Return to Oz

Today I finally went to see Oz: The Great and Powerful in 3-D. Directed by Spider-man and Evil Dead director Sam Raimi this new Oz film by Disney is a visual treat, with many wonderful references to L Frank Baum's work. This is Oz, not Wonderland, as was first thought when catching a first glimpse of the film late last year. James Franco plays Oz, also known as Oscar Diggs, a con-artist and a swindler who entices women with his music box. To start the open title sequence is quiet a 3D visual treat, acting like a pop-up book (or pop-out) and it also brought us into the time period very well. Though I would say at least one actress in the opening segment in Kansas made me think they found this girl somewhere in L.A. Besides that James comes off brilliantly in his part, it does get hard to tell when and if he is telling the truth at first but really thats what the character is about. Sam does do a similar thing done in the original 1939 Wizard of Oz movie in which characters in Kansas play the roles of characters in Oz, thankfully the L.A girl stayed in Kansas. Once our wizard is whisked off to the land of Oz by that pesky tornado we are treated to the wonders of the digital age. Sam had done the classic bit of filming the kansas prologue in black and white and even having the screen less wide. This was put to good effect for the 3D visuals as they seemed to flow right out of the movie. Then when landing in Oz the colour returns and the screen widens. Oscar first meets Theodora, a good witch (supposedly). Mila Kunis plays the role and she isn't bad but she's better when her wicked side comes out to play. Then we are greeted by Finley, the butler/flying monkey. Of course the evil witch's flying monkeys are way more terrifying. Eventually, Oscar is greeted into the Emerald City. The Emerald city is crafted with wondrous design and the sets within are fantastic. He meets the second witch, Evanora (Theo's sister) who is played devilishly by the great Rachel Weisz and soon he meets Glinda (who he is fooled into believing is a bad witch). Michelle Williams plays the role of Glinda and she is as sweet as honey, simply terrific in her performance as well. As an Oz film this movie follows less with what was done in Warner Bros The Wizard of Oz and makes more of an effort to be like the books. One such addition is the China Town (China as in not the Chinese). There he helps a little girl get back her legs. Visually this film is fantastic and the make-up and costumes are Oscar worthy (at points). The wicked witch of the West as some of the least believable make-up, it looks too unrealistic, not ugly enough, compared to Eve's true form (a great Evil Dead reference to be had at her true reveal). On a final note the film was a true Oz picture, keeping L. Frank Baum's creation in tact (though there is still no Witch of the North or for that matter the silver slippers) The new characters (Finley the winged monkey and the China girl) were great characters and provided a fair amount of the laughs in this film. This is a great Oz movie, and to me stands side by side with the original picture.