Maléfique

An interesting take on the classic fairy tale (and Disney movie/theme park sensation), this deliberate rewriting felt bold for Disney. The cinematography was also high quality.

Sienna's Rating: 7 stars Sebs Rating: 10 stars Paul's Rating: 7 stars.

Review: I really thought that this was going to be a typical Disney movie about fairies and magic dust, but I really enjoyed it. Although the storyline is based around Sleeping Beauty, I found it quite dark with some adult content. The CGI throughout the movie looked impressive and Angelina Jolie played her part extremely well. After being betrayed by her loved one, she turns quite evil and full of hate, but once Aurora comes into the picture, you get to see an inner sweetness which made her character entertaining and a joy to watch. Pieced together with Sharlto Copley playing the villain, this movie really did have every aspect covered and I'm not surprised that it made so much money at the box office. A Great Watch!

Round-Up: Angelina Jolie really doesn't make that many movies anymore, but when she comes out of the woodwork, she really does come out with some good movies. From Changeling to the action packed Wanted, she really does have a versatile acting ethic and with all of her charitable work and her hectic family life, I'm not surprised that making movies is low down on her priority list. I liked the chemistry between her character and Sam Riley, who played the crow, and the action scenes were very well thought out by the director. Personally, I don't think that it's a movie for the young ones because there are some scenes that will give them nightmares, but there are some scenes they will enjoy, like her magical land and the amazing creatures. In all, I'm surprised that I enjoyed the movie because I really wasn't expecting something so dark.

Budget: $180million Worldwide Gross: $757million (WOW!)

I recommend this movie to people who are into there Disney movies which are based on the concept of Cinderella. 7/10

A bit Dark for a PG Rating so Parental Guidance is Advised. But the more Mature and Well Grounded Children are sure to Get a Thrill from this CGI Ride that is Full of Fantastic Images and Stirring Action.

It is Pathos that the Movie Embraces and the Good and Evil are Reversed somewhat but there are still Characters Worth Rooting for and others to Hiss and Boo.

Haters of this Backstory seem to be Under the Delusion that the Original Fairy Tale and the Original Disney Animated Movie have been Purged from Existence with some Sort of Orwellian Eraser and Cease Existing to Enjoy.

Both are still there to be Perused and Appreciated, this is just something a bit Different, Not a Replacement. Angelina Jolie makes a Great Maleficent and is backed by an Array of Colorful and Interesting Fairies and other assorted Moor Magnificence.

Thankfully there are No Outburst of Sappy, Old-Fashioned, Done-to Death Songs Interrupting the Story and it Plays out like a Truly Grim Fairy Tale. True Love comes in Many Forms and is not always found in a Traditional way, there could be others, and this is Not a Replacement, it's just Manifested in Another Form.

The Film certainly Looks Seamless incorporating Live Action and Animation. The Three Fairies are Amazing, and the Whole Movie is Spellbinding in a somewhat "New" Kind of Look from Modern Artistry.

Definitely Recommended for Those that Don't always Take the Path Well Traveled and are Willing to Accept and Embrace New Directions as New Entertainment and this Does Not Eliminate the Old, but Enhances with Enchantment.

While it may be hard for younger readers to imagine, the Disney Studio has not always been God-like, there were times when it seemed they had exhausted their creativity.

That was then. This is now. An influx of talent, inspiration, and a few well-chosen corporate takeovers have put Disney back at the top of the heap. And this film is not merely entertainment but a flexing of those corporate muscles, especially after the worldwide success of Frozen.

Note the quiet arrogance in re-imagining a story which the studio itself had made archetypal. Try pulling that off in film class.

And if they don't create an Oscar category for best cheekbones, they should. Many actresses in Hollywood will tell you that they could look that good with prosthetics. They lie. To look that good you have to START with the best face in Hollywood.

In deference to critics, the second Act of the film simply does not maintain the wonder and innovation of the start; and Elle Fanning, a future actress of great promise, seems slightly lost in an under-written part.

Still, this film is a major achievement and destined to delight children for generations to come.

I had been waiting to see this movie for some time, and I must say that now that I have, I am pleased to say that Disney did deliver as expected here.

The movie was a great and interesting take on the sleeping beauty story, and it managed to capture the essence of the fairytale, but also added much more to it. It was especially great to see the story from the "villain's" point of view. But of course, this story differed quite much from the original story.

There is little need to go into the storyline here, as it is a class fairytale that I believe everyone should be familiar with. But director Robert Stromberg managed to get a great twist on the tale.

"Maleficent" is a movie driven by its storyline as much as it is driven by the CGI effects. And wow, the effects in the movie were impressive. The marsh really had that enchanted fairytale-feeling to it with the vibrant colors, the marsh inhabitants and the general appearance of the place. And the effects team really managed to pull it off nicely turning the enchanted marsh into a gloomy and dark place once Maleficent had a change of heart.

As for the cast, well no doubt about it that Angelina Jolie really carried the movie quite nicely. And the costume and make-up for her was just mind-blowing. If they hadn't gotten Angelina Jolie for the role, I think that Famke Janssen could have been just as great in the role.

"Maleficent" is a great twist on the classic fairytale, and it is well worth watching, as it is entertaining and visually nice to look at.

This movie easily scores a 7 out of 10 stars from me.