Oz the Great and Powerful [2013]

Although this movie was out for quite some time now, I constantly kept putting it off, afraid that it will be another 3D blunder. Oh boy, was I wrong. Right from the start, it looked intriguing: weird opening sequence, interesting camera, and then I saw who the director is, none other than the almighty Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead, Spider-Man, Drag Me to Hell). I haven’t watched it in 3D, and I guess that’s a mistake but I promise you that as soon as I get a 3D TV I will, but the point is that it still looked awesome. I think that too often the reviewers use the phrase “a work of art”, but in the case of Oz this is absolutely true. After the first impact, you kinda get used to this surreal environment, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there, quite the opposite. As far as the story goes, this is like the male version of the Oz, and I’m pretty much OK with that, but here’s a quick plot summary:

Oscar Diggs is a small time magician working in a circus, but after flirting with the woman of a strong man, who also works in the same circus, he quits his job and escapes in a balloon. But that’s not the end of his troubles, as he is sucked into a tornado. After Oscar, or Oz the Great and Powerful as he was called in circus, regains consciousness, he realizes that he’s in a strange world where everything seems surreal and magical. Soon he learns that there’s an evil witch who rules this world and that there’s a prophecy that the one called Oz will save the world from the Wicked Witch…

While we are still on a male vs. female version of Oz, I must point out that while the main character is male, the visuals are quite feminine, not that that is a bad thing, but just saying… Also we get the pleasure of the Evil Dead camera once again, and those crazy shenanigans that are more fitting to a The Three Stooges reenactment. Acting was top notch, although Mila Kunis seemed like she was really suffering throughout the movie, I don’t know whether this is acting or something else that is happening in her life (she seemed really sad). I will leave you with just one thought if you think that this movie is superficial and just shiny: while Oz the Great and Powerful is magical for the inhabitants of this weird world, they are magical for him…

Director: Sam Raimi

Writer: Mitchell Kapner, David Lindsay-Abaire, Mitchell Kapner, L. Frank Baum

Cast: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Bill Cobbs

Fun Facts: Richard DeManincor is the only actor from Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead to not cameo in this film.Bruce Campbell appears as a Winkie guard and Ellen Sandweiss, Betsy Baker and Theresa Tilly appear as Quadlings.

Rating:

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1623205/