Director Sam Raimi brings this fanatical adaptation of L.
Frank Baum’s The Wizard Of Oz to
screens everywhere in an eager attempt to win over movie lovers. Oscar
Diggs (James Franco, Pineapple Express,
127 Hours) is just an ordinary traveling magician who aims to shock and
amaze his audience with a sleeve full of plain and mediocre magic tricks. When
he is whisked off in a hot-air balloon to The Land of Oz, Oscar’s worldviews
change and he finds himself in a slew of predicaments, one being that the
people of Oz foresaw his falling from the meek skies and believe that he is the
great wizard they’ve long awaited. But there are three witches Theodora (Mila
Kunis, Black Swan), Evanora (Rachel
Weisz, Constantine) and Glinda (Michelle
Williams, Dawson’s Creek) who all
seem less persuaded that he is indeed the great and powerful icon they’ve been
expecting. Troubling as this might be for Oscar who is never displeased with
being the center of attention, he finds himself surrounded by gold and fortune—which
is all but his until he completes one heavy task. Before he can claim his throne,
he must seek which of the witches are good and which one is as truly wicked as
he’s so heard about. Set out on a journey to find and destroy the Wicked Witch,
Oscar is accompanied by his newfound pals the comical flying bell-hop monkey
Finley (Voiced by Zach Braff, Scrubs)
and the scanty china girl (Voiced by Joey King, Crazy Stupid Love) who both come to his aide along the way. It is
for then that Oscar must utilize his craft for it is all he has to convince the
people of Oz that he is right for the task and that he’s in fact the great and
powerful wizard they see him as.
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| (c) 2013 | Walt Disney Pictures and Roth Films |
It was a clever idea to provide such an in depth backstory of
Oz himself, which is helpful to anyone willing to view the first original
classic one more time. The film also admirably follows the same platform in
which its predecessor had by starting the first portion in black and white then
transitioning into the stunning color—all the while drawing in the wonder and excitement
that the land of Oz brings with vibrant displays of pixel perfect clarity. With
a variety of fresh elements, Oz: The Great
and Powerful combines fantasy with steampunk, a
basis in which the movie seems hopeful to provide will appeal to every
audience. This film is intended for all ages, however some of the humor might
go unnoticed by younger viewers. It has a steady plot and directs its audience
right through to the very enthusiastic end.
I give this film 4 out of 5 stars for its incredible visual
effects and auspicious screenwriting.
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