Maleficent

"There must have been a deafening awkward silence within Disney studio’s screening room recently, given how Maleficent shares the exact same message as another contemporary Disney-made fable. Unfortunately, you’ve probably seen that other film, so the moral in this Sleeping Beauty revision will feel sadly deflated. It’s not the film’s fault, but it will cause many eyes to roll, which is a shame, because Angelina Jolie’s return to Hollywood status is a rather good one."

"Uncertain of tone, and bearing visible scarring from what one imagines were multiple rewrites... but it sure is nice to look at for 97 minutes."

"Magical but modern, family-friendly but feisty and a feast for the eyes. Maleficent doesn't entirely reinvent the (spindle) wheel, but certainly provoke thought with its (ahem) prick teasing."

"If you go into Maleficent expecting Jolie to be the badass of Sleeping Beauty, you’re going to get burned."

"At least nobody here is warbling about what she wants before hitting the road to self-actualization."

"With a dynamic blend of live action and effects, this is a dark, dazzling and psychologically nuanced fairy-tale reinvention."

"If this tiresome yarn is the 'true' story of one of Disney's most popular villains then, please, give us colourful lies and happy ignorance."