Oz the Great and Powerful: Full Review

Oz the Great and Powerful - (March 8, 2013): PG

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
  
Opening Weekend Box Office: #1 with $79,110,453

Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $146,960,044

Gross Revenue: $283,760,044

Production Budget: $215 million

Director: Sam Raimi

If anything, the runaway success of the Broadway hit Wicked proved that mass audiences were more than receptive to the idea of expanding upon the fantastical world of Oz that was first established in the 1939 Judy Garland original.  After the filming rights to L. Frank Baum’s Oz books reverted to public domain, Walt Disney Studios decided that it was time to explore the origins of the fabled “Wizard of Oz,” thereby providing both a reinterpretation of/prequel to the classic material while also experimenting with a fairy tale that would feature a male protagonist.  Casting the comedy-inclined James Franco in the leading role may have represented a bit of a question mark, but with reliable talents like Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz, not to mention the increasingly popular Mila Kunis (who looked utterly gorgeous in the promotions), as the Witches of Oz, there was more than enough star power and acting talent to both draw and charm large audiences.  And for those sitting in the highly sought-after 18-25 demographic who might be too old for a Disney fantasy adventure yet too
young to appreciate the nostalgia of the revered property, trailers for Oz the Great and Powerful promised an exciting and adrenaline-fueled adventure that should be experienced in nothing less than IMAX 3D; at the very least, there was also a great deal of curiosity concerning how the infamous green-skinned antagonist would make an appearance.  If 2010’s Alice and Wonderland could smash records with a far smaller inherent fan base, Oz the Great and Powerful certainly has more than enough potential, and given his success with the original Spider-Man trilogy, all indicators pointed to director Sam Raimi providing the first true critical and financial juggernaut of 2013.

Opening in 1905 Kansas, Oz the Great and Powerful introduces audiences to small-time magician/con-artist Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a womanizer who laments his mediocre life in a traveling circus; but things take a dramatic turn when the jealous husband of a performer forces Oscar to flee in a hot air balloon, and a freak tornado transports him to the Land of Oz.  Marveling at his new environment, Oscar is soon found by the naïve witch Theodora (Mila Kunis), who believes
Oscar to be a prophesized wizard who is destined to overthrow the feared Wicked Witch and take both the throne of Oz and the tremendous fortune within the Emerald City.  Arriving at the palace, the smitten Theodora introduces Oscar to her sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), who is much more skeptical of Oscar’s true identity but nevertheless instructs him to travel to the Dark Forest and destroy both the Wicked Witch and her wand, thereby leaving him free to claim his fortune and rule Oz alongside Theodora.  Traveling with the flying monkey Finley (Zach Braff) and the young living doll China Girl (Joey King), Oscar reaches the forest and soon discovers that the “Wicked Witch” is none other than Glinda the Good (Michelle Williams); it turns out that Evanora is the true villain who has both manipulated Theodora into a wicked transformation and sent her army of flying baboons to kill the new allies.  Narrowly escaping the attack, Oscar now realizes the scope of the danger that his lies have caused, but with the help of Glinda and the citizens of Oz, he may finally have the chance to do some good and use clever tricks in order to protect his new home from the Wicked Witches.

The fast-paced action sequences were indeed a pleasant surprise, but easily the best component of Oz the Great and Powerful involves the stunning visual effects that enhance both the environment and the characters…I cannot believe I didn’t opt for the 3D showing.  Granted, shooting the opening scene in black-and-white and a standard aspect ratio helped enhance the colors and wonder by the time that the Land of Oz was introduced, but sequences like floating over the landscape in one of Glinda’s bubbles or navigating a treacherous waterfall are nothing short of visually stunning.  In terms of the characters, The Wicked Witch of the West looks utterly diabolical and her introduction is fairly shocking, but China Girl will leave your jaw on the theater floor; whereas some of the effects are clearly CGI, the living doll moves and emotes with such realism that you genuine believe a small enchanted sidekick is following James Franco down the yellow brick road.  Beyond the impressive visuals, Oz the Great and Powerful is also filled with clever and respectful references to the original tale that we all remember from our childhood, and Sam Raimi helps inject the script with a simple sense of nostalgic adventure that audiences likely forgot a long time ago.  In light of all these positives, I am far more forgiving of the overall level of acting than some critics, but I can still acknowledge some questionable shortcomings that needlessly weaken an otherwise impressive cinematic achievement.

Leading up to its release, I was fairly concerned about the ability of James Franco to carry a fantasy blockbuster like Oz the Great and Powerful, and after carefully consideration, I have to agree that my hesitation was well-founded.  Franco by no means delivered a weak performance, but his personality and comedic background easily shone through and highlighted his mismatch with this type of project; case-in-point, when he served as the only hook of the narrative’s opening minutes, I quickly became bored and feared the whole project was doomed.  And even when quality takes a massive leap forward as the environment changes, Franco’s reaction to the world around him is far too passive…the audience is clearly in awe, so why does the protagonist seem almost lethargic?  Now, other critics have really laid into Weisz, Williams, and Kunis for delivering over-the-top performances in their portrayal of the Witches of Oz, but to me, that type of commitment perfectly matches the character personalities, and younger audiences are going to be so thrilled that they won’t give a damn if this type of acting doesn’t foreshadow Academy accolades.  Putting it all together, I absolutely loved Oz the Great and Powerful, and the main thing that prevented me from awarding my highest recommendation is the fact that a few small changes could have made the end product even better.

As analysts predicted, Oz the Great and Powerful smashed the March box office, falling shy of the $90 million forecast but still setting an impressive benchmark that spelled future financial success for Disney’s newest property.  Hollywood trades had an absolute fit when the sequel for this adventure in Oz was announced even before opening weekend, as the $215 million production budget could have easily ended in disaster (in the same vein of  WB’s Jack the Giant Killer), but looking at the numbers so far, there is little reason for the studio number crunchers to worry.  Even looking past the near-$80 million first place opening, Disney’s fantasy adventure only dropped a negligible 47.9% in its second weekend, which was more than enough to smash newcomers like The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and The Call…DreamWorks Animation has to be praying that The Croods will finally be able to dethrone this current family favorite.  With foreign receipts, Oz the Great and Powerful is already knocking on the door of $300 million in ticket receipts, so really the only concern that anyone has is over the rumor that the upcoming sequel will feature neither Dorothy nor Toto.  So, in consideration of all these points, it seems clear that anyone who watched The Wizard of Oz in their childhood cannot afford to miss out on Oz the Great and Powerful; all they need to do is sit back and enjoy.

Overall Recommendation: High