Oz the Great and Powerful isn’t as good as the 1939 classic

by Albert Angulo

The film itself stars James Franco as a Midwestern sideshow magician named Oscar (or, as he bills himself, “Oz) who is swept away in a Kansas tornado, transporting him to the magical land of Oz. There, he meets Theodora (Mila Kunis), a beautiful witch who informs Oz of a prophecy that he would one day come to liberate the land. Oz also meets Theodora’s conniving sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz), whose wicked ways threaten the whole countryside. Oz agrees to help them defeat Glinda (Michelle Williams) before realizing he has been manipulated by the politics of the day.

It’s no surprise that “Oz the Great and Powerful” isn’t as good as the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz.” I don’t think anyone expected it to be, and frankly, part of what makes that film so special was how groundbreaking it was at the time.

Something else that stood out, so to speak, is the sheer amount of cleavage being exhibited by the movie’s three witches, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams.
I thought Disney had a rule about this kind of thing?

however, “Oz the Great and Powerful” is still a good film, perfect for family viewing and relateable to fans of the book and the movie. Like Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” (which I rather enjoyed, at odds with many other critics), “Oz the Great and Powerful” is a pretty unique film. It’s beautiful to watch, and it takes full advantage of the modern filmmaking technology to present a visual spectacle.

The film is not without its flaws. The lead characters are somewhat simplified, with Oz’s main motivations being money and getting it on with at least two of the three witches. Sure, the character is a cad, but it’s laid on a bit thick at times. Also, the money-shot reveals of the witches aren’t as powerful as I expected.