Well if you know Disney then you’ll know that they do enjoy rehashing their former glories every now and then. A new “humanised” version of Cinderella will be released in 2015. A new Lion King sequel and TV show is also in the making. And most of it is hit and miss.

Maleficent, it has to be said upfront, is a hit. Think Disney finally officially meeting Once Upon A Time and making a baby. Add some Lord Of The Rings-y creatures and an interesting cast and plot and voilà! You got a good movie.

As you know, everything isn’t black and white, so the plot starts when Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) is but a child, the strongest Fairy of her gorgeous forest country. But when the Humans decide to attack, Maleficent  has to grow into a fierce protector in order to save the land she loves. When the betrayal of a friend leaves her shattered, Maleficent turns to revenge and curses the young human princess Aurora (Elle Fanning).

With only Diaval (Sam Riley) as a companion, Maleficent must wait in the shadows until her curse comes true. But what happens when the dark isn’t enough to hide you, and your heart isn’t as icy as you believed?

The CGI is breathtaking, especially the fairy characters. Jolie’s cheekbones, made using prosthetics, make her look absolutely fabulous. The fairyland looks amazing and as usual, Man’s side is only looking for power, letting their kingdom rot while they seek something they shouldn’t have.

The costumes are beautiful and the three fairy godmothers (Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple) provide some comic relief, though to be fair Maleficent does most of it herself. Oh, and of course, the Prince. Who looks a bit like all of the Jonas Brothers and One Direction rolled into one. Literally, a teenage dream. A young teenager anyway.

Totally recommended if you’re at all into Disney, OUAT, Lord Of The Rings or all three.

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