I was sent a copy of this movie for my review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

Disney’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
on Digital 4K Ultra HD™ and Movies Anywhere Dec. 31 and on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray™ Jan. 14

Go beyond the fairy tale with bonus features highlighting the film’s stunning visuals and all-star cast, along with extended scenes, outtakes and a Digital exclusive

“Ring in the new year with Disney’s most iconic villain: Maleficent: Mistress of Evil — which soared to No. 1 worldwide opening weekend and earned an A CinemaScore and a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes — releases on Digital in HD and 4K Ultra HD™ and Movies Anywhere on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, and physically on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ and DVD on Jan. 14, 2020. The thrilling sequel to 2014’s Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie as Maleficent and Elle Fanning as her goddaughter Aurora, arrives home with brand-new bonus features, extended scenes, outtakes and an exclusive extra for Digital consumers.

Bonus features take viewers behind-the-scenes with the all-star cast to explore the making of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Extended scenes reveal how Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) manipulates Aurora into questioning Maleficient and accelerating her wedding plans. Featurettes include interviews with Jolie, who discusses Maleficent’s origins and the cast who portray the Fey, and Fanning, who gushes over Aurora’s fairytale wedding. Filmmakers showcase the visual effects behind the film’s stunning landscapes and the seemingly effortless flight of the Fey. Additional extras include “You Can’t Stop The Girl,” a music video performed by Bebe Rexha, and hilarious outtakes, ranging from uncooperative cats to uncontrollable giggles on set.

Angelina Jolie is Maleficent and Elle Fanning is Aurora in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

Fans who purchase Maleficent: Mistress of Evil on Digital will gain access to an exclusive extra in which fantasy-film veteran Warwick Davis divulges the backstory for his character, Lickspittle.

Angelina Jolie is Maleficent in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

Directed by Joachim Rønning, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil carries on the story of Disney’s most iconic villain. The years have been kind to Maleficent and Aurora. Their relationship, born of heartbreak, revenge and ultimately love, has flourished. Yet hatred between man and the fairies still exists. Aurora’s impending marriage to Prince Philip is cause for celebration as the wedding serves to unite the Kingdom of Ulstead and the neighboring Moors. But, when an unexpected encounter introduces a powerful new alliance, Maleficent and Aurora are pulled apart to opposing sides in a Great War, testing their loyalties and causing them to question whether they can truly be a family.

Angelina Jolie is Maleficent in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil will be packaged and released in several different formats, ensuring each member of your family can enjoy it on a variety of different devices. Viewers can watch the film in Digital 4K Ultra HD, HD and SD, and bring home a physical copy of the film which will be released as an Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital Code), a Multi-Screen Edition (Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Code) and a single DVD. A Digital bundle with both “Maleficent” and “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” will be available at preorder.

Bonus features include*:

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE:
• Lickspittle – Fantasy-film veteran Warwick Davis considers how every aspect of the film’s design inspired his tragic character.

Angelina Jolie is Maleficent and Elle Fanning is Aurora in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL BONUS:
• Extended Scenes
◦ The Queen Comforts Aurora – Queen Ingrith takes advantage of Aurora’s fragile state to gain her confidence and accelerate the wedding plans.
◦ Philip and Aurora Dance – Aurora struggles to gain Queen Ingrith’s approval when she realizes how she is viewed among aristocracy.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is Connal in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

• Featurettes
◦ Origins of the Fey – Angelina Jolie discusses Maleficent’s lore, her newly discovered origins, and the diversity of the cast who portray the Fey.
◦ Aurora’s Wedding – Elle Fanning gushes over Aurora’s fairytale wedding; plus, hear from some special guests as they give their best to the bride and groom.
◦ If You Had Wings – Get a glimpse of the elaborate visual effects that allow the Fey to take to the skies.
◦ “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” VFX Reel – Discover how a perfect blend of practical and visual effects were used to create the stunning landscapes in “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.”
• Outtakes – Uncooperative cats, a serious case of the giggles and even the “floss dance” found their way into Ulstead.
• “You Can’t Stop The Girl” – Music video performed by Bebe Rexha”

Elle Fanning is Aurora in Disney’s live-action MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

MY THOUGHTS

Before watching this sequel to the 2014 original Maleficent, I decided I needed to watch that original film. I had heard all about it, and my daughter had seen it with her friends in the theater. But she insisted that I make it a point to watch that first one since I hadn’t seen it as of yet.

