Preen.ph
  • Home
  • Profiles
  • Fashion
  • Culture
  • Beauty
  • Food
  • Space
  • Events
Social Accounts
0
0
6K
0
  • Home
  • Contact
  • About
  • INQUIRER.net
0 Likes
0 Followers
6K Followers
0 Subscribers
Subscribe
Preen.ph
Preen.ph
  • Home
  • Profiles
  • Fashion
  • Culture
  • Beauty
  • Food
  • Space
  • Events
  • Culture
  • Movies

‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ didn’t live up to the feminist hype

  • Posted on October 16, 2019October 16, 2019
  • 4 minute read
  • Jacqueline Arias
Total
0
Shares
Like 0
Tweet 0

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

The 2014 film “Maleficent” is one of the few Disney reboots I appreciate because it shows a different perspective on “Sleeping Beauty.” Who knew the evil fairy (Angelina Jolie) would be loving and become Princess Aurora’s (Elle Fanning) adoptive godmother? It also takes an extra step to raise awareness about consent and rape through a scene in which Maleficent loses her wings.

Five years later, the sequel “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” shows the dark side of Maleficent after finding out about Aurora’s engagement to Prince Phillip (Harris Dickinson), which will bring together Ulstead (the land of men) and the Moors. The trailer shows Maleficent disapproving of the marriage after Philip’s mother, Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) says, “She will finally get the love of a real mother. Tonight, I consider Aurora my own.”

Before the film reaches the halfway mark, viewers are introduced to the real villain: Queen Ingrith.

Don’t let the crown and smile fool you.

Am I surprised? Not really because it’s obvious Ingrith has an agenda based on the trailer. I mean, why would someone dare piss Maleficent off by implying that Aurora grew up with a mother who didn’t love her?

Throughout the film, Ingrith manipulates Aurora and the kingdom into turning against Maleficent. It also reveals that the evil queen is the one spreading the famous tale of “Sleeping Beauty” so people would fear Maleficent and the Moors. Why? Because she despises mystical creatures and blames them for the death of her brother.

While watching “Mistress of Evil,” I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between Ingrith and every fear-mongering leader who attacks the marginalized. She refuses to form alliances with the Moors because she believes man should be superior to them. It doesn’t help that the Ulstead kingdom is comprised mostly of White people and only one Black man. You can also see the race division within the endangered dark faes (Maleficent’s kind), who are a mix of Caucasians and POCs.

Ingrith’s belief that all magical creatures are evil are similar to US Pres. Donald Trump’s assumption that immigrants are criminals and therefore, should be deported and/or blocked from seeking refuge in America. The queen also has trigger-happy tendencies where she orders knights to kill fairies on the spot, like how Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte wants the police to shoot suspected drug dealers instead of putting them to trial. All her actions were clearly based on her personal prejudices and also why she always disagrees with her husband King John, who wants everyone to live in harmony.

One could argue that Ingrith is another product of the sexist evil queen trope, which portrays female characters as unstable when they are ambitious for power. But this isn’t like Daenerys Targaryen who torches a whole city after her boyfriend-slash-nephew rejects her, among other things. Ingrith’s calculating character and how she feels the need to overpower her male counterpart out of survival is reminiscent of Cersei Lannister—both of them believe they’re doing what’s best, but their intentions are self-serving. It further proves that not every female leader has feminist causes.

Now, the bigger question: Does the “Maleficent” sequel succeed in being the feminist film that everyone expected? It’s questionable.

When Maleficent and the dark faes save the day, Ingrith gets turned into a goat as punishment. I know this is a kid’s film, but is this really justice for the Moor genocide she committed? Not even magic could bring back the “dead” fairies (they turn into flowers and plants, so they just become non-sentient), heal the wounded soldiers, or fix the villagers’ damaged homes from Ingrith’s war.

Aurora and Philip’s wedding also happens minutes after the battle in Ulstead. Is it supposed to make everyone feel better for surviving a war?

