If you know anything about me, you know I am a HUGE fan of Disney Villains. In fact, my left arm is being saved for a full Disney Villains sleeve tattoo (hopefully starting in the next few months). Of course Maleficent is one of my favorite villains (how could she not be?), so I was thrilled to attend the Maleficent: Mistress of Evil red carpet premiere. And I have to admit, I was very pleasantly surprised by this film, although it was more violent than I expected.

I really enjoyed the first one, but honestly, it isn’t one of my favorite movies. Perhaps because it was so predictable? Perhaps it is because it was more or less the story of Sleeping Beauty that I already knew (with some good twists of course). At first I was not looking forward to the sequel, Mistress of Evil. But then after seeing the first trailer, I was hyped. Anxious. I could not wait. And after seeing the movie, well, I have to say, it blew me away!

Don’t worry, there are no real spoilers ahead, so you can read my review before you see the film.

A Gorgeous Looking Film

It was immediately obvious that Maleficent: Mistress of Evil was going to be a stunning film. The CGI was pretty much on point, and there were hundreds of mystical creatures flying around. The forest looked inviting and like some place I would very much like to visit. This held true through out the entire film — it was so gorgeous to look at that I often found myself staring at the things in the background of the scenes, versus the story that was going on (and I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing).

Michelle Pfeiffer Is The Standout Of The Film

I love Michelle Pfeiffer. She is one of my favorite actresses, and so I was thrilled when I learned she was joining the cast of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Man, was I impressed with her acting in this film. She was amazing from beginning to end. I can’t say that it surprised me, because she is a phenomenal actress, but I will say that she was the stand out of the film for me. Even above Elle Fanning and yes, Angelina Jolie.

A Great Mother/Daughter Story

If you have seen the first Maleficent then you know about the bond between her and Aurora. In Mistress of Evil, that bond grows. I admit, I teared up a few times during this film, and each one had to do with the power of their relationship. This is probably mostly because I have two young daughters, but I think it will touch you even if you don’t.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is Violent

One thing to keep in mind is that this movie gets pretty violent — especially towards the end. If you have a sensitive child, please keep that in mind. There is a war in this movie, and there are casualties. I am keeping this review spoiler free, so I don’t want to go in to much more detail. You will not see blood (that I recall, anyways) but it is very obvious that creatures are being hurt. I even winced a few times.

Better Than The First?

I have had many people ask me if I liked Mistress of Evil better than the first Maleficent. My answer is a simple YES! Now, as I stated above I enjoyed the first one, but it wasn’t one of my favorite movies. I have only ever watched it twice. But with Mistress of Evil I left the theater wanting to watch it again — and I cannot wait to take my family to experience it.

I also know for a fact that I will be purchasing it, and watching it time and time again. So yes, I very much enjoyed the story that Mistress of Evil tells, more so than the first Maleficent.

Overall Thoughts

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a visually stunning, but also very dark and violent. While it is a heartwarming mother/daughter tale, be cautious when taking young kids. It tells a lesson that I very much want my daughters to learn, so I will take them to see it. And while they are young (6 and 8), they have seen movies like Avengers: Infinity War, so they are used to violent movies.

The CGI in this film goes over very well, and I loved looking at all of the scenery throughout the movie. I was honestly very impressed with it — especially all of the magical creatures. It seems to have really improved since the first Maleficent, although that wasn’t that bad for the time, and there was so much more of it in Mistress of Evil.

Overall, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil has very important lessons to learn about family, trust, and relationships. I enjoyed it more than I enjoyed Maleficent, and I highly recommend hitting theaters to see it. Some of these scenes just need to be seen on the big screen!

If you have been following me for a while then you know I love to put together the 10 most emotional moments of a movie when it fits. I will have one for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil after opening weekend — so stay tuned! But be warned, it will have spoilers.

About Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

A formidable queen causes a rift between Maleficent and Princess Aurora. Together, they must face new allies and enemies in a bid to protect the magical lands which they share.

See Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in Theaters October 18th!