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| Images from Walt Disney Studios |
Prince Philip's dad is excited about the new union as he sees it like the young star-crossed lovers - a union of not only two people, but of two kingdoms. However, Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) is fearful of the Moors and distrusts Maleficent. Maleficent is also less than thrilled at the idea of this marriage, but reluctantly agrees to dinner with the royal family of Ulstead to celebrate the engagement and attempt peace between the two. The night turns uncomfortable quickly as Queen Ingrith and Maleficent trade barbs with each other, despite attempts by the King, Prince Phillip, and Aurora to move back to small talk. Maleficent is finally pushed to her breaking point and goes, well, "Maleficent" on everyone - which confirms the fears that the kingdom held. When tragedy befalls the King, Aurora even begins to question whether Maleficent can be trusted. Heartbroken by this, Maleficent leaves the castle in Ulstead and, through her own unfortunate turn of events, discovers she is not as alone in this world as she thought.
When the day of Aurora and Phillip's wedding arrives, Aurora begins to put pieces together that something seems amiss around the castle. Will Phillip and Aurora find their happily ever after or will the differences between their families lead to a war that will tear them apart??
Overall, I enjoyed this film much more than the original. I enjoy both Maleficent films for the fact that they tell a classic Disney story from a totally different perspective, but I feel like all of the characters develop more depth in this second chapter of Maleficent. However, it's a bit darker and more violent than the first so this may not be totally appropriate for your young kids, even with the PG rating. I went alone to see the movie, and while there wasn't anything terribly objectionable for my 7 year old, I don't think he would be "into" the story much and the fighting scenes definitely push my boundary to the edge of what I would say is OK as a mom.
Angelina Jolie once again nails the part of Maleficent - perfectly complex as the "villain" you can't help but love. I think though Michelle Pfeiffer rivals Jolie on camera though as a dynamic force that you won't soon forget. They both deliver perfectly timed one liners during the "meet the parents" dinner scene which adds more wit to Maleficent 2 that was missing a bit in the first. This movie is all about strong females as they wrestle with the battle of good versus evil inside of them. Even Aurora steps out of her comfort zone as the pretty young princess to stand up for her beliefs - whatever the cost. If you enjoyed to original Maleficent, you will certainly want to check out how the story continues!
Want more Maleficent? Check out the family press kit which includes coloring pages, games, and activities that you can download here! And don't forget to follow #Maleficent2 on social media!
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