Maleficent (2014)
HotMovie Info
Movie Overview | Maleficent (2014)
Tagline: Don't Believe The Fairy Tale.
Storyline
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
- 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”)
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Editor review
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.