a lot of teeth!), staring, winking, et al. Thank heavens Michelle Pfeiffer, who is not only a beautiful but talented actress with a knack for comedy, was around to actually keep the movie going. The young leads were predictable, anguished, boring and eminently forgettable. The Moors' fantasy creatures were adorable. The winged creatures were incredible and made Jolie look like a chump. A lot of fighting going on which I thought was too much for a children's movie or is it? Same old oft-repeated tropes from other movies, especially the death scene taking moments from Avatar. I am a Disney fan (loved Aladdin) but this was almost an homage to Jolie who just wants to look beautiful and ethereal...unlike Pfeiffer who doesn't mind falling face down in the dirt. Favourites in order of appearance: Michelle Pfeiffer as the wicked queen, the elf in the dungeon, the goat at the end... 
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