Starring: Angelina Jolie, Juno Temple, Elle Fanning, Miranda Richardson, Sam Riley, Sharlto Copley
Director: Robert Stromberg
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Run Time: 96 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
I went into “Maleficent” prepared to be wowed by the visual appearance and I got much more than I expect. The film plays out what a live-action fairy tale is really like. I loved this film. This was a role that was meant for Angelina Jolie. She nails it so well, even from the most subtle lip moments, she is outstanding. The story is also not what you would expect from the tale of “Sleeping Beauty”, this is not just a retelling of the classic story. I love the path that they decided to take with this and it is just a ton of fun to watch! I want sequel Disney!! Bring it on! I am just very disappointed in Disney though that they are skipping the 3D Blu-ray for this film. I loved the 3D in this film it added so much to the film. The film made over $750 million worldwide Disney, why you being cheap on us U.S. fans!?
Official Premise: Maleficent tells the untold story of one of Disney’s most iconic villains. A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent (Jolie) has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal; an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom, and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.
Disney is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD including Disney Movies Anywhere. I have been enjoying the Disney Movies Anywhere site but they need to get their asses in gear and get on board with Android systems. The 1080p transfer is still outstanding even though I would have preferred this film in 3D. The colors are vibrant and the design of the feel just looks so freaking slick and sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is a thing of beauty as well. The score for this film was unbelievable and really acted like a character in the film. It has that fairy tale feel that really adds a lot to the film.
The special features are another score for this release. There are five featurettes taking us behind the scenes on this beautiful film. “From Fairy Tale to Feature Film” takes us through how they re-imagined “Maleficent” for a new generation. “Building An Epic Battle” focuses on the fight between Maleficent and King Henry’s Forces, which was quite epic. “Classic Couture” looks into the wonderful head piece and other accessories in the film. “Maleficent Revealed” dives into the special effects. “Aurora: Becoming A Beauty” features Elle Fanning talking about the role. There are also a bunch of deleted scenes included.
