♦♦♦♦◊ (four-out-of-five diamond rating)

In the eerie shadows of October, Maleficent prepares to waltz out to the beat of her own drum. Even though this sequel pays homage to the original, it can also stand alone on its own merits.

  The story from the original Maleficent slowly but surely explains itself in Mistress of Evil yet also ties in a few references to its animated counterpart. The characters remain consistent, while a few new characters were introduced. Each fits into the role nicely; it didn’t feel forced.

  Mistress of Evil’s story line begins with the union of Prince Phillip (Harris Dickinson) and Aurora (Elle Fanning), which Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) doesn’t approve of. In fact, Mistress of Evil is solely based around their union–without it, there would be no movie. 

  Now, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Dickinson wasn’t the original Prince Phillip. In Maleficent, he was played by Brenton Thwaites (Henry Turner from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales). So, I’m deeply sorry if you fell in love with him. 

  Personally, I love Maleficent’s henchman Diaval (Sam Riley). Compared to Maleficent, Diaval got much more screen time in Mistress of Evil. Heck, he’s the star of the show in my eyes! I would really enjoy a movie from his point of view (hint to the producers). If you fell for Diaval’s Irish accent, you’ll be disappointed to find that he’s British in the newest installment.

  Needless to say, a different perspective on the fairy tale is a twist that audiences will appreciate. It gave us a nice love affair with the woman we all assumed was an evil queen, yet in reality, she just wants the best for her daughter. 

  This movie is a nice one to watch with your mother or your family. It shows the unbreakable bond a mother has with a child and how to cherish it.  Mistress of Evil has a borderline teenage drama vibe to it, but it delivers a good message.