Movie Review
Review Oz The Great & Powerful
As I ever know that the movie is tries to make references to The Wizard of Oz, a classic movie that released on 1939. I've never seen the movie but at least I know the movie outline.
The film focuses its attention on Oz, short for Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a circus magician from Kansas who ends up being blown away by a tornado to the wonderful land of Oz. Once he arrives at Oz, he meets a beautiful witch named Theodora (Mila Kunis) who explains how they have been waiting for him because a prophecy claims that a wizard would arrive at Oz and defeat the evil witch who poisoned her own father, the king of Emerald City. The long awaited wizard could become King if he is able to defeat the witch and protect the land. Oz, who isn't a very moral fellow, is interested in becoming great so he accepts as long as he can keep all the gold. He ignores telling her that he isn't actually a real wizard. What Theodora and Oz don't know is that her sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), has lied to everyone in Emerald City about the evil witch Glinda (Michelle Williams). Evanora is actually the evil witch who is trying to get rid of Glinda and take over Oz. During his mission Oz runs into some unlikely allies like Finley (Zach Braff) a winged monkey and a porcelain doll named China Girl (Joey King) before discovering the truth about Glinda and Evanora. This is the story of Oz and how he came to this land and made a name for himself.
Things start well enough with the eye-catching opening credits and a classic, black-and- white look as we're introduced to James Franco's Oz. While it isn't entirely clear at first, his Oz is actually a tough character to get behind. The problem isn't that he's a liar, but that he often times basks in his own ego, exudes a sort of snobbiness and a general lack of concern.
Of course Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz were amazing in their roles, unfortunately, one of the other primary casting choices was disastrous. Mila Kunis didn't work at all for me as the Wicked Witch of the West; I just didn't get it. Her transformation to this evil creature was underdeveloped, though this was primarily due to problems with the script, which shortchanged both the set-up and payoff. But I didn't find her voice, or physical appearance, or general demeanor convincing in the least. And this is such an iconic character, that the weak link is problematic for the film overall.
The story was predictable and underwhelming for the most part, but the ending made some sense.
While I don't think Oz the Great and Powerful is by any means an instant classic, it will delight it's targeted fanbase, which is children. The movie, while too simple for an adult like me looking for a little more character and grandeur to the tale, is very funny, and its heart is always in the right place, teaching that one can make themselves whatever they wish to be. However, I do strongly advise parents seeing this movie first without their kids and then deciding whether or not their kid is old enough for it.
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