Review Summary: OK, but not quite worthwhile...
I've been at odds with Maleficent getting a sequel, probably just as much as Frozen getting a sequel. I enjoyed the original film, but didn't think it was necessary after giving the characters their happy ending. It's almost the same as the sequels the Disney animation studio gave their films back in the early-2000's. Those movies were enjoyable, but most of them never hit the classic status of their predecessors (though I might argue Cinderella III and Lilo and Stitch 2 to be pretty close).
And yes, I can say this sequel justified what I expected, well, for the most part. Mistress of Evil has its' moments, but it never quite pulls together enough to really be something that needed to exist. That doesn't mean it's not for lack of trying, of course. But, honestly, its' really hard to follow-up a fairy tale (that has a finite story) and really create an intriguing new story that works.
Of course, Angelina Jolie's return to playing the titular character is definitely a major positive factor. She's fantastic in every scene she's in. But the character is surprisingly limited in terms of overall dialogue. She's given more to talk about in the first 30 minutes than she does in the remainder of the film. When she gets to debate with Aurora and throw shade at the Queen, she shows why she was born to play this part. Everywhere else, she's either a bystander or just someone waiting to attack.
The overall performances here are very strong. As the evil Queen Ingrith, Michelle Pfeiffer proves a perfect casting choice. She might be the most deceptive and purely evil Disney villainess in quite some time. Her overall scheme and plot to bring the titular character down is admirably interesting and shocking. At the same time, however, there is a major flaw to her storyline. For some reason, the writers felt a need to tie in modern politics to her character, rather than create something truly unique and creative. Themes that echo current political situations definitely ring throughout the film. These can be clever to a degree, but I'm also getting tired of political overtones making their way into films like this.
Meanwhile, Elle Fanning gets more to do than the first film here, and does a great job portraying a more mature, more conflicted Aurora. Sam Riley once again delivers as Maleficent's right-hand crow Diaval. On the downside, however, Chiwetel Ejiofor isn't given nearly enough to do to make his new character stand out. He's done away with way too early on, and we aren't given a reason to truly sympathize with his character.
I will say, the first 30 minutes might be the film's strongest. The awkward family dynamics of Aurora and Phillip's impending marriage are entertaining and surprisingly hysterical. Seeing Maleficent and Aurora spar in a witty and light-hearted banter is what this movie needed more of. Up until the entertaining dinner scene and Maleficent's anger outburst, the film has the energy it needs. But once when Maleficent is rescued by a creature similar to herself, it goes in some pretty unnecessary directions.
That overlong middle makes the mistake of packing in way too much exposition. Yes, there's some stunning imagery, but a lot of the mythology introduced here doesn't make a whole lot of sense. And, most of the information (save for one key scene that I won't spoil) has very little relevance to the plot itself. It does tie in with the "peace vs. war" argument the film strives to show, but that's about it.
Then, the movie picks up steam again in its last half-hour. The final battle scene goes on for quite awhile (and makes me wonder why this didn't get a PG-13 rating), but has a strong ending. Aurora's final confrontation with Maleficent is as heart-aching and stirring as you'd want it, and the scenes following it are very strong too (without spoiling anything). The ending wedding is nice, with a nice nod or two to the original 1959 cartoon added in. There's also a surprise twist or two that I didn't quite see coming.
Of course, the visual effects are spectacular. The film amps up the unique and interesting aspects that were fairly minimal in the 2014 first film. The costumes are even more terrific than last time (don't be surprised if it gets an Oscar nomination next year), and the production design is more expansive and detailed than the previous go-round as well. There's also more focus on the Moor creatures here, which are given a few fun moments. Like most fantasy flicks, however, the visual production gets more mileage than the story itself.
For the original Maleficent, screenwriter Linda Woolverton (who wrote the screenplay for the original Beauty and the Beast back in 1991) did a masterful job of creating a sophisticated, complex, and believable character study, in a fantasy context. As co-writer this time (along with two other much lesser known names), the strong themes play a much smaller role here. Except for a couple of key scenes late in the film, the film pretty much pushes aside redemptive morality in favor of modern politics, which is a bit of a shame.
Ultimately, this sequel tries way too hard to match or top its predecessor, all the while being relatively unsuccessful in creating a story that's as moving and intriguing as a lot of its' fairy tale brethren (its' also hard to understand why its' even called Mistress of Evil in the first place). Yes, it has a handful of very strong parts. But, as a whole film, it leaves quite a bit to be desired.
My Score: 6.0/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing....
Rating: PG for "intense sequences of fantasy action/violence and brief scary images"
Recommended age group: ages 11 or 12 and up.
Language: None
Adult Content: Some kisses and low-cut/tight outfits. A mushroom creature kisses a porcupine creature on the cheek, with no clarity on whether they are opposite gender or the same gender.
Drugs/Alcohol: Wine is served at dinner. Someone requests it at one point also.
Violence: This is the part that makes me think this movie was bordering on PG-13, mostly due to its' large fantastical body count. Moor creatures are killed through a red powder, which turns them into their real-life counterparts (flower fairies into flowers and tree monsters into trees for example). One scene shows multiple fairies and Moor creatures being trapped in a church, only to have someone fire red powder repeatedly to do them all in. Characters are stabbed, thrown, shot at, etc. over and over. Someone tumbles off a balcony (to her apparent off-screen death). Maleficent is shot by someone, and falls into a raging river. Another creature is shot badly by a crossbow (no blood shown). Characters use vines and other forms of defense to violently beat back humans. Another character takes a shot in the heart for another (no details seen). Men are strung up by vines, someone is stabbed and nearly dies, etc. A giant scary-like phoenix character appears, causing some of a big castle to crumble.
Other: Ingrith is as lying, manipulative and deceiving as they come. She cleverly puts together the plan to get the fairies and humans to fight. Aurora asks Maleficent to cover her horns at their dinner with the queen, compromising her values. Maleficent loses her temper and makes a bad choice from time to time. Characters choose to want war insensitively at times without thinking. Maleficent's spiritual and magical connection to a phoenix as well as others of her own kind are seen and implied a handful of times.
