Oz le magnifique

Well, let's start with...

The Good:

The visual effects are 2nd to none. Raimi and his team have given their audience a bright and colorful world of wonder in a much more 'wowing' Land of Oz than that of the original film, and possibly even one that's more visually attractive than any other film to date. A very fun and crafty Rachel Weisz takes the role of Evanora and grips the audience with charm and viciousness in all the right doses. The supporting cast also performs pretty well, sometimes capturing that original 'Wizard of Oz' magic.

The Bad:

Going into this film with high expectations for the dialogue, & acting is going to leave you very disappointed. Two of the most featured roles of the film, Oz (played by James Franco) & Theodora, (played by Mila Kunis) are surprisingly and inexcusably portrayed very poorly. Franco's Oz is written to be about how you would expect him to be - complete with charm, wit, & deceit. However, the depth that you would expect to come with such an anticipated resurgence of a character is missing, & you can tell that Franco is having trouble buying into the role himself. The character quickly becomes stale at about 45 minutes in, and doesn't ever fully recover. Kunis feels the same - bored & devoid of passion for the lackluster lines given to her. Her character also has an issue with development, and is rushed from high to low so quickly that the audience doesn't have the opportunity to invest in her. The performances aren't the worst thing you'll ever see, but the lifeless script & awkward dialogue make it hard to stay focused. Even with a great script though, I feel as though Franco & Kunis weren't the best choices for their respective roles.

The Ugly:

The worst part of this movie is the story. It leaves you waiting for some kind of clever & unexpected plot twist, a little divulgence of the characters motivations, or even just some depth for the main focal points of the story. It's also somewhat obnoxious that this film takes elements of the original film that should have been left alone because the original film portrays Dorothy's entire journey as a dream in the end. (Such as transferring characters of "the real world" into characters of The Land of Oz) Without saying too much, I can tell you that this film is stuck somewhere between being a fun and family friendly revitalization of the original story and being a serious and intriguing fantasy film for a wide movie-going audience - and the formula just doesn't work.

Having said all of that, I do not regret having gone to see Oz: The Great and Powerful, as the visuals do a great job of making up for everything that didn't work. I will warn you though, that the films run time of just over two hours can be difficult to sit through at times. Don't be afraid to take a bathroom break when it gets dry, you probably won't miss too much.

Sometimes you hear about how bad a movie is, how the critics hated it, how it failed at the box office, etc. etc. etc. And then you find it in the bargain bin and you decide to see how bad it really is. This was the case with a number of movies (like COWBOYS V ALIENS and that one about the civil war guy sent to Mars) and in some cases (like the two mentioned) they turn out not as bad as people make out. This is the same as OZ THE GREAT AND THE POWERFUL. I watched it with my daughter and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. There was just enough humour, action and a little bit of scary o keep you entertained for the however long it took to watch it. It just goes to prove that you never judge a whatever by its thingy. Now the reverse can also be true (as in the case of AVATAR) as a movie everyone loved can be a piece of crap. So if you are wondering what you are in for if you decide to watch it, I think you are in for a good action adventure. It is not THE WIZARD OF OZ but rather a cross between THE HOBBIT and a Jim Carey movie…..errr…..I think. There are a few scary bits but nothing that would frighten kid over 8. So overall not as bad as it was made out to be and, yep, I would be up for a sequel.

if You didn't Know that this Movie was Directed by Sam Raimi, You wouldn't Know that it was Directed by Sam Raimi. All of the Style is in the CGI. It has a Certain Eye Candy Appeal that also Lacks Warmth, Depth, and Anything Resembling a Soul.

But here it is. A Mega-Million Dollar Spewing of the Plasticized, Industrial Art that has become the Standard for This Type of Thing. The Other Worldliness of the Superhero and other Fantasies. It can Work Very Well in Limited Quantities but when that's All there is, that's All there is.

James Franco is a Movie Star (and some may question why) and Not an Actor, so He can by No Stretch of the Imagination Pull off the Charm Needed for the Wizard. He Grins and Smirks and All the Women On Screen, and in the Audience, are Supposed to be Charmed Out of Their Pants. Right.

