This summer, movies have been dominated by Spider-Man, X-Men and Godzilla. Move over boys… The ladies just crashed your party.
Last night I saw a sneak preview of the movie Maleficent and I was blown away! It’s been a little while since we’ve seen Angelina Jolie and it was worth the wait. Maleficent is one of the best fantasy movies I’ve seen in a long time. Flipping the script on the traditional Sleeping Beauty story, we get to see an origin picture that delves deeper into the fable.
Told from the point of view of the “villain”, the audience is taken on an truly original journey. Maleficent lives in a world populated by fairies and other fantastic creatures, she is the most powerful fairy and a protector of her world. Humans are constantly trying to invade and are seen as their only enemy. I don’t want to give too much away because the real beauty of this film is watching it unfold, but Maleficent falls in love with a human who eventually betrays her in a truly awful way and pushes her to the dark place where we eventually find her in this popular children’s story.
Angelina Jolie was born to play this role. Easy and graceful, the audience is quickly reminded what a wonderful actress she is. She brings the complexity of the character to a level that I thought wouldn’t be possible. Even through some dark moments, you can relate with her on a very human level. Yes, you end up rooting for the villain.
First time director Robert Stromberg creates a fully realized fantasy world that is simply amazing. Fast paced and visually stunning, this Oscar winning art director takes the audience on a journey that is unexpected and wonderfully satisfying. He has worked with James Cameron and Tim Burton and it is obvious that he has picked up some storytelling techniques that are going to put him on the same level as his mentors.
This movie is perfect for the whole family. My 10 year old daughter loved it, there was a 5 year old boy sitting in front of us that literally sat on the edge of his seat the whole time and adults will get drawn in by the humor and great performances.
This is a summer movie that delivers on all levels and will eventually become a family classic. I’m already planning on seeing it again!