Angelina Jolie playing Maleficent seemed like perfect casting when it was announced several years ago. Since then, it has felt like this movie has been in production forever. When the initial teaser debuted back in November, it looked like we were in store for another ALICE IN WONDERLAND movie brimming with too much mediocre CGI. Now, a new full trailer has debuted and we get a much better look at the visuals in Robert Stromberg‘s fantasy film.
What has been billed as the origin story of Disney’s most iconic villain looks to be more of a rehash of the same SLEEPING BEAUTY we have seen before. Whether it be the animation to live action comparisons that this trailer opens with or the cliche Voice Over Guy narration, MALEFICENT doesn’t look all that original or unique. But, then the trailer starts to give a glimmer of hope that we might see some large scale battles and bizarre woodland creatures. They do look quite stunning until you realize that SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN came out last year using almost the exact same designs.
#advanceampads0#Angelina Jolie looks very cold and stiff in this trailer while we do not get any dialogue from Sharlto Copley as the King and nothing new from Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora. We do see our first look at the Fairy Godmothers played by Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville. For a troubled production that cost a ton of money and had a first time director behind the camera, MALEFICENT is beginning to look more like 47 RONIN rather that WORLD WAR Z in terms of a return on investment. Here’s hoping this is just poor trailer editing and not a sign of the finished film.
MALEFICENT hits theaters on May 30, 2014.