Many people may assume that Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful is just another remake of the timeless classic, L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, but those who think that are surely mistaken. Producing 80.3 million in its debut weekend in theaters, the film provided a look into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz’ life before the ruby-slippered Dorothy, the brainless Scarecrow, the heartless Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion showed up.
The semi-prequel begins in black and white, opening in 1905 Kansas where aspiring magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco) has a small-time gig with a traveling circus. After being accused of being nothing but a con-artist when he fails to make a crippled young girl walk, Oscar is chased down by the circus’ strongman for using his womanizing ways to flirt with the man’s wife. As a storm approaches, Oscar flees via hot air balloon–only to be whisked away from Kansas and transported into the enchanted land he will soon know to be “Oz”.
Upon arriving in the serene, candy-colored landscape, Oscar encounters a mystical witch named Theodora (Mila Kunis). The beautifully animated set reminds viewers of that in the live-action remake of 2010’s Alice in Wonderland. After assuming that this charming man is the Wizard of Oz, Theodora falls in love with Oscar and leads him to the Emerald City, where he meets a witty flying monkey named Finley, and Theodora’s mysterious sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz). Evanora informs Oscar that he has to prove he is the Wizard by breaking the infamous Wicked Witch’s wand in the Dark Forest, which will simultaneously kill her. So Oscar is sent off on his quest. On the way there, he and Finley stumble upon a ravaged “Chinatown” where they find a tiny, nameless, porcelain doll (who will later be known as “China Girl”) who has just lost her family and been injured in an attack ordered by the Wicked Witch. Oscar agrees to help her and the trio soon continues on their journey to the depths of the Dark Forest. When they finally enter the forest, Oscar attempts to reach and break the Wicked Witch’s wand, only to realize that this “Wicked Witch” is actually Glinda the Good Witch (Michelle Williams).
Glinda proceeds to tell to Oscar that he has been tricked by Evanora. She explains that by Evanora telling him to break the wand, she was only setting him up to kill her because Evanora is in fact, the real Wicked Witch. Meanwhile, back in the Emerald City, Evanora breaks Theodora’s heart when she manipulates her crystal ball to show Oscar falling in love with Glinda. A devastated Theodora then accepts a magic apple Evanora promises will take away the pain of her heartache; however, all it does is turn her into the evil, green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West. Evanora then sends an army of flying baboons and Winkies after Oscar, Glinda, Finley, and China Girl. Escaping the attack, they find themselves in a world filled with Quadlings, Tinkers, and Munchkins where they form an army strong enough to take on Evanora’s forces.
And so begins a mini battle full of magical creatures, witches, and wizards alike. This is the only part of the movie that feels a little too drawn out. Instead of being an epic showdown between good and evil, it is a loud, rambunctous sequence that ends kind of abruptly. Throughout the film, Kunis proved to be the most gifted actress, intially capturing the audience’s trust with her sweetness and charm, then forcing viewers to have sympathy for her as she turns into the Wicked Witch of the West. Not to spoil the last fifteen minutes, like any other Disney film, this one too has a happy ending.
Overall, Oz the Great and Powerful proved to be a nice addition to the story The Wizard of Oz. While creating the story of Oz’s past, the film contained the perfect amounts of mystery, comedy, and intrigue.
