MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL
US, 2019, 118 minutes, Colour.
Angelina Jolie, Michelle Pfeiffer, Elle Fanning, Harris Dickinson, Sam Riley,Chiwitel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein, Robert Lindsay, David Gyasi, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton.
Directed by Joachim Honning.
The emphasis on the original, Maleficent, was on the wicked queen herself, magnificently embodied by Angelina Jolie. This was a remake of Sleeping Beauty, Elle Fanning as the little girl, object of the Queen’s malicious jealousy, rescued and growing up in the kingdom with Maleficent becoming her foster mother.
Maleficent, if she were in the mood, could well sue the filmmakers, especially those responsible for the subtitle for this sequel, Mistress of Evil. Maleficent is definitely not just of evil – the title is quite defamatory. Rather, Michelle Pfeiffer is Queen Ingreth, ice cold stare with inner malevolence, could also sue. She is definitely the mistress of evil.
Aurora is no longer a sleeping beauty but is intent on bringing peace between humans and pixies and fairy worlds, intent on marrying Prince Philip and bringing everyone together. Maleficent disapproves of the marriage, pessimistic about its outcome. Queen ingreth is even more deadly set against the marriage. She resents peace, resents the fairy world, despises her husband and puts him under a curse, makes demands of her son, Philip, and intends to go to war.
Elle Fanning is lovely as ever as Aurora but Harrison Dickinson is rather pro-faced as Philip.
Much of the film is war action, an extraordinary range of special effects, familiar human soldiers in their armour, all kinds of fairies and pixies, all taking wing, including Maleficent and a shape-changing crow (Sam Riley), swooping in attack, swooping to evade the fireballs fired at them.
Trapped by the Queen, Aurora does not need a prince’s kiss to go into action but shows herself a sturdy heroine. Ultimately, of course, the confrontation is between the two women and – no spoiler – Maleficent, despite seeming to die, will be triumphant.
One of the problems for some audiences is the presence of Angelina Jolie, not in the fact that she is Maleficent, but that for most of the time she just has to stand there, prominent cheekbones, dressed in black, the horns, not saying particularly much, looking like an icon rather than a personality. Which contrasts, profoundly, with the malice of Michelle Pfeiffer.
For many audiences, this will be welcome magic and fairytale. For others, it won’t have the magic and charm of the original.
1. The origins in Sleeping Beauty, the original film, the impact of Maleficent and Aurora? Anticipation of the sequel?
2. The title, Maleficent not necessarily the mistress of evil, rather Queen In Greece and evil?
3. The fantasy world, the city, the buildings, the parks and squares, castles? The world of the fairies and pixies, the Moors, the caves? The musical score?
4. The design, sets and decor, costumes? The special effects for the wide range of creatures?
5. The action sequences, special effects, the vast battles? The fairies in flight? The ammunition? The combat?
6. Aurora and her story, Maleficent being her mother? Her growing up, the encounters with Prince Philip, in love with him? The scene of his proposal? Maleficent refusing? His mother refusing? The support of his father?
7. The Queen in herself, exercise of power, the power of the curse, using it on Aurora, the curse of the king? Her rebuking her son? Warrior, the Lt, soldiers, on the battlements, not wanting peace, her decisions, action?
8. The alliances of the fixes in fairies, the getting to know one, the variety of warriors, their appearance, communication, tribal, hostilities? Becoming United? Borrow as a significant? The story of Canal, the pathos of his death?
9. The battles, the fights, the intervention of Maleficent?
10. The church, the fairies inside, the organist and the fumes? The patter of the three fairies?
11. The crew, his power of transformation, in human form, scaling the Castle, supporting Maleficent?
12. Aurora, in the Castle, the flowers and the curse of the Queen, her escape, going to the basement, the confrontation with the Queen, the winless pixie and his role, the others in the jars, confined her escaping, down the battlements?
13. Maleficent in herself, her something of an icon, her power, transformations, confronting the Queen – and turning her into a goat?
14. Prince Philip, the assistant, the calling of peace, the changes in attitudes? The wedding?
15. The happy ending, Maleficent giving her consent? The image of the goat? And peace prevailing?
