Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
Maleficent 3: Dark Fae delivers a visually stunning and emotionally resonant finale to Disney’s reimagined fairy tale saga, bringing full circle the arc of one of modern cinema’s most complex heroines. Returning in magnificent form, Angelina Jolie once again commands the screen as Maleficent — the powerful, misunderstood fairy whose journey from villain to protector now faces its most defining test.
Set in a time of peace hard-won from past battles, the film opens with an eerie lullaby and tranquil imagery of Maleficent’s enchanted realm. But serenity is short-lived. A shadow looms in the form of the enigmatic Dark Fae Queen, an ancient entity whose power rivals Maleficent’s and whose claim to the throne threatens the delicate harmony between humans and fae. This new antagonist isn’t merely evil — she is rooted in pain, driven by vengeance, and determined to reshape the world according to a forgotten past.
At the heart of this tale is the evolving bond between Maleficent and Queen Aurora, portrayed once again with grace by Elle Fanning. No longer the innocent princess, Aurora has matured into a wise sovereign willing to risk everything for peace. Together, they must confront the specters of history — betrayal, fear, and division — and rally both humans and magical beings in a final bid to unite their worlds.
The film spares no expense in world-building or spectacle. With a massive $200 million budget, Dark Fae offers grand visuals that range from glowing, otherworldly forests to epic aerial combat scenes that light up the sky with magic and fire. The production design deepens the mythology of the fae, introducing new tribes, lost rituals, and ancient lore that ground the high fantasy in rich storytelling.
But beyond the dazzling effects and battle choreography lies the film’s emotional core. Maleficent’s internal struggle — between embracing the darkness she was once feared for, or rising above it as a guardian of light — drives the story with surprising vulnerability. Jolie navigates this duality with power and poise, portraying a character who is not only fierce, but broken, healing, and deeply human at her core.
Director choices (yet unconfirmed officially) focus the tone toward maturity and gravitas, shedding some of the whimsy of earlier installments for something more layered and mythic. The stakes feel real, and the themes — identity, legacy, reconciliation — resonate beyond the fantasy realm.
Maleficent 3: Dark Fae is not just a conclusion — it’s a culmination. It honors its characters, expands its universe, and brings the trilogy to a close with the weight and wonder it deserves. For longtime fans and new viewers alike, it’s a soaring, heartfelt swan song for a fairy once cast as a villain, now remembered as a queen.