Associated Press
In the end, "Maleficent" is fun for its appealing visuals - especially in the forest - and for watching Jolie. But that's not enough to make the whole film interesting. 2.5/4
Variety
Uncertain of tone, and bearing visible scarring from what one imagines were multiple rewrites, the film fails to probe the psychology of its subject or set up a satisfying alternate history, but it sure is nice to look at for 97 minutes. 2.5/5
The Wrap
The aggressively unpleasant visuals certainly detract from the overall film, but Maleficent makes for a fascinating entry in an ongoing wave of projects that give "bad" women of literature a chance to present their side of the story. 3/5
