"I will not ask you for forgiveness. What I have done is unforgivable. I was so lost in hatred and revenge. I never dreamed that I could love you so much. You stole what was left of my heart. And now I’ve lost you forever." - Maleficent
The movie provides a great twist on the tale of Sleeping Beauty, told in full from Maleficent's point of view. Beneath the dark exterior, there is kindness within Maleficent. But just like Maleficent's character, the movie wavers between magnificence and misery.
We first saw Maleficent as a young fairy with a radiant beauty and a pure heart. She lived in the Moors magical land near the kingdom.
When she met Stefan, they became friends and it morphed into a romance; eventually leading to what is perceived to be "True Love's Kiss."
But the ugliest human emotions- greed, jealousy and hunger for power - intervened. It shaped Maleficent into a villainess and turned her heart into a cold stone. Saying that Maleficent was betrayed and scorned would be an understatement. Her curse, cruelty and evil acts might not be justifiable, but it can be understandable somehow.
"I had wings once. They were strong. But they were stolen from me." - Maleficent
The tragedy of love and betrayal is totally heart-wrenching! Awwww.
Maleficent seeks hateful revenge. Similar to the original story, Maleficent paid a visit to cast a spell on baby Princess Aurora. A spell which can only be broken by the kiss of true love.
"But before the sunset on her sixteenth birthday, she will prick her finger on a spindle of a spinning wheel, and she will fall into a sleep like death! - Maleficent
King Stefan sends Princess Aurora in a hidden cottage to protect her from the spell; where she was kept safe by the three fairies. Since the fairies are hopeless in taking care of the baby, Maleficent turned out to be the fairy godmother. She cared for Princess Aurora from a distance.
The grace and goodness of Princess Aurora made Maleficent's tortured heart begins to thaw.
" Aurora, there is an evil in this world, hatred and betrayal. And I cannot keep you from it." - Maleficent
[Okay. Watch the movie and see what happens.]
Angelina Jolie stars as the dreaded iconic villain. She is magnificently majestic and perfect for her Mistress of All Evil role. She has the style and charm that captures the audience's attention. Truly fantastic! She made the movie interesting and worth watching.
Even if this is not a stellar Disney movie you'll enjoy watching all over again, you won't get to enjoy the movie if you fail to see the beauty of the story in its own merit.
Love is not a vague, emotional feeling. And yes, true love exists but not in the traditional way we expected it to be. In this movie, I feel witness the triumph of love over hate and saw that true love exists in the love between a mother and a daughter (or in this case, the godmother).
Maleficent redefines True Love!
Credits: I got to watch Maleficent movie with my daughter at Shangrila Mall. Thanks to Nuffnang PH and Globe PH for the exclusive screening.
Maleficent stars Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville.