The Prequel has its Moments of Appeal, but Hardly Awe Inspiring. The Witches are Interchangeable Bores. The Flying Monkey is OK and the China Doll is the Most Memorable. There are a lot of Explosions and Fireballs to Pump the Sub-Woofers and Danny Elfman's Recognizable Style is Noticeable from the First Few Notes (did someone say repetition).

Overall, the Movie can be Recommended in a Gaudy kind of Display with Enough Color to Capture the Eye, but the Movie is Not that Captivating. It is such a Mediocre Movie that Slightly Betrays the Source Material and is Another Expensive Extravaganza that is by Most Accounts Disappointing and Adequate at Best. That's not much for Disney and the Pile of Gold it put out for this Thing.

A Fresh Take on the World of Oz - 8/10

I've often wondered why Oz the Great and Powerful receives such mixed reviews. Going into it, I understood it wasn't meant to rival the timeless charm of the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz or the beloved Broadway phenomenon Wicked. Instead, I approached it with an open mind, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this visually stunning and emotionally engaging prequel.

This film offers a fascinating origin story of how the Wizard arrived in Oz and laid the foundation for the events we know so well from the classic movie. While it may not be considered "true canon," it feels far closer to the spirit of the 1939 film than Wicked, especially with its creative use of book-inspired characters like the China Girl.

Speaking of the China Girl, she absolutely stole the show for me. Her character was not only visually remarkable but also emotionally impactful, bringing out a softer, more vulnerable side of the Wizard. Her story added depth and warmth, turning what could have been a simple CGI companion into one of the movie's standout elements.

What I loved most was the film's respectful nods to its source material. From subtle homages to the original film to clever integration of book references, there are countless details that fans of the Oz universe will appreciate. It also provides a unique take on the relationships and rivalries between the witches, offering another layer of intrigue to Oz's complex history.

If you're looking for a vibrant, imaginative return to the land of Oz, this movie is definitely worth your time. It's not a musical, aside from one brief moment that feels like a loving tribute to the 1939 classic, but it doesn't need to be. The dazzling visuals, engaging story, and well-placed Easter eggs make it a delightful experience for both new and longtime fans of Oz.

Currently streaming on Disney+, Oz the Great and Powerful is a magical adventure that deserves a second look. Give it a watch-you won't be disappointed!

Beautiful yet vapid prequel to "The Wizard Of Oz" that is plague by not only by the numbers script but the questionable judgment of the people behind the scenes of the making of the film. The CGI effects are good and the characters created by those effects are cute but they are not strong enough to hide the films real problems. The script is so by the numbers that you can envision the twist and the ending five minutes into the film. Prequels are generally predicable because it set before the events of a prior movie but this film just did not have any originality to it and was just lazy in its set up. The script is not the only problem here; some of the casting is also off by a large margin as well. James Franco was not the first actor to be considered to play the character of Oscar Diggs but you can see a hundred better actors who could have done the role justice before you can ever think of Franco in the role and he does not disappoint in proving how miscast he is. Franco is terrible, so terrible that he is distracting to the film. He definitely does not care about his performance and it shows. Franco just swaggers in as if he is above the material and the actors around him while in reality, his performance is worse that the script of this film. Making his character so unlikable that you really do not want to watch or care about him. While Franco is in his own little world, Mila Kunis just looks lost in her performance. She is not believable as the wicked witch of the west and just comes across as lightweight compare to her sisters played by Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams who are both much better actors than this film deserved. Weisz in particular gives the film's best performance because she at least makes an effort with the lazy script she has to work with and just has fun with it. Her character is the typical Disney villain but in Weisz's capable hands, she becomes more and that does translate on screen. You as an audience member are swept off your feet by Weisz's enthusiasm for her role and the movie becomes better off because of it. Williams does the same, making her sweet tooth character a joy to watch as well and brings a real sincerity to the role which is a god sent because of how insincere Franco is in his.

It is a beautiful movie and the CGI does not give you a headache but other those things and the efforts of Weisz and Williams, The movie has too many strikes against it thanks to the script and the miscasting of Franco and Kunis.