The yellow
brick road, flying monkeys, ruby slippers…there is perhaps no greater influence
on cinematic history and pop culture than the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz, and now Disney was resurrecting
the revered property. The original is
universally beloved, but nostalgia morphed into renewed interest after the
musical phenomenon, Wicked. With that kind of brand recognition and
awareness, Disney wasn’t going to have any trouble replicating the success of
its last powerhouse update, 2010’s Alice
in Wonderland. And while some might
scoff at the audacity of revisiting the Oz
franchise, the energetic trailer promised gorgeous special effects,
considerable action, and an all-star cast tackling revered characters. Children would be charmed and older audiences
would lovingly remember the beloved series, and in the hands of a director like
Sam Raimi, Oz the Great and Powerful
was primed to be the runaway spring blockbuster and the first must-see of 2013.
Engrossing, exciting, and filled with clever
references to the classic tale, I truly enjoyed Oz the Great and the Powerful, and even though the film is not
perfect, I can acknowledge that this project excelled in revisiting and
respecting the legacy of its predecessor, a task that could have easily ended
in disaster. As the previews indicated,
the Land of Oz is gorgeously rendered, and this is perhaps the first time I
have regretted not shelling out the extra money for 3D glasses, but the most
impressive achievement is the character of China Girl, who pushes special
effects and computer animation to the next level. In terms of the three witches, Michelle
Williams and Rachel Weisz are over-the-top yet entertaining, but the
perpetually gorgeous Mila Kunis delivered the biggest surprise in successfully tackling
the role of one of the biggest villains in Hollywood history. My only complaints involve the shamefully
slow beginning and the possible miscasting of James Franco…I enjoy his acting,
but something just felt off about his role.
In the end, any complaints are quickly forgotten in light of the simple
and charming story, which reminds everyone why they loved the original in the
first place.
Overall
Recommendation: High
