Angelina Jolie in Maleficent movie is stunning (movie review)

From the time I first heard about the Maleficent movie, the untold version of the well known villain in Sleeping Beauty, I eagerly anticipated seeing the epic story in the theater.  I recently was invited to see Maleficent before it opened in theaters and my expectations were beyond exceeded.

Maleficent is now playing in theaters and definitely worth seeing during opening weekend. As a longtime fan of Angelina Jolie, I was delighted to hear she was cast in the movie to play the Maleficent character. During the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration we were treated to a special behind the scenes look from Maleficent Executive Producer Don Hahn at how the the real life character was developed based on the original Sleeping Beauty villain. 

 

From the costume and makeup to the chill inducing laugh, Angelina Jolie was transformed into a stunning Maleficent.

During the Social Media Moms Celebration we were also given an amazing opportunity to meet Princess Aurora from the Maleficent movie, Elle Fanning. She too, went to great lengths to fully embody the beautiful young princess we all love in the original animated Sleeping Beauty.

It wasn’t until Maleficent interrupted Elle Fanning’s birthday song were we able to hear a piece of the movie soundtrack. 

Watching previews this past year has given us a brief introduction to the story. We all know the movie will tell Maleficent’s side of the original animated Sleeping Beauty. But what we aren’t shown is just exactly how Maleficent turned from a beautiful winged fairy living in the moors, a fantasy land full of beautiful creatures and nature, to a spiteful foe of the King. It’s not until Maleficent casts an irreversible spell on the King’s baby, Princess Aurora, that she reveals her true character. Watching Princess Aurora grow for sixteen years to revel in the revenge she has cast on the King, Maleficent shows her charming side. 

The movie begins with a beautiful love story between a young fairy and an orphaned boy. Later as their fairy tale love story crumbles, the boy turns into King when he forever changes Maleficent by taking away her ability to fly and hope to ever love again.

The remarkable cast includes Angelina’s young daughter playing Princess Aurora as a child. The scenes with them together are touching and adds to the story of Maleficent as a fairy with a broken heart.

For weeks I went back and forth trying to decide if I would bring my five year old daughter with me to the theater. Since our experience at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, she has been very excited to see the movie. Although the movie has a PG rating, I made the decision to watch the film on my own prior to sharing the experience with my daughter. After watching the movie, I feel I absolutely made the right decision. The characters and scenery are visually appealing and while I know my daughter would have loved watching the magical creatures in the moors, the battle scenes are simply not appropriate for her.

The scenes are not gory but the intention of the men in each fight scene are clear – they are trying to kill Maleficent. The original Sleeping Beauty also casts Maleficent a villain but the concepts in the new movie are simply too difficult for a young child to comprehend. In my opinion, the betrayal, revenge, and sacrifice make this movie one we will need to wait awhile before sharing with my young daughter. As for me, I absolutely loved the new Maleficent movie and could easily watch it again to see the amazing character brought to life by the stunning  Angelina Jolie.

My daughter will be devestated by the idea of  not seeing the film in theaters so I plan to watch the original animated Sleeping Beauty and make DIY Princess Aurora color bubbles with her.

Maleficent opened in theaters nationwide May 30, 2014.

Do you plan to see the Maleficent movie during the opening weekend?

Learn more about Maleficent by following the movie on Facebook and Twitter!

Disclosure: I was invited to a complimentary screening of the Maleficent movie before it was released in theaters. All opinions are my own.