If you were to tell me a few months ago that, not too far in the future, I would be considering calling Zach Braff cute, I would have kindly directed you to the nearest mental hospital and simply called it day. But, then again, I would have the same reaction if, at this time last year, you told me that, from now on, every time I hear the name James Franco I will picture an Asian guy holding a duck...This is a strange world of movies we see around us today...and I love it. Here's my review of Oz the Great and Powerful.
Magician and professional con-man Oscar Diggs (James Franco), better known by his stage name Oz the Great and Powerful, is down on his luck living a less-than-glamorous life performing in a traveling circus. Due to some admittedly ridiculous circumstances, he soon finds himself in a hot air balloon floating towards a giant tornado. The tornado transports him to the beautiful land of Oz. He meets the young witch Theodora (Mila Kunis) who tells him that he is the fulfillment of a prophecy which states that he will defeat the "wicked witch" who terrorizes Oz and that he will then claim the throne as the rightful ruler of the land. Oscar is slow to accept, but, when the promise of riches becomes involved, he jumps on board. So, along with the quirky yet lovable flying monkey Finley (Zach Braff) and a young girl made entirely out of china (Joey King), Oscar sets out to defeat the wicked witch and bring about peace.
Interesting how this is the third re-imagining of a classic fantasy tale in just over a month. But, unlike its predecessors, Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters and Jack the Giant Slayer, Oz the Great and Powerful is completely worth it. My prayers from last week were answered because we now have a children's fantasy film that is smart, funny, clever, visually beautiful, deep, and surprisingly dark at times. I absolutely adored just about everything in this film. The story and character development were intriguing, the writing was a delight, and the acting worked wonders.
This is a story that starts out really simple. Oscar goes on a journey to defeat the wicked witch, but he's nothing more than a con-man so he doesn't know what he's gonna do. But, the movie does a lot more with this story than you think it would. The best example of this is with the witches. There are three witches in the film: Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams). I really don't want to give away too much because I really want people to see this one, but, let's just say, the film does an excellent job of playing with the personalities and tendencies of these three witches, so that it's actually fairly difficult to tell which one of them is going to turn out to be the real Wicked Witch of the West that we all came to know and fear in the original Wizard of Oz story. And, when the truth is finally revealed, it's much more powerful, because you realize that you've been seeing it building up for the entire movie.
James Franco certainly does a great job of playing an egotistical con-man putting on an act. I really do appreciate, however, that they didn't go the typical movie route where he gets revealed as a liar, everyone shuns him, then he suddenly has a last-minute change of heart and goes back to prove himself. The change of heart is done way more subtly, being much more implied than blatantly stated, and it feels a lot more natural. The three witches all do their jobs well, although I wish Mila Kunis would've gone for a BIT less over-the-top of an approach to her character. Joey King gives one of the most adorable roles I've seen in a film in a while. Despite the fact that she's made entirely out of china, it's hard to not just want to give her a big hug. Special props must be given to Zach Braff for a comic relief role done right. Finley the Flying Monkey was probably my favorite part of the movie, and he was absolutely hilarious.
I really wish I could gush more about this movie, but I would take up pages and pages of material, and I'd rather not fend off potential readers with mountains of text. And I haven't even begun to talk about the spectacularly beautiful effects in this film. The Oz that they create in this film is so creative, so great to look at, just...completely wonderful. I really loved the fact that, when the land of Oz makes its first on-screen appearance, the film gives you probably a good minute or two just to look at the environment, take it in, and really, truly appreciate it. That was really great.
Geez, this is probably the most positive review I've given a movie so far this year, and rightfully so!! Oz the Great and Powerful was, visually speaking, an absolute spectacle; it was creative, deep, funny, compelling, and, not to mention clever. Again, I don't want to give away too much, but the ending of this movie is an extremely creative and clever battle scene the likes of which I'm not sure I can say I've ever seen. I really have to wrap this up, because, as you can see, I'm just gonna keep finding new stuff to geek out about. This was definitely the single most enjoyable moviegoing experience I've had so far in 2013. I highly recommend this film, and even moreso on the grounds of what I said last week in my Jack the Giant Slayer review. This is the movie to send your kids to if you want them treated with respect and if you want them to take something meaningful away from the experience. This is a prime example of a children's film done right and one that can be thoroughly enjoyed by all ages. And, as always, thanks for reading!! :D
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