Opening "Oz the Great and Powerful" with a marvelous black-and-white prologue filmed in the 1. However, once we are introduced to James Franco's magician, and quickly perceive that he is selfish and greedy and narcissistic, though that may be only how Franco is playing him , there's nothing much to concentrate on except the CG effects which are visually uneven. The tepid screenplay, by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire, needed the kind of loving care which has been lavished upon the art direction, what with characters that don't make sense and character conflicts which are perplexing rather than involving.
The two sisters currently running the Emerald City, Theodora Mila Kunis and Evanora Rachel Weisz , don't appear to know much about each other or what the other is capable of, and their future alliance seems connected to the rest of the picture by happenstance. The phony wizard himself arrives in Oz in a preconceived way, while the constant cutting to close-ups of Franco's inexpressive face takes away from the awe Raimi surely wants the audience to feel at this point.
Raimi's participation is odd, certainly, but his casting as director is not as disastrous as Franco's half-hearted fling in the leading role. Smiling too broadly while no doubt being instructed to act raffish and adorable , Franco is both too modern for this part and too self-enamored.
There's no connection between Franco, the man he's playing, the fanciful scenario which needed a lighter touch with sprightlier pacing , nor the other cast members; he could be acting in front of a mirror.
There's an honest and affectionate attempt to recapture the magic of 's "The Wizard of Oz", albeit with corny, leadweight tries at humor again, too modern , yet only Kunis in her beautiful green makeup is able to get this material soaring to those same heights.
The film doesn't blossom; it is laid out for us in a perfunctory fashion, despite the two thrill-ride overtures which seem interjected mainly to give the movie some lift the bubble-floating entrance with Glinda to Munchkinland begins well, but the business with the security wall doesn't end up making a lot of sense. Too many ideas are thrown at the screen without benefit of logic, such as a ferocious lion who comes out of nowhere and disappears just as fast or a winged monkey dressed like a bellhop who is seen dragging the wizard's luggage on the ground one minute and flying with it effortlessly the next.
Perhaps nimbler editing could have done away with the dross the withering stabs at easy laughs, the awkward setting up of the tent-show actress at the beginning , but Franco is a casualty the movie must unfortunately contend with from start to finish.
His artificial theatricality as Oz is so forced and without heart that he comes off as contemptuous of these make-believe surroundings. If the actor on-screen doesn't believe in what he's doing, how can the audience? This wizard takes his cue from Thomas Alva Edison. TxMike 28 July The DVD has a very nice minute "extra" which summarizes Walt Disney's personal attraction to the OZ series of books, and barely loosing out rights to those who made the classic, "The Wizard of Oz.
James Franco who plays Oz in this newer movie is a Circus con man and magician who literally has to run for his life, commandeers a waiting hot-air balloon, and is swept away only to find himself in a giant tornado that eventually carries him into a colorful and beautiful, wide-screen land of OZ. There he finds that they have been expecting a Wizard to save them and reclaim the Emerald City, but his only incentive is the piles of gold he is shown. Ultimately he uses Thomas Edison as his model, ingenuity and hard work can almost work magic, and he enlists the people of OZ to help him pull it off.
It is a bit hard, however, trying to connect this movie with the movie, which was told from Dorothy's perspective because it was actually her dream while she had been knocked out during the storm. Here we see scenes not told from OZ's perspective, and he ends up as the Wizard for the Emerald City, having dispatched the wicked witch, remaining there, not going back home.
So it is best not to look for a connection in continuity, simply a fairy tale about a man becoming the Wizard of OZ. Mila Kunis is the first witch he meets, Theodora , who later is turned evil by her sister, Rachel Weisz as the witch Evanora. Also young Joey King who was the Girl in Wheelchair during his Kansas magic show, begging him to make her walk, and in OZ was the voice of the China Doll who had two broken legs, but OZ glued them back together so she could walk again. So much of it plays as if OZ is just knocked out, like Dorothy had been, and is having a very lucid dream with familiar people playing different characters, as had Dorothy.
