Whoa there. Angelina Jolie? In a Disney film? Yes sir. You've probably seen some posters knocking about for it. People have only been getting excited about this film for like, oh, a good year now.
**Alright, yes, thanks for pointing that out. What's the film about? Remember Sleeping Beauty?
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**Yeah. Well, remember the evil fairy who curses Aurora and puts her into a deep sleep that can only be awakened by 'true love's kiss'? **
**Yeah. **Well, that evil fairy is Maleficent! And this film's told from her point of view. Turns out she had every right to throw a royal shitfit after the way Aurora's dad treated her in the past.
** Oh right. They never tell you that bit of the story, do they? What's Ange like?** Well, she plays Maleficent. She starts out good, then gets her heart broken and turns evil, then goes good again. She does a very good job of being loveable and shit scary at the same time. Plus, those cheekbones. We know they're not real, but we've got the feeling they wouldn't quite look the same on us.
It does sound intriguing, but is it worth my precious Orange Wednesday code? The film is shot in 3D, which isn’t typically a Debrief favourite considering the massive hike in ticket prices but, in this case, it makes the visuals of the fantasy setting so stunning it’s kind of worth it. Side note: You WILL leave wanting a pond full of frogs dressed in toadstool hats.
Ok, you’ve convinced me. Who else is in it? Elle Fanning and the world's most amazing blonde wig play the beautiful princess Aurora, who does all the sleeping. Then there’s Juno Temple, Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville, who are the three ditsy fairies entrusted with Aurora’s well-being when she gets cursed.
And Angelina Jolie’s daughter – I've heard she’s in it? Yeah, Vivienne. She’s in one scene as an adorable young Aurora.
So what are other people saying? 'It’s also a performance that begs for flourishes of high camp that the film rarely allows. When Jolie is let loose to really bare her fangs, such as her nearly word-for-word re-creation of Maleficent’s first scene from the Disney original, she strips the paint from the walls.' - Andrew Barker, Variety
And what are you saying? If you’re getting paid this week and fancy a dose of escapism, then go for it. This film is basically harmless and sweet, and it's funny too! The script is actually funny – not Pixar funny, but there are traces of adult wit to LOL at. Sam Riley and Angelina do help make this a cool film. The love/hate relationship between their characters is entertaining and their British accents were a good shout to dial down the cheese, so props to the director Robert Stromberg. You can’t really fault any of the performances.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.