Taking a look at one of the most eagerly-awaited movies since...
It is not often that a wondrous tale captures the heart so completely; for this reviewer George Lucas' original Star Wars trilogy, JK Rowling's Harry Potter book series, and John Christopher's Tripods tales are some that have been successful, as books/or as films. And, of course, writing something that is either a prequel or sequel to a masterpiece can be a far more risky business, not always claiming the rewards or positive praise expected.
Taking someone else's original vision and giving it your own stamp while at the same time being respectful to the work that gave it birth is difficult too. And when the source material is from the wonderful series of Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum - plus the reputation of a classic 1939 film adaptation - managing any production based on those works will always be an arduous task. However, this is precisely what director Sam Raimi achieves, with a screenplay written by David Lindsay-Abaire and Mitchell Kapner; Disney's "Oz: The Great and Powerful" takes us on a magical journey to discover how the famous Wizard happened to rule the land of Oz in the first place; how he even came to arrive there as, we discover, he was originally a resident of Kansas (just like Dorothy Gale) and went by the name of Oscar Diggs...
Even now, following its release, some of the criticisms surprise me. Justin Chang, of Variety, commenting, "In a real sense, Oz the Great and Powerful has a certain kinship with George Lucas' Star Wars prequels, in the way it presents a beautiful but borderline-sterile digital update of a world that was richer, purer and a lot more fun in lower-tech form. Here, too, the actors often look artificially superimposed against their CG backdrops..." Thankfully he adds, "...the intensity of the fakery generates its own visual fascination".
Mila Kunis as Theodora, a beautiful Good WitchThere has been much concern regarding the casting, and too-exact comparisons to the beautifully-filmed Judy Garland movie (to be expected, I guess), a musical that also starred Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West. You see why visualising a prequel or sequel has its problems? Had "Oz: The Great and Powerful" been released without the baggage, it would likely have been heralded a major success and unique in its development. Critics would have still circled the production like hungry vultures, I am sure, but its superior storytelling and cinematic greatness could not have been denied by the majority.
Additionally, due to legal issues, several iconic devices that featured in the MGM film could not be redeployed for this movie - specifically the ruby slippers (in the novel however they were described as "Silver Shoes" anyway, only introduced in the 1939 movie as "ruby" to take advantage of the new Technicolor film process), the shade of green for the Wicked Witch's skin, the chin mole that became so iconic of Margaret Hamilton's physical appearance...
Personally, I was mesmerized by the visuals in Sam Raimi's prequel as we came to explore Oz itself. As for the black and white opening sequences featuring Oscar Diggs (played by James Franco) working as a small-time magician in a traveling circus, what a wonderful and pleasing treatment with a firm nod to its 1939 counterpart. His flirtatious ways, which are responsible for him escaping the wrath of an angry husband in Kansas, resurface in Oz when he encounters both Theodora (Mila Kunis) and Evanora (Rachel Weisz) - a broken heart can be most painful, and Oscar's own lack of compassion leads to tragic consequences. Throughout the tale we accompany a man who lives through deceit, though his eventual heroism comes about thanks to this usually negative trait. Still, one cannot help but feel some sympathy for one of the Oz residents...
Further criticism has been targeted at Oz's companions Finley (the winged monkey voiced by the talented Zach Braff) and China Girl (voice provided by the beautiful Joey King), a living china doll who accompanies Oz after her home is attacked and laid to waste. The argument for this criticism: that these characters aren't as strongly developed as those who accompanied Dorothy in the original 1939 outing? However, aren't these critics aware that L. Frank Baum's land of Oz was not defined just by "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", the book from which director Victor Fleming's motion picture was adapted? I am not a "fan" of the novels, so my knowledge isn't vast, but even I am aware that there were many characters invented and introduced during the book series. Besides, in my opinion Finley makes a nice light-hearted addition to the piece, and who cannot help but take China Girl to their heart?
I have had the pleasure of enjoying performances from both Rachel Weisz and James Franco in previous movies - "The Mummy" (1999) and "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011) being my favourites - but I cannot praise Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams enough, whose acting I have never seen until now, for their pleasurable touches as Theodora and Glinda. Again, there have been negative reviews, especially regarding the former, but it was Kunis who had this reviewer smiling in the most positive way possible: a delightful magical lady portraying an equally magical character. I fell in love with Theodora's naivety and beauty, her caring nature, even her dress sense needed a world of its own. And those tears...
It is not often that I say this, regardless of the movie, but "Oz: The Great and Powerful" is one experience I wish to add to my blu-ray collection upon its release. Oz is quite simply one of the most bewitching lands in fiction.