Elle Fanning is Aurora in Disney’s live-action MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

Full disclosure: My family and I watched the original film and were less than thrilled. The special effects were magnificent, and the acting was superb. I mean, Angelina Jolie as Maleficent…could I ask for any more? However, in so many ways, I felt like the ending fell a bit flat. It became, in my opinion, an “Avengers”-like spectacle for younger kids. While it wasn’t terrible by any means, I just felt like the storyline was lacking. Almost like they tried to speed up the conclusion and just throw in CGI and mind-blowing effects to sell the film as an action film for kids.

Elle Fanning is Aurora and Angelina Jolie is Maleficent in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

I went into the viewing of this sequel with anticipation, and I had read some reviews that assured me this was an incredible follow-up and that it was worthwhile seeing it in the theaters. My daughter (who is now sixteen) and I sat down to watch this epic sequel, and from the beginning, I was absolutely riveted by the scenery and the animation. I even asked my daughter to explain to me how they did the kind of motion-capture animation featured in this film since it was definitely a cut above what is sometimes seen on camera. I won’t attempt to explain what she told me, but she was very able and willing to help me in understanding a bit of how the film was made.

Michelle Pfeiffer is Queen Ingrith in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

In truth, this movie is definitely better than the first one, but some parts of it do seem a tad drawn out. I enjoyed the way the backstories of the Fae were interwoven into the overall story. I relished seeing familiar faces again, and the addition of Michelle Pfeiffer was a sinister delight. This is definitely a tale that emphasizes female power, and I can deal with that. Although, I must admit, I would have preferred seeing a bit more development of Prince Phillip’s character. He seemed rather two-dimensional when compared with the other three-dimensional characters.

Michelle Pfeiffer is Queen Ingrith and David Gyasi is Percival in Disney’s live-action MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

I would have also preferred a bit more mysterious elements. One of the things that I always welcome is not knowing everything about a character’s persona in the beginning. Queen Ingrith was portrayed as evil from the moment her face hit the screen. I realize that this movie is for younger kids, but still, the mystery was remarkably obvious. I won’t ruin the story for anyone, but I am rather confident most will figure out exactly what is going on behind-the-scenes.

Harris Dickinson is Prince Phillip and Elle Fanning is Aurora in Disney’s live-action MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

Aurora was beautiful, independent, strong, and had the bearing of a regal queen from the opening frame. She never appeared to be one who was afraid of performing mundane tasks nor getting her hands dirty. I felt like her character became much more evolved in this sequel, and Elle Fanning brought the supreme combination of intensity and elegance to this role.

Elle Fanning is Aurora, Angelina Jolie is Maleficent and Sam Riley is Diaval in Disney’s live-action MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

I cannot say enough about Angelina Jolie. She is such an impeccable Maleficent that she makes the spectacle of this film worth watching, if only for her brilliance and leadership alone. It is through her eyes that the audience realizes that what we thought about the old Sleeping Beauty fairy tale may not be completely accurate. Understanding the motivation behind the choices her character makes finally lets us sympathize with her and even understand her perspective to a degree. Moreover, witnessing this movie on the big screen, or at least on a large TV, is the only way to go.

Angelina Jolie is Maleficent, Sam Riley is Diaval, Jenn Murray is Gerda, Harris Dickinson is Prince Phillip, Elle Fanning is Aurora, Robert Lindsay is King John and Michelle Pfeiffer is Queen Ingrith in Disney’s live-action MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

One side note–my daughter pointed out is that Disney is masterful at awkward dinner scenes, and this movie certainly has one of the most cumbersome! It’s highly entertaining, but be sure to watch all of the dinner guests lest you miss the mystery and intrigue!

Harris Dickinson is Prince Phillip, Elle Fanning is Aurora, Robert Lindsay is King John and Michelle Pfeiffer is Queen Ingrith in Disney’s live-action MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

In conclusion, this is a movie that will captivate younger audiences without frightening them too much. In fact, there are less disturbing scenes in this one than the first one, I would say. I still wish the conclusion had been a little more cohesive, but thankfully there were some choices made about the fate of certain characters that encouraged me.

Elle Fanning is Aurora in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

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Angelina Jolie is Maleficent in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

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