For sure, I am a sucker for prequels/origin stories to
things I already know and love. I get
that you can irrevocably scar a franchise’s future (Phantom-of-the-Opera style,
where it needs a perma-mask to hide its hideousness), but the satisfying “…ahhh”
that comes with witnessing the fall of the first domino is worth it. Of course there should be compelling story in
its own right, of its own merits, in addition to the breadcrumbs that lead to
the original story. And while I wasn’t
necessarily expecting Maleficent to
be Wicked, I would have liked a bit
more. From adolescent to well, a
grown-ass woman, we watch a powerful but benevolent leader regretfully become a
de-facto godmother to this child she curses.
It’s a very odd case of a misunderstood villain. Outside of being ridiculously predictable, I liked
the movie, though I would have liked it better had she owned her villainous ways…
would have made a far more interesting story.
At least the theme song is hauntingly beautiful:
Verdict: only if you have small child… (skip it)
