Maleficent

One day, a young trespasser from the human realm appears: this is Stefan, who breaks young Maleficent’s heart and returns, some years later on royal orders, to ensure her fairy wings suffer the same fate. Stefan, played as an adult by Sharlto Copley with the ropiest Scottish accent since Shrek, inherits the throne – and so it’s his daughter that Maleficent, fuelled by vengeance, not jealousy, turns up to curse.

For the next 16 years, on and off, she watches Aurora, who’s played as a young girl by Jolie’s daughter Vivienne, and as a teen by Elle Fanning, being raised by the three multi-coloured good fairies at their country cottage. (The good fairies’ roles are taken by Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville and Juno Temple, which makes you wish Mike Leigh had been available to direct instead.)

It’s been four years since Jolie last appeared on screen, and you’d like to think she’s having fun here, even though a smile, under the circumstances, seems physically impossible. Her mouth is ruby-bright and pursed as a rosebud, while her cheekbones, which were fine enough beforehand, here look like something from the winners’ enclosure at Aintree. The venerable special make-up effects artist Rick Baker, who won an Oscar for An American Werewolf in London, was in charge of the reshaping of the Jolie features, and his work is wildly more convincing than the digital enhancements used elsewhere.

When the time comes for Aurora to prick her finger and the curse to take effect, Maleficent has realised the error of her ways, and dashes to the castle, where a confrontation with King Stefan ensues. The action sequences are executed with rhythm and punch, and our heroine swoops and swirls around like Iron Man in a sheath dress. Maleficent may be short on true enchantment, but until we find a superhero who can pull off a black silk cocktail gown in battle, she’s very welcome.