Adding more fantasy, colour and twists to Frank L Baum’s ‘Wizard of Oz’, Oz the Great and Powerful delivers a visual treat with a not-so-great story.
Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is a mediocre magician who tornadoes into the Land of Oz in a hot air balloon. There, he comes face to face with three beautiful witches — Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams). He has to figure out the good and evil. All the while, the people of Oz are waiting for their saviour and Oscar could be the “wizard they were waiting for”.
There is some fine use of 3D effects which is exciting, particularly at a time when most movies employ 3D for the sake of it. The flora and fauna are appealing and are bound to thrill a younger audience.
In terms of the technicality used, the movie deserves great applause. It shows off apt voices, visuals, costumes and characters. The witches are enchanting and perfect and they steal the show. James Franco has been terribly miscast as Oscar. He lacks the looks and the energy for the role which just cannot save this mediocre story.
With a cast that is as “great and powerful” as this, it’s a shame that Franco could not shine through and power up to enhance the characters of the witches. It is hard not to imagine how thrilling it would be if they redid the movie with Robert Downey Jr or Johnny Depp. A lesson for Sam Raimi: Spidey villain not equal to smart magician.
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