Review of Maleficent (2014) by Doug K — 06 Aug 2016
Disney has produced a nice update to Sleeping Beauty that reflects society's more evolved value towards women. Whereas the original paints women as helpless beauty prizes for "nice" males, the updated tale envisions that a woman's power, self-worth and joy is found without need of tethering herself to any man.
The contrast goes further and bravely darker, with a man's horrible treatment of a woman as the creation story of the updated tale's "villain." However, redemption for males is also found in the re-imagined prince who is confused by the notion that a woman needs a man to save her.
The message is that, like adventure, love is all around and in many forms. Rather than the need to show the audience a marriage to make a happy ending, we simply see the prince and princess laugh together from across an opening in a forest.
Their value and contentment is found individually, and they willfully connect through the sharing of each other's joy.
This review of Maleficent (2014) was written by Doug K on 06 Aug 2016.
Maleficent has generally received positive reviews.
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