Oz The Great and Powerful Review

Oz the Great and Powerful

3 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Oz the Great and Powerful is arguably the biggest movie released thus far in 2013. With its all-star cast, eye-popping visual effects, and family-friendly appeal, it's generating major bucks at the box office. It's also receiving some very mixed reviews because it's supposedly not living up to The Wizard of Oz. (How can critics expect this Oz to live up to the classic?) Nevertheless, Oz the Great and Powerful is great entertainment. It's an epic, fun adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

This Oz is a prequel to the 1939 original. It's the origin story of Oz (James Franco). Oz is introduced as a conniving, deceptive playboy. He wants to be a great person who does great things, but he can't because he's trapped in the circus world as a magician. After a series of events, he is thrown into the world of Oz. He meets three witches (Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz) who question whether or not he truly is the great wizard that they have been waiting for. Accompanied by a monkey (Zach Braff) and a China doll (Joey King), Oz must save the inhabitants of the land from the dangers of the wicked witch. 

I'm just going to put it out there that I'm not going to compare this Oz to the original, mainly because I can't remember the original that well. (I remember that I really enjoyed The Wizard of Oz as a child, but it's been so long since I've seen it, that it'd be unfair to compare the two.) Also, this Oz is completely different than the original. They feel like two different films. There isn't even mention of Dorothy or ruby slippers in this Oz.

Oz the Great and Powerful is, first and foremost, gorgeous. The visual effects are stunning, and the world of Oz is entirely believable, thanks to director Sam Raimi's bold vision. The visuals always make for a dazzling experience and overshadow some of the generic writing. Unfortunately, I did not get to see this film in 3D, but I wish that I did. I hear that the 3D is spectacular. 

Let's talk about Sam Raimi a little more. Raimi is most famous for his Evil Dead series and the fairly recent Spider-Man trilogy. He takes some of the fun scariness of Evil Dead and the blockbuster-esque set pieces from Spider-Man to create a big, entertaining adventure. He knows how to shoot thrilling action sequences and fun jump scares (which may be too scary for some young children), so that the film is always a pleasure to watch. Even though it's over 2 hours, I was rarely bored. The film has a nice pace to it so that it is not dull. 

The main attention surrounding Oz the Great and Powerful seems to involve the casting choices. While many are complaining about the actors in this film, I thought that the casting was spot-on. James Franco is great in every role that he takes on, so it's no surprise that he is a very good Oz. He is capable of undergoing the arc from unlikable to likable. He is always charming and seems to be having a lot of fun with this narcissistic playboy character. Michelle Williams is absolutely lovely as Glinda, the good witch. She glows in every scene. Rachel Weisz is a hoot as Evanora. It seems like she's having a blast with this over-the-top, devilish character. She sorta revels in the campy fun of the role. And Mila Kunis is quite good as Theodora. At first, Kunis seems a little stiff and restrained (which is surprising, considering that she's such a talented, emotive actress). However, this intentional restraint at the beginning of the movie makes sense once her character evolves during the film. It makes for an effective character arc and a smart performance.

Oz the Great and Powerful is a rousing adventure that is perfect for families. Many family films do not entertain both children and their parents, but Oz does this with flying colors. It's a blast. Three stars out of four.