But if that is the intent, this dream never ends, or at least we don't see it end. Did I enjoy it? Yes, I did, the imagery and special effects are done very well, but it is nowhere near the movie that the movie is. Just watched this with my movie theatre-working friend along with one of his sisters and her husband. We all were quite enthralled by the spectacle of all that transpired during the course of the film.
James Franco does a nice mix of the doubt and eventual confidence in the title role. Like the classic musical version, this film begins in black-and-white before going to color when we reach Oz. Oh, and that beginning sequence is also on a smaller ratio than the rest of the movie. There might be some flaws here and there but, overall, I highly enjoyed Oz the Great and Powerful. The L.
Frank Baum classic is retold with perhaps mild success in this film. James Franco gave a completely lackluster performance as the con artist magician who is transported back to the magical land and is confronted by the fact that there are witches about ready to wreak havoc on the populace there.
I kept wondering why Mila Kunis was not the evil witch since she appears so nice and friendly. Her sister, played well by Rachel Weisz, keeps telling her that Glynda, Michelle Williams, is the bad witch and when she thinks that the Wizard Franco is falling for Glynda, she turns completely evil and makes her sister look rather benign in comparison.
Gone in this version is Dorothy, instead replaced by a cartoon-like girl. There is a monkey and some town people along the way with the Munchkins and others alike. Perhaps, we were used to the wonderful music of the classic. Has all the elements of a good film Gordon 28 March This film is about a conman magician who is swept to a magical kingdom, where its people are waiting for the Wizard to save them from evil witches.
The characters are well differentiated and special in its own right, with James Franco as the man who pretends, Michelle Williams as the blonde beauty, Rachel Weisz as an evil witch. Mila Kunis really stands out as the more evil witch, her evil shouts are spine chilling! The plot tells a story of a man who does great things despite his apparently limited ability. The moral of the story is that everyone can achieve, as long as they use their brains and believe in themselves. Together with the great visuals, well written and presented plot, and a touching ending, "Oz the Great and Powerful" is very enjoyable to watch.
Scarecrow 29 July A self-absorbed magician, Oz James Franco, with a smile of teeth, seemingly jolly even when in danger , in a traveling carnival escapes from a vengeance-seeking strongman in a hot air balloon and is swept into a tornado that cascades him into a magical land called Oz. Once there, he meets "Theodora the Good" Mila Kunis , an emotionally vulnerable witch who believes he's the new king foretold in prophesy to sit upon the throne of the Emerald City.
But Theodora's evil sister, Evanora Rachel Weisz wishes to retain her powerful grip on Emerald City she is equipped with an army of winged monstrous primates with sharp teeth and a mean streak , eventually convincing Oz that if he wants to be king he must destroy the wand of "the wicked witch of the Dark Forest" actually a good witch, Wanda, played by the lovely, cherubic Michelle Williams.
Instead, Evanora sees an opening to lead Theodora to the dark side, convincing her that Oz never felt anything for her, causing her to bite from a poisoned apple. Theodora becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and the two wicked sisters will turn their sights on tearing apart all that oppose them. That said, while Disney brings out all these effects including make-up effects for Kunis later when revealed as the green Wicked Witch in black hat money can buy, it doesn't quite equal the universal appeal of The Wizard of Oz, although the heart seems to be in the right place as well as the budget.
Sam Raimi and his enormous budget didn't have Judy Garland, even though Disney pulls out all the stops. There's lots of "witch duels" with bolts cast from wands, and Oz uses magic tricks to convince Theodora and Evanora that he indeed has powers when Theodora sends a blast that lights up a hot air balloon supposedly carrying Oz, he uses this belief in his demise as a weapon against the wicked witches , his face captured in a large cloud of smoke including a fireworks display that convinces Theodora she's got a worthy rival.
My kids love this movie, so it does capture the imagination of children; that accounts for something with this father. So bonus points for entertaining the intended audience. For us, the adults, I think we might can admire the visual beauty of the artists who created Oz based on The Wizard of Oz, but the story involved doesn't really attempt to surpass the origins of its inspiration.
