Oz: The Great and Powerful

Explore the wonderful wizard’s origins in Disney’s latest visit to OZ

Kansas carnival magician, and self confessed con-man Oscar “Oz” Diggs (James Franco) finds himself in the magical land of Oz to discover he may be the fabled wizard destined to free the wondrous inhabitants from the wicked witch, and claim the throne.

 

James Franco gives a fantastic performance in a role that was obviously written with Johnny Depp in mind. Something about Franco’s lower profile makes the character more relatable, and certainly more unique than the Jack Sparrow clones Depp has been rolling out in recent years. The movie focuses heavily on Oz’s development as a character. His circus illusions and cocky attitude prove a hit with the residents of Oz at first who are so desperate believe their saviour has arrived. But as his arrival sparks a series of vicious attacks from the evil witch and her flying baboons he soon begins to feel out of his depth among the real conjurers. His journey from arrogant, greedy con artist to great and powerful wizard is hugely entertaining, and genuinely touching at times, especially the relationship with the little china girl which is where we really see softer side.

The Land of Oz has never looked more beautiful. The landscape comes from the sae minds that bought you Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland; however Oz is far more vibrant and full of colour which caters perfectly to its younger target audience. The characters are no loss jovial, the effect is a wonderfully unique world which audiences young and old will find themselves immersed in.  Just a small warning, some of the scarier characters, and more intense scenes towards the films climax could be a bit frightening for the little ones.

Certain elements of the plot feel a little rushed, or over convenient; Oz doesn’t ever seem overly surprised at the world he has arrived in; once Mila Kunis tells him he is in OZ, he seems pretty cool with it. This kind of thing can be expected in a family film, and with a hefty running time of 130 minutes as it is there would be little point worrying about such details.

In Short: This latest trip to Oz is a great fantasy adventure with something for the whole family; Full of l lovely nods to the 1939 classic, while still providing a thoroughly unique experience. Well worth a viewing in 3D!