Shuvrajit Das Biswas
Fairy tales always make it clear that there is a good side and a bad side. Growing up, we always hated and feared the villains in fairy tales who were out to harm the beloved heroes and heroines. However, ‘Maleficent’ offers a fresh perspective into this way of thought. It is a dark fantasy movie starring Angelina Jolie. The film is loosely inspired by Charles Perrault’s fairy tale, ‘Sleeping Beauty’. It is also inspired by the Disney movie of the same name. As we said, ‘Maleficent’ explores the eponymous antagonist but instead of portraying her as a straightforward villainous person, we see how she is in a conflicted relationship with the princess and the king of a corrupt kingdom.
Upon release, the movie became a commercial and critical success, with people praising the performances, visuals, costumes as well as the musical score. Naturally, now you must be wondering where you can stream the movie, and we are here to tell you that; but first, let us walk you through the plot of the film.
What is Maleficent About?
At the beginning of the movie, we are introduced to Maleficent, a powerful fairy who lives in the Moors, a magical forest near a kingdom. When she is a young girl, Maleficent meets Stefan, a young peasant boy. However, Stefan’s love for her is not more than his ambition and with the passage of time, the two grow apart. Maleficent becomes the protector of the Moors.
When King Henry tries to conquer the Moors, Maleficent mortally wounds him, forcing him to retreat. As he lies dying, he declares that whoever kills Maleficent will become the next king and will marry his daughter. The ever-ambitious Stefan steps up to the task. He has the added advantage of being close to Maleficent. He goes to the Moors and drugs her, but cannot bring himself to kill her. Instead, he cuts off her wings, which is lethal for fairies. Maleficent, on the other hand, is hurt by the betrayal. Thus, when Stefan has his own daughter, Aurora, she shows up uninvited and curses the girl that she will prick her finger on a sewing machine at the age of 16 and fall into a deep sleep that can only be broken by true love’s kiss. Maleficent also turns the Moors into a dark and dangerous place, hiring a shapeshifter as her spy and servant.
Stefan, meanwhile, is afraid of Maleficent’s curse and sends Aurora to live with three pixies until after her 16th birthday. He takes the opportunity to destroy all sewing machines and keeps them in the castle’s dungeon. In fact, his paranoia increases so much that he even neglects his wife on the deathbed. He even tries to send armies to kill Maleficent, but she is smart enough to turn the Moors impenetrable to prevent it from happening.
Although Maleficent initially hates Aurora, she gradually begins to take a liking for her and when the pixies cannot look after her, Maleficent steps in. She watches over the girl, prompting her to consider Maleficent as her fairy godmother. This causes Maleficent to try and undo her own curse, but she is unsuccessful. Aurora happens to meet a young prince and the two are attracted to each other. Aurora also tells Maleficent that she would like to live with her, but the pixies tell her the truth about the curse, leading Aurora to feel betrayed that Maleficent did not tell her about it. She returns to her father who locks her in a room for her own safety. However, the power of the curse draws Aurora to a magically reassembled sewing machine, where she pricks her finger and falls asleep.
Maleficent arrives with the prince, trying to undo the curse. The prince’s kiss is not enough but when Maleficent kisses Aurora on her forehead, the motherly instincts behind the kiss constitute true love and Aurora wakes up. While Maleficent is attempting to leave the castle, Stefan traps her in an iron net. She tries to get the shapeshifter to fight the guards as a dragon, and free her but is not successful. Aurora frees Maleficent’s wings, which reattach themselves to her. In an epic confrontation with Stefan, the latter falls to his death, while Maleficent flies away. At the end of the movie, we see that she has restored the Moors to its former glory while Aurora rules the kingdom with the prince by her side.
Is Maleficent on Netflix?
Netflix has an excellent collection of movies and television shows that sets the platform apart as a premier content provider. While ‘Maleficent’ is not on the platform, you can check out ‘Once Upon a Time‘, where all the recognizable characters from fairy tales seem to live in the real world and adventures arise from their interactions with other people.
Is Maleficent on Hulu?
Hulu has a wonderful collection of movies and television shows that the platform keeps making smart additions to in order to stay ahead of the competition and to cater to a wide range of viewers. While ‘Maleficent’ is not on the platform, you can check out ‘Shrek‘, which tells the story of an ogre who must save a princess. It is somewhat of a fairy tale in its own right.
Is Maleficent on Disney Plus?
The House of Mouse is bent on hosting all content under one umbrella. Thus, Disney Plus has ‘Maleficent’ available for streaming. Check it out here.
Is Maleficent on Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime has an enviable collection of movies and television shows that can perhaps only be bested by Netflix. While Prime subscribers cannot stream ‘Maleficent’ as is, you can acquire the movie and watch it on the platform. Check it out here.
Where Can I Stream Maleficent Online?
If you do not have subscriptions to major platforms, you can still stream ‘Maleficent’. Check it out on YouTube or Vudu, where the movie can be acquired and then streamed. Notably, Vudu offers an ultra HD version.
Can I Stream Maleficent Online For Free?
Disney Plus does offer a free trial period, which means that you can stream and watch ‘Maleficent’ on the platform. However, we urge you to pay for the art you consume.
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