This all stays close to the vest with little attempt for fresh material. Sadly, the cast really never creates magic in their parts; that was a major reason for the remaining appeal of The Wizard of Oz. Kunis, to me, never matches the monstrous, skin-crawling power of her predecessor, Margaret Hamilton; she tries hard, though, but I think it is a case of miscasting. Also, for some reason, I felt Weisz was out of place, too. Franco's all smiles, and there's a carefree nature to his performance as Oz.
I guess he was likable enough. All the parts, it wasn't for a lack of trying I always felt they gave their best, but perhaps the characters just never fit them. When all is said and done, I consider this an effects movie first, with the characters and story less important to Disney and Raimi; perhaps, this will be considered a miscalculation on their part.
Bad prequel to "The Wizard of Oz". Through circumstances too silly to relate he gets whisked away to the land of Oz. They're waiting for a wizard to come help them defeat a wicked witch. They also throw in a "comic" flying monkey and a little doll made of china--that walks and talks of course.
The story is slow, long and boring. There are plenty of gaps in logic, the comedy is dreadful and if contains those "cute" little "life lessons" that pop up in every Disney film.
These messages are so heavy-handed even kids will probably find them obvious and stupid. Also, due to copyright issues, Disney had to change things in the movie. There are no ruby slippers and the scary flying monkeys from the original are now stupid-looking flying baboons. Acting doesn't help. Franco tries to be charming and sweet but comes across as obnoxious and stupid.
Williams has nothing to work with, Weisz unwisely underplays her role and Kunis is a blank. I was bored out of my mind and couldn't wait for the movie to end. Kids might like it but I hated it. LeonLouisRicci 6 June All of the Style is in the CGI. But here it is. The Other Worldliness of the Superhero and other Fantasies. The Witches are Interchangeable Bores. That's not much for Disney and the Pile of Gold it put out for this Thing. With some nice nods to the original "Wizard of Oz" by filmmaker Sam Raimi having a field day with the special effects wizards the film lacks the warmth and characters to actually root for among the new are a porcelain doll and a flying monkey, both a tad grating and winy and Franco's turn is a tad too callow and smarmy instead of blustery and confident.
While no instant classic the splendor in the eye candy make up for some of the missteps along the Yellow Brick Road. Small-time carnival hustler and magician Oscar aka "Oz" James Franco finds himself whisked away, via balloon and tornado, to the land of Oz, where he finds himself involved with three witches, one of whom is the Wicked Witch under cover and we know from the movie it's not Glinda The Good Michelle Williams , so it must be Theodora Mila Kunis or Evanora Rachel Weisz.
There is a prophecy that a Wizard will come to Oz out of the sky and rescue Oz from the clutches of the Wicked Witch, and Oz fits the bill. Except that Oz is a shallow conman. First, even though this treads similar ground to the wonderful musical Wicked and the dreadful book on which it is based , there is no connection, and the story goes in very different directions.
My verdict first - while there was much here which I liked I was, on the whole, disappointed. The film very carefully constructs itself to be a prequel to the film - it adopts the same structure of monochrome Kansas with "real world" analogues of Oz equivalents - and sets up the opening position of the film, and goes as far as adopting some elements of production design, and I very much liked all this together with production design in general and special effects specifically.
But the things I didn't care for Oz's initial arrival in Oz looked terrific, but I found myself distracted by a number of visuals clearly drawn from other movies Disney's animated Alice and The Old Mill, to name two. Oz himself remained fairly unsympathetic throughout - it would have been nice to see some redemption happening earlier than the climactic showdown - and Franco's portrayal never made me think that this character had depths.
I just plain don't like Rachel Weisz, and found her Evanora no more than adequate. And Mila Kunis, who I normally do like, never seemed fully committed to Theodora conversely, I loved Michelle Williams and most of the supporting cast. But most of all, I felt annoyed that the film hadn't played fair with certain characters. I can't be specific without spoilering, but when the film ended, there was an injustice which was neither deserved nor put right, and that left me unhappy on a fundamental storytelling level.
