At 10 am today, I took two daughters and three grandchildren to see Oz, The Great and Powerful, which is sort of a prequel to The Wizard of Oz and Return to Oz. The Wizard of Oz is an American icon. Return to Oz (1985) is much darker then The Wizard of Oz, but I liked it.
Oz, The Great and Powerful gets a much more critical review from me. Though I have enjoyed Mila Kunis, who played Theodora, in other roles, I didn’t find her performance to be as interesting as it could have been. And I’m being kind. Rachel Weisz (Evanora) played Mila Kunis’ sister and while her role was better played, it wasn’t enough to save the film.
James Franco played Oscar Diggs, a circus magician, huckster and womanizer who enjoys toying with women’s emotions – which goes wrong when he starts doing it with witches in Oz. His portrayal was ok. Just ok. He was believable as the slimy con-man but not as the sincere and repentant Wizard of Oz. To me it felt as if the chemistry between Franco, the director and his fellow actors was strained. Maybe it was just me? He falls in love with Michelle Williams (Glinda the Good Witch of the North). At least that’s what the script called for. It just didn’t work either.
The last bit of the movie (if it stood alone) where the linkage is established between the audience chamber where Dorothy Gale meets the Wizard was effective and interesting but it didn’t save the film.
The chemistry between actors is what transcends a lot of other technical and writing effort and that’s where I feel that this film effort broke down.
Disney worked very hard to integrate the film racially and it came off as gratuitous and cheap rather than genuine. Sorry Disney. Political correctness helped kill the film. It looked STUPID and it didn’t have to.
I can’t recommend that you spend money to see the film in the theater. Watch it on cable TV in a year or rend a Red Box DVD in four months for a dollar.
My rating: 4 out of a possible 10
If the actors don't "feel it" it is hard for us to do so.
Glad I don't go to movies a lot (I see what's on the airplane), so I can freely skip this one!
It's certainly true where you're trying to shoot a love scene. And they TRIED to do that more than once in Oz.
Skip it. You'll thank me.
Spectacular 3 D effects since from the opening titles till end of the fairy tale.Welcome of Oscar at OZ , wonderful flying Monkey and cute Doll.. In simple words, Watching this movie is Visual Treat….
Really, Shayari? Have you ACTUALLY seen the movie or is this a troll?
Solid review. This could've been a lot worse as a whole but there are enough good things scattered throughout to make it a cute, entertaining night at the movies if you get the chance.
I never saw Return to Oz…I saw The Wiz, and then I stayed away…
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I missed "The Wiz".
Are you suggesting that I didn't miss much?
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