Movie Reviews

Movie review: ‘Maleficent’

Comments (5)
  1. Lynne Shelton says:

    I agree with the derisive treatment of any male in the film, it did smack of feminism to the extreme. It did however show another kind of love. Most fairy tales offer only romantic love as true love. This shows motherly love. They did play up the evil side of Maleficent, but she did have a good side as well. We humans, especially Christians, try to be good but sometimes our evil side makes an appearance. Thank you for your analogy, lots to think about, and debate.

  2. michelle says:

    Thanks for the review. It was insightful and helped me put a finger on that which alluded me. It is easier to see what is visible and not see what is just out of sight. Even though I didn’t like the way King Stephen acted I know power can corrupt. Yet I knew there was something but I couldn’t put my finger on it. That’s because it wasn’t there, that balance of character. King Stephen was stereotype, like the prince in Cinderella. Like so many films today they start out good but finish poorly. They start telling a wonderful story then forget the ending. They start to fly but don’t know how to land which can be injurious at best. So let me end on a happy note… ‘God’s not Dead.’

  3. Nancy Johnsen says:

    “Godly sorrow [heart-felt penitence] leads to life.” (epistle to the Romans)
    “Turn from your wickedness and live.” (book of Ezekiel)
    I don’t think I’ve seen a movie yet that deals with this essential experience of the human condition, that is the ability to respond to God’s love and goodness with a truly penitent heart. The audience is still too immature for that since penitence involves a certain depth of self-knowledge and an ability to admit one’s own failings and need to turn one’s life around. Human frailty is universal, yet all these movies today avoid that completely, turning to super heroes or characters with outrageous powers, like Maleficent to distract us from our troubled souls. The phrase that has been haunting me today is from an old hymn “…whose souls condemned and dying were precious in his sight.” I’m really off topic, but without a good father-figure, this movie will not portray true redemption, since the Gospel is essentially about what a Father will do to save his lost children. “I’m not evil, just misunderstood.” makes Maleficent sound like she is trying to rationalize or justify her evil behavior, instead of admitting that how she reacted to the person who wronged her was wrong.

  4. Mari-jo Judd says:

    I believe you’re attacking this movie due to the fact that the main character is wearing horns and that you believe she’s doing evil I can understand that. However, today way to many of the children’s games that go along with the high-tech game sets that make everything look like it’s a real person. The new games appear that you’re really shooting humans. it’s no wonder we have school shootings, shootings anywhere. It’s evil. To teach our children evil, I doubt will come from this one movie. Parents in their homes are where children learn right from wrong…good from bad. Please don’t stand on your soap boxes or pulpits and think one time in less than a two-hour movie is going to turn children evil! No. If that’s the case there hasn’t been any type of home training. Evil comes from children who are subjected to horrible things in their everyday. Gangs, child molesting, child pornography abuse of any kind that is evil. That’s where children learn, not in watching a movie. Of course, films are rated. A family that cares and loves their children will adhere to that. Thank you.

  5. Rev. John Hohe says:

    First of all, thank you for your review and insights. I did not know what to expect being dragged by my daughter and wife to see this movie. I came away very impressed with the movie. I do not expect any movie to give a perfect Lutheran theological perspective. So instead of being overly critical I applaud many of the concepts of love, forgiveness, etc. that were presented. And while many would like to SEE more regret from Maleficent I think many of her actions may be construed as “fruits of repentance”.

    Frankly there seems to be for many in the evangelical camp a desire to probe and discern if “the sinner is really sorry” as if a sinner needs to pass OUR judgment in order to be saved. As a Lutheran I thank God that His forgiveness won for me at the cross also forgives my IMPERFECT repentance and empowers fruits of repentance also tend to fall short.

    As with any movie talk it over with the children and youth and together glean that which is good in the movie.