This month’s mandatory reboot sees Disney reinvent Maleficent, that iconic witch who slays little girls. Angelina Jolie is perfect in the lead, having herself occupied every space of Maleficent’s character Venn diagram of earth mother/misunderstood leather clad dominatrix/maternal world-saver.
As the nature-loving protector of the moors, Maleficent is all passion, spirit and gloriously rendered flights across enchanted lands. But when she is betrayed by her power-hungry love Stefan (Sharlto Copley), who viciously clips her wings, Jolie’s banshee-like wails are a devastating display of a woman lost: the pain and cruelty evoked makes her transformation into a vengeful witch emotionally powerful.
Just as soon as Maleficent bares her fangs, she loses them again. After cursing Stefan’s daughter Aurora (Elle Fanning, wasted), the witch develops an affection for the (utterly vapid, borderline simple) princess, and rediscovers her humanity while showing Aurora the whimsical CGI creatures left over from sister reboots Oz The Great And Powerful and Alice In Wonderland –not a surprise really, seeing as director Robert Stromberg  acted as art director for both.
Though visually sumptuous – Maleficent’s wings are particularly impressive – it’s all far too familiar, and a bit dull. Jolie gets a few funny lines. Nonetheless, her Bechdel Test-passing complexity and the flat plot are unlikely to impress kids, while a relentless, exposition-filled voiceover is maddening.
For a story about women cast as witches, girls cursed at the age of sexual awakening and married off to rich date rapists, Maleficent could have afforded to be a lot more feminist, funny and fierce. Instead, it’s a pretty bedtime story, easily slumbered through.