I haven't read all Baum's books, so I don't know whether this element was drawn from a book, but I doubt it. The 3D had its moments, but was far from essential. Like many things about this film, it could have been much more effective. Greetings again from the darkness. It seems appropriate that anyone discussing or commenting on this movie should provide upfront disclosure regarding their stance on the classic The Wizard of Oz Having watched director Victor Fleming's original more than thirty times, I have no qualms in classifying myself as an unabashed fan.
So it's understandable that trepidation accompanies every Oz fan into the theatre to watch director Sam Raimi's prequel. Raimi's career thus far has included two extremely popular special effects-driven franchises: Spider-Man and The Evil Dead His feel for imaginative visual effects remain in full force, and are evident from the opening credits. Unfortunately, Mr. Raimi was working with one hand tied behind his back thanks to the legal constraints that protect intellectual property.
Author L Frank Baum's original children's books are public domain; however, Warner Brothers owns full rights to the film. This means the filmmakers had to tread lightly so as to avoid the legal whammy that goes with "borrowing" artistic rights. This is the reason we see no ruby slippers, and only tangential references to Dorothy Gale, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, etc.
Still, don't be surprised if the news soon breaks of a lawsuit brought by Warner Bros against Disney. The film opens with an homage to the original. Oscar, nicknamed Oz, is seen as a womanizer with twisted character and lacking moral fiber. He briefly reconnects with Annie, a past Kansas fling played by Michelle Williams.
She informs him that John Gale clearly a relative to the future Dorothy has proposed to her. We also meet Frank Zach Braff who is Oscar's loyal assistant and the brunt of his abuse after allowing Oz to be humiliated by the parents of a wheelchair bound girl Joey King. This segment all lays the foundation for the rest of the story as we see what kind of man Oz is; and, we will soon cross paths again with the other key players.
Of course, the story and movie really take off as Oscar is swept away in a twister and crash lands in full color and widescreen Land of Oz. Rate movie. Watch or buy. Based on 27 reviews. Based on 95 reviews. Get it now Searching for streaming and purchasing options Common Sense is a nonprofit organization.
Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. Get it now on Searching for streaming and purchasing options X of Y Official trailer. Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update Oz the Great and Powerful. Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment.
See our privacy policy. A lot or a little? The parents' guide to what's in this movie. Positive Messages. Positive Role Models. In the Kansas section, a clown drinks from a flask during Oz's magic performance. What parents need to know Parents need to know that Oz the Great and Powerful is considerably darker and more intense than The Wizard of Oz.
Continue reading Show less. Stay up to date on new reviews. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. User Reviews Parents say Kids say. Adult Written by Carefulaboutmovies August 19, Not for kids. Poor self esteem messages for young girls.
Not for kids! I was hesitant to let my daughter see this one, but ultimately did watch it with her. Continue reading. Report this review. Adult Written by Shivom Oza March 7, Teen, 14 years old Written by minicolic November 2, Has been my favorite movie ever since i saw it!
Ever since i first saw this movie I loved it. I was seven at the time and I personally wasn't traumatized or crying like parents are claiming their childre Teen, 14 years old Written by murdermystery June 28, What's the story? Is it any good? Talk to your kids about Our editors recommend. The Wizard of Oz. Even decades later, one of the best family films ever made.
Find yourself in Oz. Rated PG for sequences of action and scary images, and brief mild language. Did you know Edit. Frank Baum was the original author of the Oz series.
Goofs When Oz and Theodora flee from the crash site, Theodora's boots are flat; moments later, when he boosts her into the cave, the boots have high heels. Quotes Oz : You can have a nice pile of bananas!
Crazy credits The closing credits are seen behind a stage curtain at first in different colors, then for the remainder it stays green. Alternate versions The film was also shown in 3D. Some shots displaying 3D effects are exclusive to the 3D version, being altered or removed in the 2D cut.
Connections Featured in Fantastic: Episode dated 17 February User reviews Review. Top review. 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 character quickly becomes stale at about 45 minutes in, and doesn't ever fully recover.
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 Ugly: The worst part of this movie is 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. FAQ 5. Is this a reboot or a prequel? Where is Elphaba? Where are the ruby slippers, munchkinland, etc.?
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