Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Cursed to die by the evil fairy Maleficent when she was a baby, Princess Aurora is sent into hiding under protection from three good fairies. As she grows up far away, Maleficent becomes increasingly determined to seal the princess's fate.
Disney's Sleeping Beauty is visually stunning — the Eyvind Earle-designed backgrounds with their angular, tapestry-like Gothic style make it one of the most distinctive-looking animated films ever produced, earning a top mark for cinematography. However, the plot is famously thin even by fairy tale standards, with Aurora herself having very little agency or screen time, landing it at average. The vocal performances are competent and charming but unremarkable. Novelty is held back because it is ultimately a faithful adaptation of a well-worn fairy tale following Disney's own established princess formula, even if executed with great artistry. The ending — the dragon battle with Maleficent is genuinely thrilling and memorable — is solid but not exceptional.