Maleficent Mistress of Evil Review:Photography,Parenting & Plot Twists

October 18, 2019February 17, 2021 Margalit Sturm Francus

As big fans of the 2014 Maleficent movie, my son and I were excited to review the sequel Maleficent Mistress of Evil last week. And we were not disappointed! The new film arriving in theaters October 18 is a delightful combination of a great cast, surprising plot, and superb photography.

If you’re still debating whether you should go and watch it on the big screen or not, here is our review to help you decide.

Plot Highlights

Maleficent Mistress of Evil picks up five years after the original movie ends. Aurora is no longer an innocent young teen but a smart, independent young woman. Living in the Moors she dreams of uniting the Land of the Fairies with Philip’s Kingdom so everyone can live in peace.

These dreams materialize when Prince Phillip proposes to her. The only issue is that both Maleficent and Ingrith (Phillip’s mother) disapprove. Things come to a head during a formal family dinner when Maleficent and Aurora realize they may be on opposite sides.

Without revealing too many details, I can say that the two succeed in ironing out their differences and learn to respect each other.

The Cast

In this movie, some of the original cast members like Angelina Jolie ( Maleficent) Elle Fanning(Aurora) Sam Riley (Diaval) Imelda Staunton (pixie Knotgrass) Uno Temple (pixie Thistlewit) and Lesley Manville ( pixie Flittle) reprise their roles.

But newcomers like Michelle Pfeiffer ( Queen Ingrith), Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein, Robert Lindsay, and Harris Dickinson(Prince Phillip) get to spice things up.

The Photography, Costumes & Makeup

Maleficent Mistress of Evil provides viewers with two hours of magnificent photography enhanced by imaginative costumes and striking special effects. Just that on its own is well worth the price of a ticket! I sure hope the movie will score Oscar nominations in these categories.

We loved the fact the creators paid attention to the Tundra, desert, and Arctic areas.

Closing the list are the fabulous costumes and makeup. All costumes are beautiful, starting with Aurora dressed in light pastels to Ingrith wearing elaborate white dresses. But it is Maleficent with her the chiseled cheekbones, blazing red lips, and changing eye color that is the most memorable.

Whether coming for dinner or ready for battle Maleficent wardrobe is to die for! And if the dresses aren’t outlandish enough, her accessories, aka wings and horns, complete the look seamlessly.

Relevant Family Themes

The movie features several parallel themes that will resonate well with families. First and utmost, it is about parenting. Maleficent starts as nasty and vindictive in the first movie. In this sequel, she’s portrayed as a caring, somewhat overprotective mother who finds it hard to let go of her adopted child.

The story is also about how to embrace new beginnings. Aurora gets married and starts a new life with Philip. Maleficent gets to meet brethren she never knew existed, and as for Ingrith- she too goes through some changes.

However, the most essential theme in Maleficent Mistress of Evil is that of empowerment and how the characters learn the importance of staying true to themselves and respect others. Aurora stands firm in her decision to marry Phillip in spite of Maleficent’s disapproval, and Maleficent learns to accept and respect Aurora’s decisions.

Clever Plot Twists

The movie storyline provides viewers with an interesting perspective about life in general and fairy tales in particular. It manages to blur the fine line between good and evil somewhat. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns along the way.

Without providing any spoilers, I can say that none of the characters are what they appear to be. Most of them are multi-faceted, so no character is purely evil or good except Aurora, of course.

Autism Tips:

I don’t recommend Maleficent Mistress of Evil for kids under the age of seven .It it contains noisy, somewhat violent battle scenes. There is a particular DARK scene in the church where Ingrith’s henchmen are gassing the little violet fairies while someone is frantically playing the piano. Needless to say, some viewers may find quite disturbing.

The movie is approximately two hours long, so make sure your kids visit the restroom ahead of time.

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MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL arrives in theatres everywhere on October 18th!

Disclaimer: Special thanks to Disney Studios for hosting my son and me on the press junket and pre-screening event. My opinions are my own and cannot be influenced in any way