Review: Oz the Great and Powerful

Ever since it was first published in 1900, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has captured the imaginations of children and adults alike. Though its most famous adaptation still remains the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, several writers and directors have tried their hand at adapting and re-envisioning the iconic book. In 2013, the wonderful world of Oz was reinvented by Disney in Oz the Great and Powerful.

Oz the Great and Powerful tells the origin of the infamous Wizard of Oz. James Franco plays Oscar Diggs, the aforementioned Wizard. Oscar is a con man driven by greed, seemingly unable to care about anyone but himself. Franco plays the role flawlessly and with charm in a vaguely Johnny Depp-ian way. However, it quickly becomes clear that Franco cannot hold his own in this fantasy world. He disappears into the background the moment the female characters are introduced. Rachel Weisz vamps it up as Evanora, the Wicked Witch of the East. She is deceptive and commands attention simply by cocking her hips to the side. Likewise, Michelle Williams steals her scenes with her undeniable poise and incredible vulnerability. However, the real star of the show is Joey King who voices China Girl. Spunky and courageous, China Girl provides plenty of comic relief while maintaining the emotional core of the film. Unfortunately, the film's premise falls flat. Despite this being the Wizard's origin, his character seems uninteresting in comparison to his female counterparts. In fact, it's almost impossible not to compare Oz the Great and Powerful to another Oz origin story -- Wicked. Much of the film depends on Mila Kunis' character Theodora. She is ultimately the lynchpin that holds the narrative together. Unfortunately, Theodora comes across as naive and lacks depth as a character. By comparison, her Wicked counterpart totally obliterates Theodora in terms of characterization and personality. This isn't the fault of Mila Kunis, of course, as she acts the part beautifully. It's the fault of the writers and producers for thinking that the Wizard could be half as interesting as the Witches. Acting and narrative aside, the film is absolutely gorgeous. The colours are lush and the costuming is absolutely brilliant, especially the costuming chosen for Theodora. The one nitpick? Weisz's Evanora should have been given more than one outfit.

As far as adaptations go, Oz the Great and Powerful is visually one of the more beautiful. The art direction is fantastic and the costuming is to die for. The cast is fantastic but the obviously scene-stealing on the part of the women makes the film feel lacklustre since it doesn't spend enough time elaborating on their origins or personalities. As such, Oz the Great and Powerful really just leaves the audience wondering, "When are they going to adapt Wicked for the big screen?"

Grade: C+