[4][5] The track is originally composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and written by Jack Lawrence and Sammy Fain from the 1959 film Sleeping Beauty, and features as the title song for Maleficent.

Jonathan Broxton wrote in his review, stating "Stylistically, you can look to scores like Waterworld, King Kong, Lady in the Water and The Last Airbender for comparisons, but Maleficent is still has a sense of individual flair, and is distinct enough to stand on its own.

There isn't a hint of the malaise which seems to have overcome its composer in recent years and it is a truly impressive return to form, easily his finest score since Lady in the Water and perhaps even further back than that.

"[15] Mfiles.com wrote "an enjoyably old-fashioned film score experience, one perhaps lacking a defining identity, but a beautiful return to form for the composer nonetheless".

[16] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "the swell and bombast of James Newton Howard's score comes on strong in the early sequences before finding a groove".

[19] Andrew Barker of Variety wrote "James Newton Howard's sweeping score locates a nice sweet spot somewhere between Erich Korngold and Danny Elfman, and Lana Del Rey's gothy take on the "Sleeping Beauty" showstopper "Once Upon a Dream" makes for a fitting closer".

[21] Filmtracks.com wrote " Perhaps the most brilliant move that Howard made with this score was one that many listeners won't even notice, and that's because it's an intentional absence of theme that is key to the plot.