USA TODAY International Edition
‘ Maleficent 2’ is dark, magical
Love, war and Angelina Jolie’s supernaturally sharp cheekbones mark “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” a Disney sequel that carries over some welcome magic from the refreshing original.
This continuation of a reimagined “Sleeping Beauty” leans into “Meet the Fockers” territory, with vicious staredowns between future mothers- in- law, plus expands its own fairy- tale landscape. And where there are the occasional lighthearted high jinks, the second “Maleficent” ( eeeE; rated PG; in theaters nationwide Friday) harbors a surprisingly stygian side just as dark as its title antiheroine’s horns of plenty.
The new movie picks up five years after the 2014 live- action adaptation when Maleficent, reformed villain and protector of the magical Moors, saved the day and embraced her role as godmother to Princess Aurora ( Elle Fanning).
Since then, Aurora has been installed as queen of the Moors, where her “people” are legions of fairies and large tree dudes, and she gets an exciting wedding proposal from boyfriend Phillip ( Harris Dickinson), prince of the
MOVIE REVIEW
neighboring kingdom of Ulstead. Maleficent is displeased with the news – not only is she not a big fan of humankind in general, but she’s very protective of Aurora.
Still, because she loves her adopted daughter, Maleficent accepts an invite to a royal meet- the- parents shindig and even wears a shawl to hide her horns. Phillip’s dad King John ( Robert Lindsay) is all about brokering peace between the Moors and Ulstead, though not his wife Ingrith ( Michelle Pfeiffer), the kind of ice queen who doesn’t let anything go.
Chilly zingers and side- eye daggers are unleashed by the two forceful moms, the dinner party turns disastrous when the king gets mysteriously cursed, Aurora sides with Phillip’s parents, and Maleficent flies off only to be wounded by Ingrith’s sinister little henchwoman Gerda ( Jenn Murray).
Ingrith sets her megalomaniacal plans in motion, while Maleficent is nursed back to health by a legion of Dark Fey just like her who hide from mankind.
Jolie’s magnetism, plus the way she toes the line between being a fairy version of Batman and a menacing mistress of not- quite- evil- but- pretty- close, is why these “Maleficent” movies work. She fits the character as well as she does her endless cycle of evolving costumes.
And she gets quite the foil in Pfeiffer’s Ingrith: Her badness is very on the nose – she snaps a mannequin’s neck sideways to enter her secret hidden hair – yet it’s fun to see the two A- list actresses chowing down on fantasy scenery. Jolie’s character even fluffs her wings like a peacock in an effort to be the alpha female.
The movie overall could use more subtlety, from the dialogue (“sleeping beauty” is a phrase used more than once) to the emphasis on intolerance ( Ulsteadians bring pitchforks to greet magical folks) to a definite in- your- face darkness. True, the first “Maleficent” had its lead character’s wings horrifyingly ripped off, but “Mistress of Evil” hinges on a genocidal plot to murder any and all fairy creatures, which might not be totally kosher for some little kids.
Director Joachim Ronning (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”) does a good job crafting an expansive magical world, adding to it the wondrous underground caves and land of the Dark Fey. Maleficent learns more of her origins among her people – who mainly look like hot models in wings and war paint – while having her own conflicted feelings reflected in a couple of Dark Fey dudes, the battle- ready Borra ( Ed Skrein) and the thoughtful Conall ( Chiwetel Ejiofor).
While it can’t escape some of the inherent tropes, “Mistress of Evil” ventures past the usual “happily ever after” rigmarole to craft a tale of parents and kids thematically similar to those Disney Channel “Descendants” teen movies: There’s a fine line between hero and villain, and it’s OK to be a little bad sometimes.
Just don’t be an evil queen, which is a life lesson for us all.