A small-time magician with dubious ethics is transported to the enchanting -land of Oz, where she meets three witches and is given the -opportunity to become a great magician, and an older man.
We're going to see the Wizard, the great and powerful Wizard and wonderful and fun and magic of Oz. However this time, money is a rather handsome as James Franco, witches fainting left and right, the more likely to make a quick buck with crappy magic to save a kingdom of distraction given. If I only had a brain ...
After his break from big budget fare from the critical backlash and fan of Spider-Man 3, Sam Raimi returns to the arena box office success. Reactivate after the brilliant Drag Me to Hell, as well as overseeing the remake of Evil Dead, continues its upward trend again, even if it will take a more reserved approach that can cause their most avid fans raise an eyebrow . The "sell-out" screams start here.
Raimi elegant Franco chose to add some boyish charm to the old wizard, that we are in Kansas, as his traveling magic show is going from bad to worse. Although still ably supported by his assistant Frank (Scrubs' Zach Braff), his womanizing and ethical con him into hot water with the locals, flees in a hot air balloon (see what I did there?), Getting caught by a huge tornado (see what they did here too?) and wakes up in Oz.
We met Theodora (Kunis), upon arrival, who falls head-over-heels almost instantly, soon learns that Oz believes long prophecy: a gray magician come to save the people of the kingdom, and take your rightful place as King.
But trouble is not far behind, with the sister of Theodora Evanora (Weisz) wants the throne for herself, much to the dismay of King's surviving daughter Glenda (Williams), who believes unequivocally that Oz will be their savior.
Respectful but not overly repetitive, Raimi and screenwriters Mitchell Kapner (The Whole Nine Yards) and David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) have made a beautiful tribute to both the original book and the 1939 movie. Instead of going for the obvious return-scarecrow or sing songs, have gone through something old made new.
Sure, there are some nice touches (reduced opening ratio particularly successful in Kansas), but this is your own fairy tale - rich in color and life and humor, but full of the same charm that captivated the world in 1939. Using 3D Raimi, who had to learn from scratch, is light years better than some recent efforts (looking Prometheus), and add some wonderful texture to the screen.
Oz is real wit and charm faster than before, a perfect fit for the elegant Franco, having a blast here. Ably supported by some great turns support Braff and Joey King (The Dark Knight Rises), Franco is definitely the star here, and only serve to increase his already stellar reputation.
Witches also been given a new lease of life, in the backstory and the actresses who play them. Kunis is as bewitching as ever, enjoying the twists and turns of love Theodora per ounce, while Williams, despite his brilliance recent indie scene has fun stretching your muscles as Glinda, the Good Witch, and adds a touch of class whenever he is on screen.
If a bum-note in the proceedings, is Rachel Weisz. If someone was perfect for the role of witch she was, with those precious eyes. But here is boring, never really out of 1st gear, and unless you share the screen with her co-stars, his Evanora is a bit of a flatliner.
Moreover, despite the 3D look that works well for the film in its technical aspects, some may still find the whole experience disorienting and nauseating, choosing instead to the 2D version. However, for the. Large and powerful you really sweep, the 3D version is definitely the one to look
While not the old Raimi return some expected, Oz the Great and Powerful is a fantastic achievement, full of wonder, charm and warmth. Beautifully made in full 3D glory, and ably supported by a great talent at the top of his game, is a tremendous tribute / revitalization of Oz stories, and that will captivate all ages.
