“MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL” — 21⁄2 stars — Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Harris Dickinson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chiwetel Ejiofor; PG (intense sequences of fantasy action/violence and brief scary images); in general release; running time: 118 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — If you’re a little confused by the title of Joachim Ronning’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” don’t feel bad. After all, by the end of its predecessor, “Maleficent,” the classic Sleeping Beauty baddie had supposedly joined the good team.
Still, they always had to find a way to make Rocky the underdog in his movies, and apparently a “good” Maleficent just ain’t gonna cut it, so “Mistress of Evil” finds a way to stir up some conflict.
Unfortunately, despite some fantasy razzle-dazzle, “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is bad, just like the titular character. The one saving grace? Angelina Jolie, a legend in her own right.
“Mistress of Evil” picks up sometime after the events of the first film and centers on the conflict that arises when Maleficent’s goddaughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) gets engaged. We’re in a world divided between humans and supernatural beings, who live in a region called the Moors. Aurora’s hard-fought relationship with her godmother Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) — the so-called “Protector of the Moors” — provides a furtive bond between the two parties.
That bond is strained when Aurora gets engaged to a local human prince named Philip (Harris Dickinson). Since Aurora is considered the Queen of the Moors, their marriage represents a unique opportunity for unification. But when everyone gets together for a meet the parents dinner, things go south before anyone has a chance to try the dessert.
Philip’s mother, Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer), insults Maleficent, who flies — a little too quickly? — into a magical rage. Philip’s father, King John (Robert Lindsay), gets his own catatonic sleepy curse, similar to Aurora’s previous experience, and Maleficent flees for the Moors, renouncing her relationship with her goddaughter along the way.
As it turns out, Queen Ingrith designed all the unpleasantness, determined to overthrow the Moors and establish total human supremacy. She hopes to provoke Maleficent and her fellow enchanted beings into war, then use a special weapon harvested from fairies to wipe out her opposition. There are plenty on the Moors side who are also eager for war, though one of Maleficent’s confidantes, Conall (Chiwetel Ejiofor), pleads for a peaceful resolution. As the drums of war beat louder, the only question is whether Aurora and Philip can figure out what is happening in time to stop the conflict.
As with the first film, Jolie is the strongest part of “Mistress of Evil.” She relishes in her role and does an excellent job of hitting that sweet spot between villainy and redemption, sort of like Darth Vader in “Return of the Jedi.”
Pfeiffer’s Ingrith should be an excellent foil for her, but “Mistress of Evil” has a paper-thin plot and lack of depth, which robs us of the showdown audiences might hope for. Outside of Maleficent herself, pretty much everyone struggles to get out of their two-dimensional holds, and the grandiose finale doesn’t feel like the dramatic payoff it clearly wants to be.
“Mistress of Evil” puts on a big show, and the combination of solid cast and elaborate, effects-heavy production keeps the film up to the standard most Disney fans have come to expect. We’re still a long ways from “Wrinkle in Time” or the new “Dumbo.” But after the rush of the first viewing, most audiences will forget about this one quickly.
“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” wants to soar on the title character’s iconic wings, but there’s just not enough substance to stick the landing.
Rating explained: “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is rated PG for considerable CGI mayhem and action violence, plus some low-end frights.