MOVIE REVIEW - "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" (2019)
Synopsis: Maleficent and her goddaughter Aurora are beginning to wonder about the complex and unexpected family ties that bind them, as they are pulled in different directions by marriages, unexpected allies, and new dark forces.
When the first movie hit theaters in 2014, the audience could see the story of sleeping beauty through the eyes of the "villain" and that was the most interesting and relevant aspect of the whole plot that offered a fresh perspective on the facts (hitherto known) and generated an unexpected result. Now, 5 years later, the story goes on and it can bring a new and consistent atmosphere to the world of fables... But all didn't go as well as expected.
The script bets on the marriage between Aurora and Prince Phillip (and all the conflicts that this alliance may trigger) to establish a new kind of connection between the human and fairy world that will soon be converted - through a Ingrith plan... Prince's mother and queen - in a division of peoples. In this process of segregation, discord is the name of the game that threatens to destroy the harmony that hangs over the peaceful coexistence between the worlds.
In this scenario, Malévola stands against the kingdom and ends up on the other side of the field, having to ally with new members to gather the necessary forces and fight for believe to be the right one. This division has a catastrophic effect on both sides, and is responsible for establishing the main conflicts proposed by the roadmaps, ranging from personal issues (involving family dilemmas) to political-social aspects (involving treacherous strategies that are visibly linked with maneuvers seeking power used in the world we live in).
Although the script has a good foundation and clearly knows where it wants to go, the central gears end up not complementing each other correctly and hampering the development of the plot... which is lost throughout the projection. When trying to merge an intimate approach (which is nourished by dramatic unnecessary excesses) with a grand adventure, the plot fails to connect its own points and runs slack most of the time.
Angelina Jolie's triumphant return to theaters did not happen as expected. Her character loses more space in the plot (having fewer scenes to star in) because of the addition of the new - and well developed - characters played by Michelle Pfeiffer and Chiwetel Ejifor, but this doesn't make her any less important (after all, the movie still it's about her) and delivers a firmly pompous performance that matches the weight of her persona.
Almost the entire original cast returns (which is a great achievement considering it's a big-name sequel to the crew) is back, and the interaction with the new additional names easily translates into the fluidity in which the bond between them ends up happening. The functions of each of them are well defined and although there is a slight superficial tone at times, their characteristic profile is very solid.
Joachim Rønning is the director of the project. His work is noticeably better in terms of visuals (including the third act is all based on a CGI-filled climax) and this gives the film a true visual spectacle amidst well-engineered battle scenes that explore the diverse scenarios very well . On the other hand, he can't extract the best of the cast and the structure is a bit shaken in its quality (considering the whole work)... But still, the quality of the cast can get around a few moments.
There is nothing to be questioned about the technical aspects of the movie. The soundtrack is engaging and striking, the photography is colorful enough to create a good contrast with the darkest scenes (this sets the right tone to highlight the beauties and monstrosities - visual or not - present in the plot), editing The art design is well thought out (valuing many elements in a minimalist way), the figuring is neat and the visual effects are no less than excellent!
While the full potential of the script has not been better exploited, there is a clear effort on the part of everyone involved in delivering quality work to the public that somehow tries to differentiate themselves in the midst of common sense and offer an experience. cinema with unique elements that go beyond a simple traditional fairy tale.
Far from being a perfect sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is the kind of movie that serves as a great entertainment option with a bias that hides various kinds of criticism (especially social ones)... But that can't deliver all the pomp promised in the promotional materials (although it is worth the ticket) falling short of expectations.
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