Maleficent (2014)
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A powerful fairy who becomes a bitter ruler after a betrayal by a man she once loved must decide whether to remain a vengeful icon or embrace a new role as a protector.
The story
Maleficent is a powerful fairy living in the Moors, a magical forest realm. As a child, she meets a human boy named Stefan, and they fall in love with each other. However, as they get older, they grow apart, with Stefan's love overshadowed by his ambition to be king, while Maleficent becomes protector of the Moors. When King Henry attempts to conquer the Moors, Maleficent mortally wounds him. On his deathbed, he declares whoever kills her will be king. Stefan visits Maleficent and drugs her. Unwilling to kill her, Stefan instead uses a bracelet made of iron, which is lethal to fairies, to burn off her wings and presents them as "proof" of her death.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After Stefan's betrayal, Maleficent becomes a bitter ruler of the Moors. Years later, she hears of the christening of Stefan's daughter, Aurora, and places a curse: before the sun sets on Aurora's 16th birthday, the girl will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a death-like sleep. Maleficent and her companion Diaval secretly watch Aurora grow, and Maleficent even becomes a sort of 'fairy godmother' to the girl. As Aurora's 16th birthday approaches, the truth of the curse is revealed, and Aurora falls into the magical sleep. Maleficent and Diaval rescue Prince Philip to help, but his kiss fails to wake her. In a moment of maternal love, Maleficent kisses Aurora, breaking the curse. During a final confrontation, Maleficent defeats Stefan, who falls to his death. Maleficent then restores the Moors and crowns Aurora as ruler, bringing peace to the land.
- First release year
- 2014
- Runtime (minutes)
- 97
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Stromberg
- Writers
- Linda Woolverton · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Angelina Jolie · Maleficent; Sharlto Copley · Stefan; Elle Fanning · Aurora; Sam Riley · Diaval; Imelda Staunton · Knotgrass; Juno Temple · Thistlewit; Lesley Manville · Flittle; Brenton Thwaites · Philip
- Genres
- fantasy; adventure
- Themes
- maternal love; betrayal
- Tone and mood
- dark; fantasy
- Setting
- The Moors, a magical forest realm, and a nearby kingdom with a castle.
- Premise and plot tags
- fairy tale; reimagining; revenge
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1697 fairy tale; 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty
- Franchise connections
- Maleficent
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances, visual effects, and costumes, but criticized the script and direction. It was a commercial success, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2014.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 56 · scale: 100 · review count: 44; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Costume Design · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was originally developed as an animated project in 2003.; Tim Burton was originally attached to direct the film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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