So I've been watching Sleeping Beauty a lot lately, because of my kids. They love the princess. We watch it 10 times a day at least. So I've noticed just how lame everybody in this movie is...
Starting at the beginning, the 3 good fairies give the baby princess 3 magical gifts. The first 2 give her beauty and musical ability... Does that mean she would have been an ugly untalented child otherwise? They gave a princess (who would have had pretty much everything anyway) both extraordinary beauty AND talent.
Then she gets cursed, and they counteract it by making her sleep until true loves first kiss... does that mean if she would have kissed the prince in the woods she would have slept forever? Does true loves second kiss just not measure up?
Then the prince gets captured by Maleficent, and has to be saved by the fairies. They have to free him from his chains, give him a sword and shield, then they have to help him get out of the place. He actually does nothing but run away. And when Maleficent turns dragon and attacks him, the fairies have to put a spell on his sword so it kills her. This prince has absolutly no talent at anything except singing and dancing. He is a crap hero.
And why can't the fairies just do something about Maleficent in the first place. They say they can't because they can only use their magic for good, but isn't defeating an evil being defined as "good"? Maleficent was only cursed the princess because she wasn't invited to the party. Why didn't somebody just send her and invite? Sure, they might not have wanted her there because she's evil and all, but what did they really expect to happen by not inviting her???
Yes, this is a very cynical view of a Disney classic... But sometimes I just can't help but wonder these things. I suppose thats the reason cartoons are aimed mainly at children, because some of us are much too practical for our own good...
