Review of Oz: The Great and Powerful

One of my favorite parts of going to the movies, besides the popcorn, are the previews. I enjoy sitting with my wife, guessing if she wants to see the movie being advertised. Most of the time it’s a big negative. However, such was the not the case when we first saw the preview for the movie Oz: the Great and Powerful.

The official trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1NGnVLDPog

A brief synopsis of the film:

Oscar Diggs, known to many as Oz, is a carnival magician with flirtatious ways and questionable ethics. In Dorothy like fashion, Oz, played by James Franco, is taken from drab black-and-white Kansas by a tornado to the colorful enchanting land of Oz. There, Diggs encounters the three witches Theodora, Evanora and Glenda and is mistaken by many to be the prophesied Wizard of Oz. Over time, he begins to care about the inhabitants of Oz. This unlikely wizard puts his magical arts, slight of hand, and predictable illusions to work in order to transform himself into the great man that he always wished he could become.

My opinion of the film:

I thought that Oz: the Great and Powerful was ok. The story line had just enough twists to keep it interesting and the acting was quite good throughout. At first, I thought that casting James Franco was a mistake. I wondered if Johnny Depp might have been a better choice for the lead, but I suppose he was busy playing Tonto for the upcoming Long Ranger movie. As the movie progressed, James did an excellent job of presenting the flawed persona that was in fact needed for the role.

I was impressed with the switch from black and white to color during the film. It may have been extremely predictable, but I welcomed it completely (probably because I was ready for the screen to show a full wide screen shot instead of the old full screen shot during the black and white scenes.

I was hoping that Oz would become an instant classic. I don’t believe that is going to happen. However, it is extremely enjoyable and well worth the cost of the ticket.