Cole's Rating: ★★★
Director: Sam Raimi
Year: 2013
Year: 2013
Cast: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz
Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG
The Wizard of Oz is a classic, and irreplaceable film. So while Oz the Great and Powerful doesn’t match up, you may ask yourself, “how could it?”. It seems unfair that any film should be compared to the 1939 hit; therefore, the only utterly honest opinion of Oz the Great and Powerful will come from those who haven’t seen the original. And I sympathize for those few. This movie follows the misadventures of Oz, played by James Franco, of whom has portrayed a variety of different characters in his career and done quite well with each performance (I consider him a well-rounded actor). He is—just like Judy Garland was—swept up by a tornado, and thrust into the magical, remarkable land of what is soon to be named the land of ‘Oz’. Think about that! He was there before Garland had her endeavors; so yes, it’s a prequel. But why is that hard to believe? Because due to the over-intensified, excessive, and redundant CGI (animation) effects, it makes it seem like less of a prequel, but more of a highly equipped sequel (I say redundant because instead of increasing the quality of the film with today’s modern technology, it subsides it). However, I seriously doubt that the movie’s target audience (children) will be distraught, but more fascinated by it, and immersed in it (I know I was during some scenes).
The innovative script propels the movie from it’s vintage black and white intro, to it’s tear-jerking meeting with the teacup girl, to it’s clever and unique solutions, all the way to it’s conclusion... Notice how I used no adjective there to describe the ending (you’ll get no spoilers from me). All in all, it’s delightful and charming. I don’t know if I’d consider it a masterpiece, but it does the job; it performs its prequel duties with zest, and somehow makes it not entirely predictable.
-Written by Cole Pollyea
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