Couldn’t Aurora wait before everyone recovered before getting married?

Maleficent’s actions only benefit her and her peace of mind that Aurora’s on her side again. Everything else—the safety of the Moors and giving her fellow dark faes the freedom to fly wherever they want—feels like an afterthought.

***

The Mary Sue called “Maleficent” a feminist movie—it wasn’t perfect, but it’s commendable to see how a woman fights against her oppressor. In “Mistress of Evil,” the feminist theme doesn’t deliver, as well as the parts tackling self-discovery. The film is meant to give us a background on Maleficent’s life before meeting the late King Stefan, but even that’s glossed over. On the other hand, the only change Aurora goes through is becoming someone’s wife for the sake of saving her home forest.

However, what the sequel does effectively is fully turning the “Sleeping Beauty” narrative on its head. The villain isn’t always the one who looks devilish. Sometimes it’s the one who’s wearing the jewels and the crown.

 

Art by Tricia Guevara

Photos courtesy of Disney

For the latest in culture, fashion, beauty, and celebrities, subscribe to our weekly newsletter here  

Follow Preen on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Viber

Related stories:
The Maleficent sequel looks even darker than the original
Missing animated movies: Thoughts on all these live-action reboots
Sorry ‘90s kids, but ‘The Lion King’ remake lost the Disney magic
The true star of ‘Aladdin’ is princess Jasmine

Total
0
Shares
Like 0
Tweet 0
Share 0
Related Topics
  • Angeline Jolie
  • culture
  • feminism
  • maleficent
  • Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
  • Michelle Pfeiffer
  • movies
  • reviews
Previous Article
  • Celebrities
  • Culture

“Jane the Virgin” star faces backlash after singing the N-word on Instagram

  • Posted on October 16, 2019October 16, 2019
  • Renee San Juan
View Post
Next Article
  • Beauty
  • Product Feature

Glitter eyeliners: The best trick to add glitter minus the mess

  • Posted on October 16, 2019
  • Jacqueline Arias
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Celebrities
  • Culture

Hold up! Matt Damon is here in the PH

  • Posted on December 4, 2020December 4, 2019
  • Renee San Juan
View Post
  • Culture
  • Technology

These Instagram accounts raise awareness on mental health

  • Posted on December 4, 2019December 4, 2019
  • Renee San Juan
View Post
  • Celebrities
  • Culture

Chris Martin says he used to be homophobic because of his religious beliefs

  • Posted on December 4, 2019December 4, 2019
  • Renee San Juan
View Post
  • Culture

Did the ‘Black Widow’ trailer just show who will replace Natasha Romanoff?

  • Posted on December 3, 2019
  • Jacqueline Arias

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Editors’ Picks
    • Culture
    • Editor's Pick
    • Momhood
    Raising kids in the age of call-out culture
    • Posted on September 21, 2019September 21, 2019
    • 3 minute read
    • Bless This Mess
    • Culture
    • Editor's Pick
    I treat bath time as a sacred self-care ritual—you should too
    • Posted on August 27, 2019August 27, 2019
    • 4 minute read
    • Bless This Mess
    • Culture
    • Editor's Pick
    “Reset Day” is the new definition of quality me-time
    • Posted on August 5, 2019August 8, 2019
    • 5 minute read
    • Bless This Mess
    • Culture
    • Editor's Pick
    6 bad habits that need to stop before I turn 30
    • Posted on July 27, 2019July 31, 2019
    • 5 minute read
    • Bless This Mess
    • Culture
    • Editor's Pick
    Conquering Mercury retrograde: How to overcome our cosmic foe
    • Posted on July 20, 2019July 20, 2019
    • 4 minute read
Social Accounts
0
0
6K
0
Like us on facebook
Subscribe to our Newsletter
about
Preen.ph © 2018. Hinge Inquirer Publications, Inc.
Social Accounts

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Go to mobile version