Review of Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) by Russell G — 25 Jan 2014

It is a tall order to make a prequel to one of the greatest movies of all time. When compared to the Wizard of Oz it is quite disappointing, which is not shocking. However, when you access it more fairly as its own adventure, it is enjoyable.

The characters are good; the adventure works for me, and it ties nicely into the classic movie that we all know so well. An excessive reliance of CGI and 3D effects to create the environments and characters shortchange the magic and do not show enough imagination.

Perhaps the biggest problem is the lack of playful musical numbers. The soundtrack is a poor fit for the movie, which is a typical Danny Elfman score. The cast is a bit of a mixed bag. James Franco is believable as a slippery con artist, but his underlying good heart does not exactly come through.

Mila Kunis, on the other hand, is all wrong. She overacts every step of the way and fails to deliver proper emotion in her important role. Michelle Williams is lifeless as Glinda, the Good Witch. The good news is Zach Braff and Joey King are great companions and offer both solid acting and quality voice work.

Rachel Weisz is excellent as an evil witch. There are many things pick on with this movie, but it has a good story and characters; that is what is most important.