Il grande e potente Oz

Oz the Great and Powerful .. or maybe not so great, but still highly watchable.

Franco plays the little man behind the curtain, while Kunis, normally a favourite of mine, appears to be stuck in that tornado. Neither manage to defy gravity but the rest of the cast were pleasant, especially Weisz - even with her Emperor-like green force lightning.

It would have been a more visually stunning Oz had the effects been simplified. Conversely, the story lacked depth and with some rather clumsy dialogue (especially for Kunis), it was all perhaps a little too light and "Disney".

Doesn't quite get the ruby slipper, but maybe 3 out of 5 wands.

A Fresh Take on the World of Oz - 8/10

I've often wondered why Oz the Great and Powerful receives such mixed reviews. Going into it, I understood it wasn't meant to rival the timeless charm of the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz or the beloved Broadway phenomenon Wicked. Instead, I approached it with an open mind, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this visually stunning and emotionally engaging prequel.

This film offers a fascinating origin story of how the Wizard arrived in Oz and laid the foundation for the events we know so well from the classic movie. While it may not be considered "true canon," it feels far closer to the spirit of the 1939 film than Wicked, especially with its creative use of book-inspired characters like the China Girl.

Speaking of the China Girl, she absolutely stole the show for me. Her character was not only visually remarkable but also emotionally impactful, bringing out a softer, more vulnerable side of the Wizard. Her story added depth and warmth, turning what could have been a simple CGI companion into one of the movie's standout elements.

What I loved most was the film's respectful nods to its source material. From subtle homages to the original film to clever integration of book references, there are countless details that fans of the Oz universe will appreciate. It also provides a unique take on the relationships and rivalries between the witches, offering another layer of intrigue to Oz's complex history.

If you're looking for a vibrant, imaginative return to the land of Oz, this movie is definitely worth your time. It's not a musical, aside from one brief moment that feels like a loving tribute to the 1939 classic, but it doesn't need to be. The dazzling visuals, engaging story, and well-placed Easter eggs make it a delightful experience for both new and longtime fans of Oz.

Currently streaming on Disney+, Oz the Great and Powerful is a magical adventure that deserves a second look. Give it a watch-you won't be disappointed!

In 1905, in Kansas, the small-time circus magician Oscar "Oz" Diggs (James Franco) is a weak, greedy, selfish and womanizer conman without character. He gives music box to the women that he seduces, and when a strong artist finds that his wife has a box in her belongings, he chases Oz through the circus. Oz flees in a balloon, but a tornado strikes his balloon and he lands on the Land of Oz.

Oscar meets the gorgeous Theodora (Mila Kunis) and she believes that he is the powerful magician from an ancient prophecy that will release her land from the Wicked Witch. Theodora tells that her sister and she are good witches, but the Wicked Witch had killed the king. Now the people are waiting for the magician to be their new king after defeating the witch. Theodora is seduced by Oz and brings him to the City of Emerald. When he sees the king's treasure, he decides to seek out the Wicked Witch and destroy her magic wand to get rid off her and become the king. Oz meets Glinda (Michelle Williams), who is supposed to be the Wicked witch, and soon he learns that Theodora's sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz) is the evil one indeed.

Meanwhile Evanora lures he sister that is jealous and uses a spell to turn her into a wicked witch. Oscar learns that he is the only hope for the inhabitants of Oz that believe that he is a powerful magician and his only chance to defeat Evanora and Theodora is using illusion since he has no magic power.

"Oz the Great and Powerful" is an entertaining fantasy movie, with beautiful special effects and great cast. The beginning in black and white turns to bright colors when Oz reaches the magic kingdom and the images are wonderful. It takes too long for the unethical lead character to redeem and become a good man. For viewers that enjoy fantasy movies, "Oz the Great and Powerful" is a highly recommended movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Oz: Mágico e Poderoso" ("Oz: Magic and Powerful")

Sometimes you hear about how bad a movie is, how the critics hated it, how it failed at the box office, etc. etc. etc. And then you find it in the bargain bin and you decide to see how bad it really is. This was the case with a number of movies (like COWBOYS V ALIENS and that one about the civil war guy sent to Mars) and in some cases (like the two mentioned) they turn out not as bad as people make out. This is the same as OZ THE GREAT AND THE POWERFUL. I watched it with my daughter and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. There was just enough humour, action and a little bit of scary o keep you entertained for the however long it took to watch it. It just goes to prove that you never judge a whatever by its thingy. Now the reverse can also be true (as in the case of AVATAR) as a movie everyone loved can be a piece of crap. So if you are wondering what you are in for if you decide to watch it, I think you are in for a good action adventure. It is not THE WIZARD OF OZ but rather a cross between THE HOBBIT and a Jim Carey movie…..errr…..I think. There are a few scary bits but nothing that would frighten kid over 8. So overall not as bad as it was made out to be and, yep, I would be up for a sequel.

Oz the Great and Powerful is, although admittedly very imperfect, a grand, colourful and often immersive adventure.

As usual, Sam Raimi's energy shines in the action and horror, with the Dutch tilts and sudden zoom ins bringing a sense of camp and unease into the tension. The flying monkeys brought back the trauma from the original in such an overkill fashion where their terror is mostly concealed and portrayed in silhouette until around the halfway mark. James Franco as Oz was a surprisingly good fit, with him able to pull off portraying a sympathetic con-man. Although portrayed mostly through CGI, the land of Oz looks dazzling most of the time, and then there are a few times where it looks distractingly too glamorous and over-polished. Make-up and costumes are mostly on point, harkening back to the aesthetic of the original with more modern capabilities, although the same could be said with a lot of other aspects of the film.

Although the CGI is used to great effect in many ways throughout the movie, it eventually ends up feeling a bit overused, especially in the final battle between two of the witches. The story revolving around how certain characters from the original film behaved before the events of that film ranged from feeling plausible to almost downright silly. Oz as the con-man was a good connection to the deceptive yet humble wizard in the original, yet the portrayal of the wicked Witch of the West as a heartbroken, temper-tamtrum-a-minute villain with an obsessive relationship to the wizard just doesn't feel like it matches up with the purely maniacal and unhinged character from the original. Each of the romantic aspects of the movie come off as weird fan-fiction where I feel like it just doesn't work. Sometimes a few of the actors looked like their heart wasn't really in it either.

Overall, though not particularly an amazing prequel, it's a technically impressive one with a good cast, decent story and great direction.