OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
MARCH 13, 2013

Aimed more at the younger generation, “Oz The Great and Powerful” lacks the humor and sophisticated nature that makes a film “fun for all ages.” The visuals are incredible, and the females are stunning, but apart from that, the adventure relies heavily on notions that are not entirely interesting. It’s a run-of-the-mill prequel that sets up the story and builds on the characters and situations we know from the original “Wizard Of Oz.” Had the plot not been completely paper thin, with all the twists telegraphed (even in the marketing), this could have been amazing instead of just another Walt Disney movie.

James Franco makes this “his” Wizard of Oz, adding to the whimsical disposition of the entire plot. Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, and Rachel Weisz all fit their parts but fall short of being anything substantial. With repetitive dialogue, in that Franco’s character says “I’m not a wizard” what feels like one hundred times and too similar a plot to “Alice In Wonderland,” I question where this film came from and how much of a backlash it could receive for not setting new standards to the original. Even though we probably won’t look back at this as a classic, it is still entertaining on the most basic levels.