Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be real: Sleeping Beauty is a museum piece. The animation is absolutely stunning—a genuine masterwork of hand-drawn artistry that deserves appreciation. But as a movie for kids in 2025? It's rough.

Aurora is arguably Disney's most passive princess (and that's saying something). She gets about 18 minutes of screen time in her own 75-minute movie, sings a song about waiting for her prince, meets said prince once in a forest, and then literally sleeps through the climax while he does all the heroic work. The message is... not great.

Maleficent is legitimately terrifying in the best way—that dragon transformation holds up—but the scary scenes are intense enough that younger kids will have nightmares. And older kids? They'll be on their devices within 15 minutes because the pacing is glacial.

If you're doing a Disney history lesson or want to show your kids what animation looked like before computers, sure, throw it on. But if you're looking for something they'll actually enjoy and that won't make you cringe at the gender politics? There are about 47 better options. The WISE score reflects both its artistic merit AND the reality that most modern families will struggle to sit through it.

Age Fit

Best for ages 5-8 who can handle scary villains and slow pacing, though honestly, most modern kids will check out after 20 minutes. The scary scenes are too intense for under-5, and over-9s will be bored and/or annoyed by the outdated gender dynamics.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

72

Classic Disney fairy tale with themes of true love, good vs. evil, and protection. The three fairies model cooperation and sacrifice. However, the princess is entirely passive (literally asleep for much of it), and the 'true love's kiss' from a stranger she met once is problematic by modern standards. The pacing is slow and dreamy rather than chaotic, which is age-appropriate but may feel glacial to modern viewers.

Imaginative

78

Stunning hand-drawn animation that was groundbreaking for 1959, with elaborate medieval fantasy settings, a terrifying dragon transformation, and Tchaikovsky's ballet score woven throughout. The fairy magic and enchanted forest are genuinely creative. However, it's a passive viewing experience with no interactive elements, and the story itself is fairly straightforward without much room for interpretation or creative thinking.

Safe

68

Generally safe content with no gore, nudity, or inappropriate language. However, Maleficent is genuinely frightening—her dragon form and the climactic battle scene with flames and falling off a cliff can be scary for younger viewers. The cursed spinning wheel/death theme and Aurora pricking her finger (with blood visible in some versions) may be unsettling. The prince fighting through thorns and killing the dragon is more intense than many modern Disney offerings. No surprise content, but definitely has some darker moments parents should be prepared for.

Enriching

48

Limited enrichment value by modern standards. The princess has virtually no agency—she's literally asleep for the resolution of her own story. The 'true love' message is dated (they met once in the forest for one song). The three fairies are more active characters, but the overall takeaway is that women need to be rescued by men. The classical music exposure is valuable, and the good vs. evil framework is clear, but there's minimal character development, problem-solving, or meaningful life lessons. Entertaining as a visual spectacle, but not particularly thought-provoking.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Absolutely breathtaking hand-drawn animation that's a genuine work of art—the kind of craftsmanship kids won't see in modern CGI
Tchaikovsky's ballet score is woven throughout, offering classical music exposure without feeling educational
Maleficent is one of Disney's most iconic villains, and that dragon transformation is still legitimately impressive
At 75 minutes, it won't overstay its welcome (because honestly, it barely has enough plot for that runtime)
The three good fairies are actually delightful and provide some comic relief

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What to Watch For

Maleficent is genuinely scary—green flames, dramatic cape work, turning into a massive dragon—this isn't Frozen-level villainy
Aurora has maybe 18 lines of dialogue in her own movie and zero agency; she's a literal damsel in distress who sleeps while a man she met once fights for her
The pacing is SLOW—modern kids raised on Encanto and Bluey may find this nearly unwatchable
The 'true love's kiss' from a stranger is... not the message we're going for in 2025

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Aurora didn't get to help solve her own problem? What would you have done differently?"
"The three fairies kept arguing about the dress color—have you ever had friends who disagreed about something silly like that?"
"Maleficent was really angry about not being invited to the party. Do you think that's why she became so mean, or was she always that way?"
"If you had magical powers like the fairies, what would you use them for?"

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