9th March 2013
★★★★☆
Oscar (James Franco) is a magician who makes his living by ripping people off. He doesn't want to just be a good man, but a great man, however he seems to always go about it the wrong way. Out of the blue Oscar gets trapped in a tornado which transports him to Oz. In this land there are plants with giant leaves, the grass is as tall as your waist and the creatures are very unusual! This is where he meets a witch called Theodora who is kind but a bit naive. I wanted to see Oz slowly fall in love with Theodora through the course of the film. However they fall in love far too fast! It only takes five minutes! We don't really get to see why they like each other, or watch they're relationship grow.
Oscar rescues a flying monkey called Finlay, who makes a vow to always protect Oscar. Finlay becomes Oscar's friend and he is the one who tries to squeeze the good out of Oscar. Finlay is a well written character,his animation not too cartoony but still recongisable and a good source of comic relief. The second witch that Oscar meets is Evanora, Theodora's sister. She is devious and crafty, and has made a plan to rule Oz with everyone fearing her. Evandora is very clever, not just your generic evil witch. Evandora offers Oscar a chamber of gold if he can kill the Wicked witch and he accepts. This let's us see more of Oscar's character. So Oscar and Finlay decide to try and find the Wicked witch together. The interaction between these two characters is great and I'd enjoyed some humour expressed through their conversation. I like the references that screenwriters Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire throw into the film especially the lion,the scarecrows and the yellow brick road.
We are now introduced to China girl voiced by Joey King which voice work is delightful. We see some devastation of her home Chinatown and we see another side of Oscar's personality: Compassion. He willing grows to treat Chiba Girl respectfully and he's not the ruthless con man we see in the opening scene but a generous soul,even though lying but still a bit of needed character development. Oscar finds the idea of China girl going on a dangerous quest to kill a wicked witch absurd but she has high hopes for the whole mission.That is one of her best qualities.They go to the Dark Forest where they meet the third of the sisters: Glinda. The design of these weird plant like creatures is a up of this film. The filmakers do not go for generic looking creatures but unique engaging designs. We see the rivalry between sisters as Glinda explains her story to Oscar. Evandora can use this to her advantage beacause it can bring kind Theodora to her side. Using her treacherous lies about that Glinda is the wicked witch and that he is in league with her she does eventually say another lie to her sibling:that Evandora and him had fallen in love. Theodora with her temper can throw fireballs which really develops the character because she is easily tempered and gullable which is a weakness of sorts. As Evandora gives a red apple all is clear to easily Theodora:She is the witch. What I wonder in this paticular scene is that we have seen the evil witches use red apples as bait before so I thought the two screenwriters had run out of ideas
We see the creation of the Wicked Witch of the West!It's a good but risky twist because it changes the flow of the film from a light and fluffy adventure to a slightly darker,cliffhanger like film,filled with a little bit more horror. We now revert back to Oscar and his friends as she introduces them to the our favourite little characters: Munchkins. They slightly remind of a slightly overdone happy side of the company of dwarves from the Hobbit. They sing and dance happily but I still think they're too much fluffy and cuddly. Then the tone changes. We see the horrific transformation of the once naive Theodora into a dark and cold monster. She does give them the usual preparation lecture and does make Oscar afraid. We see Oscar on the edge of leaving which is a little bit predictable.We see him tuck China Girl into bed as Glinda makes him a changed man.
We see a ingenious plan appear in a well edited sequence filled with some mild humour. The ideas that Kapner and Abaire have are out of box but not too out of it. I think some things like Eragon and Harry Potter randomly mix up words and make these mystical forces that are just seen before concepts but Kapner and Abaire create a spectacular idea that actually works. As the forces clash and we see a great plan come together one thing stuck in my mind:Why didn't Oscar at least try and bring out a side of Theodora when she's the witch?My only problem with their writing.
We are now introduced to China girl voiced by Joey King which voice work is delightful. We see some devastation of her home Chinatown and we see another side of Oscar's personality: Compassion. He willing grows to treat Chiba Girl respectfully and he's not the ruthless con man we see in the opening scene but a generous soul,even though lying but still a bit of needed character development. Oscar finds the idea of China girl going on a dangerous quest to kill a wicked witch absurd but she has high hopes for the whole mission.That is one of her best qualities.They go to the Dark Forest where they meet the third of the sisters: Glinda. The design of these weird plant like creatures is a up of this film. The filmakers do not go for generic looking creatures but unique engaging designs. We see the rivalry between sisters as Glinda explains her story to Oscar. Evandora can use this to her advantage beacause it can bring kind Theodora to her side. Using her treacherous lies about that Glinda is the wicked witch and that he is in league with her she does eventually say another lie to her sibling:that Evandora and him had fallen in love. Theodora with her temper can throw fireballs which really develops the character because she is easily tempered and gullable which is a weakness of sorts. As Evandora gives a red apple all is clear to easily Theodora:She is the witch. What I wonder in this paticular scene is that we have seen the evil witches use red apples as bait before so I thought the two screenwriters had run out of ideas
We see the creation of the Wicked Witch of the West!It's a good but risky twist because it changes the flow of the film from a light and fluffy adventure to a slightly darker,cliffhanger like film,filled with a little bit more horror. We now revert back to Oscar and his friends as she introduces them to the our favourite little characters: Munchkins. They slightly remind of a slightly overdone happy side of the company of dwarves from the Hobbit. They sing and dance happily but I still think they're too much fluffy and cuddly. Then the tone changes. We see the horrific transformation of the once naive Theodora into a dark and cold monster. She does give them the usual preparation lecture and does make Oscar afraid. We see Oscar on the edge of leaving which is a little bit predictable.We see him tuck China Girl into bed as Glinda makes him a changed man.
We see a ingenious plan appear in a well edited sequence filled with some mild humour. The ideas that Kapner and Abaire have are out of box but not too out of it. I think some things like Eragon and Harry Potter randomly mix up words and make these mystical forces that are just seen before concepts but Kapner and Abaire create a spectacular idea that actually works. As the forces clash and we see a great plan come together one thing stuck in my mind:Why didn't Oscar at least try and bring out a side of Theodora when she's the witch?My only problem with their writing.
The final battle begins with a Harry Houdini style trick with the clash between Glinda and Evanora. Theodora is banished and Evanora turns to thank China girl. Glinda is a source of goodness although her endless talk of goodness is annoying. The film ends with Glinda and Oscar happily ever after.Unlike some preceddors of Disney's franchises this not a too simple film neither is dull neither too childish but a whole some experience that the whole family can enjoy and the composer Danny Elfman also composer of Alice in Wonderland stays way from his previous flamboyant theme in Alice in Wonderland but has a small and simple fairy tale. So go and see it
I enjoyed the film even though it didn't hit the standard of Alice in Wonderland (2010).
Oz: The Great and Powerful is released in Cinemas now!