It’s been one of the most anticipated films of the year and over the next couple of days Maleficent will finally be unleashed upon the world. Reviews have already begun to trickle in and thankfully they’re looking fairly positive so far, even if a few critics aren't entirely convinced.

Maleficent reviewsMaleficent has been raking in some pretty positive reviews from the critics

Reviews which have been published on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes have been quite mixed. Robbie Collin of the Daily Telegraph surmises, “The director, Robert Stromberg, was production designer on Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful, and if you thought those films were visually sickly, here he really has his cake and sits in it.” Although he adds, “This Disney reimagining of Sleeping Beauty lacks true enchantment, but Angelina Jolie saves the day.” We think everyone can agree that it was obvious from the trailer that Angelina Jolie was going to steal the show as the eponymous character. Not only does she look fantastic, but she seems like the whole creepy package.

MORE: Elle Fanning still in awe of Angelina Jolie after Maleficent

Alonso Duralde of The Wrap wasn’t wowed by the visuals in Maleficent, although he was impressed on the whole, “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.”

Emily Breen from HeyUGuys seems to recognise that this is a Disney movie that will draw in a range of generations. Many adults who watched Sleeping Beauty as children will be tempted to go and see this more mature approach, but do the directors account for the young viewers coming to the story for the first time? She writes, “This bold approach commands rapt attention and allows an older audience deeper investment in the fantastical story, but very young viewers will need a bigger hand to hold.”

Maleficent reviewsAngelina Jolie and Elle Fanning star as Maleficent and Aurora respectively

Digital Spy’s Ben Rawson-Jones seems torn in his opinion, but ultimately enjoyed Maleficent: “Much like the character of Maleficent veers between hero and villain during the story, the film straddles the line between magnificence and glory.”

Overall, the critical response to Maleficent has been promising, if a bit of a mixed bag. The critics who aren't entirely sure at least have some positives to add, while Jolie has been unanimously praised.  There’s been a lot of hype around the project, particularly since Angelina Jolie is at the helm and she seems like the perfect choice for the character.

MORE: How does Maleficent rate amongst Angelina Jolie's most memorable roles?

Click here to watch the trailer for Disney's Maleficent.