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    Film Review: Oz the Great and Powerful

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    It’s been nearly three quarters of a century since Judy Garland starred in The Wizard of Oz. Even though it wasn’t initially a huge success it has gone on to become one of the most beloved films of the past century. There have been numerous adaptations, unofficial sequels, re-imaginings, and now a prequel that tells the story of what happened before Dorothy, her house, and her little dog landed in Oz.

    Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is a destitute magician/conman working for a traveling circus in Kansas. When he’s forced to make a daring escape in a hot air balloon a tornado whisks him away to the beautiful but deadly land of Oz. Tasked with fulfilling the prophecy of bringing peace to Oz, Oscar must decide what kind of man he wants to be while contending with flying monkeys, an emerald city, and defeating a wicked witch.
    The Wizard of Oz is an important film to a lot of people, a childhood favorite that is passed down from generation to generation. I’ve never really seen the appeal of the film; the last time I saw the Wizard of Oz was in the mid-eighties and despite some parental encouragement I never felt the need to revisit it again. Not having any particular attachment to The Wizard of Oz the idea of a prequel didn’t cause me any alarm and makes it easier for me to judge this film as an impartial outsider.

    How successful Oz the Great and Powerful is going to be doesn’t entirely sit on James Franco’s shoulders but there’s no denying that he’s a polarizing figure among audiences. In Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy I thought Franco was grossly miscast and his portrayal of Harry Osborn was cheesy at best. More recently, with films like Rise of the Planet of the Apes and 127 Hours he’s begun to show a lot of growth and maturity to a point where I’m semi interested in seeing what he’ll turn up in next. As Oscar, his natural charm and playfulness combined with the right amount of insecurity create an entertaining protagonist.

    What part of the film’s success doesn’t ride on Franco’s shoulders will undoubtedly fall on that of the three witches (no falling house joke intended). Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, and Michelle Williams play the film’s three witches; some of whom you’ll immediately recognize while others ‘grow’ into their more familiar roles. There are some obvious differences between their appearances and portrayals mostly due to the issue of film property rights between Disney and Warner Bros. but the trio do a reasonable job in fleshing out their roles while trying to remain faithful to the original portrayals.

    From a technical aspect Oz the Great and Powerful is a spectacle to behold. Director Sam Raimi deserves a lot of credit for creating one of the more beautiful films I’ve seen in recent memory. It may not blow audiences away the same way that the original Wizard of Oz did in the late 30s when three-strip Technicolor was in its infancy but Oz really dazzles in both 2D and 3D. Similar to its predecessor scenes in Kansas are presented in black & white (sepia in The Wizard of Oz) with those scenes also being shown in the Academy aspect ratio which was the Hollywood standard until the early 1950s. Once the film makes its way to Oz the film’s scope literally opens up with an impressive transition into the scope aspect ratio and an incredibly vivid color palette reminiscent of the original’s Technicolor breakthrough.

    Oz the Great and Powerful

    Year: 2013
    Rating: PG
    Runtime: 2 HR, 10 MIN
    Director: Sam Raimi
    Writers: Mitchell Kapner, David Lindsay-Abaire, L. Frank Baum
    Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Bill Cobbs, Joey King, Tony Cox, Bruce Campbell
    Rating: ★★★☆☆

    While I felt the cast was charming and the look of the film to be fantastic there are some aspects of Oz that keep it from making the jump from a good film to a great one. Firstly, Oz is a tad too long; the first two thirds of the film move at a good pace but the final act, while occasionally exciting, starts to become tedious. There are also a few too many scenes that feel like they were directly ripped out of other recent films like The Dark Knight and Star Wars Episode III. The film’s script isn’t helped by dialogue that doesn’t fit well in the Oz universe. There are several conversations (and characters, i.e. Tony Cox) that feel completely out of place for a film set at the turn of the 20th century.

    How will audiences react to Oz the Great and Powerful? Honestly I’m not sure; fans might embrace it or they could condemn it- neither would surprise me. In the end I can’t look past the fact that this story still takes place in the universe of The Wizard of Oz. No matter how great the visuals, how entertaining the cast, I don’t have any emotional investment in the series. I enjoyed Oz the Great and Powerful more than I thought I would; despite its ties to a film I’ve never liked I’m still I’m giving it a mild recommendation.

    Follow me on Twitter at @MoviesHateUToo and ‘Like Me’ on Facebook at Facebook.com/MoviesHateYouToo.

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    Nicholas Herum
    Nicholas Herumhttp://www.movieshateyoutoo.com
    Nicholas Herum is a featured contributor who reviews films for Columbus Underground. You can find more of his work at his own website, Movies Hate You Too.
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