Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful By Melissa L. Milo-3/18/2013
Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs (James Franco), a somewhat insignificant, traveling magician who is not only a womanizer but something of a conman finds himself in what seems to be an alternate universe nothing short of fairies, witches, giant blooming flowers and flying primates. It’s evident from the start this trickster is not so honest, however with a couple instances in the beginning it’s shown that there’s potential for a good heart in Oz, which is his much shorter nickname. With fantastic colors, beautiful scenery, a boisterous soundtrack, and both witty as well as dramatic dialogue, is an entertaining joyride complete with gratifying visual effects and praise-worthy acting. However this film is slightly run-of-the-mill when all the pieces of the puzzle are put together. Whilst he is fleeing from an attack by the boyfriend of one of his seemingly many female confidantes, Oz jumps into a hot air balloon and flies away.
Unfortunately for him a monstrous tornado is directly in front of Oz and he gets sucked into the deadly wind spiral. After praying and promising he’ll be a better person Oz lands a world of color rather than the previous black and white and through a couple obstacles turns up in a river of sorts. The first person he meets is Theodora (Mila Kunis) who informs him that she is a witch and that the prophecy of her late father in which a wizard would come from the sky to save the Land of Oz (coincidentally this world has the same name as his) has been fulfilled with his arrival. Being the not-so-moral character Oz is, he does not deny the title as wizard due to the role as king that comes with it and of course the beauty of Theodora. Throughout the rest of the movie Oz meets other witches (Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams), an affectionate flying monkey named Kinley (Zach Braff), and a female china doll simply named China Girl (Joey King). Continue reading
