Maleficent (2014)


And now for the live-action version of Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent.

The Movie:

 Maleficent stars Angelina Jolie as the the title character.  It was released in 2014 to mixed reviews but performed well at the box-office.  A sequel is currently in production.

Along the lines of Wicked, Maleficent is a flipped perspective of Sleeping Beauty, with the villain serving as the protagonist.  The movie opens with a young Maleficent, a fairy who helps to guard the Moors from human invasion.  She meets a young boy named Stefan and falls in love with him.  However, when the two are adults, the dying king promises to pass on his kingdom to the one that defeats Maleficent.  Taking advantage of their friendship, Stefan cuts off Maleficent's wings as a trophy and becomes king.  The rest of the story plays out with the traditional plot, but with some tweaks along the way.

Ok, so Maleficent as originally depicted is a character that doesn't really need a back story.  However, this is a completely different depiction, and for the most part it actually works here.  This movie is completely owned by Angelina Jolie, who makes the role and the film her own.  Elle Fanning was a good casting choice for Aurora, and Sharlto Copley gets to chew some scenery in a villainous take on Stefan, but Jolie is undoubtedly the star.  The three fairies get the short end of the stick, as they are pretty much bumbling idiots here.  The story is fairly creative, and there are some nice nods to the animated version.  The movie looks nice with great special effects.

James Newton Howard provides an inspired score that at times is sweeping and grand and at other times magically whimsical.  "Once Upon a Dream" gets a very creepy cover version, hauntingly performed by Lana Del Rey over the end credits.

Presence in the Parks:

 As a specific nod to this film, I don't know of any currently in the parks.

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