On the surface, prequels seem like easy projects to take on and succeed with, especially when the prequel in question is set before a classic like The Wizard of Oz. The universe and characters are established, so it comes down to setting up all the pieces, right? Yes and no. While a prequel is safe and comfortable in the sense that there are no real narrative surprises and a built-in audience is guaranteed, all you have to do is look at George Lucas' Star Wars Episodes I-III to understand how mammoth expectations result in a hangover of disappointment. So give director Sam Raimi credit for crafting a solid prequel that is guaranteed to delight viewers of all ages. It's familiar but still provides plenty of magic.
Much like the classic, Oz features a prologue set in Kansas that effectively sets up the story. Oscar "Oz" Diggs (James Franco) is a struggling magician travelling with the Baum Bros. circus who has plenty of luck with women but not as much when it comes to drawing crowds. One day, after escaping in a hot air balloon from an angry strongman performer, Oz is caught in a tornado, knocked out, and wakes up in the mystical land which bears his name. There, he is greeted by the good witch Theodora (Mila Kunis), who believes he represents the fulfillment of a prophecy and wishes to rule at his side. She escorts Oz to Emerald City, where he meets Theodora's sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz). In order to claim the throne and all the riches he desires, however, he must travel into the Dark Forest and kill the Wicked Witch. Along with his flying monkey companion, Finley (Zach Braff), whom he saves from a lion, Oz sets off on the quest, but when the so-called "Wicked Witch" turns out to be Glinda the Good Witch (Michelle Williams), the nature of his mission is turned on its head.
Obviously, with production values having advanced light years since The Wizard of Oz debuted in 1939, it comes as no surprise that this Oz is a visual feast. The sets and special effects are state-of-the-art, but enough of the familar visual trademarks are retained to make this unmistakably an Oz adventure. The Emerald City, the Yellow Brick road, and the munchkins are back, and Raimi has a little fun with the movie's aspect ratio (4:3 in the Kansas scenes, uber-wide 2.35:1 for the rest of the movie). In addition, actors play dual roles, including Braff, Williams, and Joey King as a wheelchair-bound girl in the prologue and as a china doll who represents the narrative's emotional core. Raimi nails the perfect mix of nostalgia and modern spectacle.
James Franco proves an inspired choice for the wizard. He sells the character's transformation from egotistical to caring, and credit the screenwriters for slowly developing this arc over the course of the movie's 2 hour, 10 minute running time instead of having that sudden "reversal of philosophy" moment. Two of the three witches are well-cast. The mistake is Mila Kunis. Although she's fine in early scenes, the character's eventual transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West is laughable at best. I'm not sure how many people involved in this movie are fans of Family Guy, but Kunis' take on this green-skinned villain is far, far too reminiscent of Meg whenever a guy rejects her. This one colossal miscasting isn't enough to wreck the film, but it suffers noticeably whenever she's on screen. Fortunately, most of this is compensated by Williams and Weisz, who are charismatic and fetching, and they have a satisfying stand-off during the movie's climax.
On balance, Oz offers solid entertainment. There's plenty of witty dialogue (much of it from Finley), genuine emotion, and a fantastic sense of creativity during the climax, which reveals a lot about the main character and his ability to wow a crowd when he puts forth the proper effort. The March release is a smart one; this whimsical tale might not be able to stand toe-to-toe with the more action-oriented summer blockbusters, but early in the year, it's a welcome diversion. Depending on overall performance, this could be a franchise starter. L. Frank Baum wrote fourteen total tales of Oz, so there's plenty of material for use. I for one would welcome it.
Rating: * * * (out of * * * *)
Obviously, with production values having advanced light years since The Wizard of Oz debuted in 1939, it comes as no surprise that this Oz is a visual feast. The sets and special effects are state-of-the-art, but enough of the familar visual trademarks are retained to make this unmistakably an Oz adventure. The Emerald City, the Yellow Brick road, and the munchkins are back, and Raimi has a little fun with the movie's aspect ratio (4:3 in the Kansas scenes, uber-wide 2.35:1 for the rest of the movie). In addition, actors play dual roles, including Braff, Williams, and Joey King as a wheelchair-bound girl in the prologue and as a china doll who represents the narrative's emotional core. Raimi nails the perfect mix of nostalgia and modern spectacle.
James Franco proves an inspired choice for the wizard. He sells the character's transformation from egotistical to caring, and credit the screenwriters for slowly developing this arc over the course of the movie's 2 hour, 10 minute running time instead of having that sudden "reversal of philosophy" moment. Two of the three witches are well-cast. The mistake is Mila Kunis. Although she's fine in early scenes, the character's eventual transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West is laughable at best. I'm not sure how many people involved in this movie are fans of Family Guy, but Kunis' take on this green-skinned villain is far, far too reminiscent of Meg whenever a guy rejects her. This one colossal miscasting isn't enough to wreck the film, but it suffers noticeably whenever she's on screen. Fortunately, most of this is compensated by Williams and Weisz, who are charismatic and fetching, and they have a satisfying stand-off during the movie's climax.
On balance, Oz offers solid entertainment. There's plenty of witty dialogue (much of it from Finley), genuine emotion, and a fantastic sense of creativity during the climax, which reveals a lot about the main character and his ability to wow a crowd when he puts forth the proper effort. The March release is a smart one; this whimsical tale might not be able to stand toe-to-toe with the more action-oriented summer blockbusters, but early in the year, it's a welcome diversion. Depending on overall performance, this could be a franchise starter. L. Frank Baum wrote fourteen total tales of Oz, so there's plenty of material for use. I for one would welcome it.
Rating: * * * (out of * * * *)
"hangover of disappointment" That's a new phrase for me :)
ReplyDelete