Evil, but not so evil

You know the lady who tried to ruin Sleeping Beauty’s (Aurora) life? Yeah, she’s back and this time she’s trying to be more evil.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is set a few years after the first movie and reveals how Maleficent is now a protector and not the villain she was originally conceived as. This however doesn’t mean that everyone sees her as a protector, hero or antihero.

The movie does bring a few new elements to the franchise, but not enough to make it memorable. Angelina Jolie is once again brilliant as the villainous Maleficent. She is complemented by amazing co-stars such as Elle Fanning, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Apart from the fairly good and over-the-top acting the movie is clouded with weak special effects. I mean, Disney could have done better, just look at The Lion King. Honestly, the artificial visuals steal from the good parts of the story. The few good parts there are in the story.

The plot is really muddled, but you somehow get the hang of it. All and all, Maleficent might not be the best movie from the House of Mouse in 2019, but it is entertaining. The few good parts of the film, especially the acting, almost make it completely bearable.

Maleficent travels to a grand old castle to celebrate young Aurora's upcoming wedding to Prince Phillip. While there, she meets Aurora's future mother-in-law -- a conniving queen who hatches a devious plot to destroy the land's fairies. Hoping to stop her, Maleficent joins forces with a seasoned warrior and a group of outcasts to battle the queen and her powerful army.

My Verdict

Apart from the muddled plot and disappointing visuals, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a good watch and fairly entertaining. If you loved or even liked the first movie, then this one will also be satisfying. It’s definitely a fun watch for the younger audience, but us older people might not be that interested.

My rating: 5.7 out of 10 –  Could have been better