Being the new entry in a beloved fictional universe is never an enviable position. “The Hobbit,” “Prometheus” and “The Amazing Spiderman” all suffered criticism not only due to their own shortcomings, but also as “disappointments” based on the high expectations set by their beloved predecessors.
It’s a common issue in the remake/ reboot/ prequel/ sequel/ alternative timeline resplendent landscape that is Hollywood today. Some films do manage to meet the expectations, such as the recent culmination of nearly a decade of superhero groundwork that was “The Avengers.” Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Sam Raimi’s “Oz the Great and Powerful.” It’s about to find that brand loyalty often comes with a cost: the ire of upset fans.
Not to say the new “Oz” is a “The Last Airbender” level disaster, but it certainly fails to meet the quality of the two most popular visual incarnations of the “Oz” series, the classic “Wizard of Oz” film and the stage musical “Wicked.” Though I’m generally against judging a film by comparison, I can’t help but feel that there’s one critical lesson that “Oz The Great and Powerful” could have learned from paying even the slightest bit of attention to its immensely celebrated predecessors—that no amount of CGI wizardry will ever replace a committed cast given a good script and a tangible world to interact with.
If there’s anything stage shows and classic films remind us of, it’s that the audience is capable of imagining vivid worlds all on their own, provided the creators can bring the emotion and investment to make it worth their while. The plot and characterization of “Oz” do nothing to build interest or sympathy for any of the characters, save perhaps a flying monkey and China doll.
The basic storyline of the film is this. A fast-talking magician from Kansas named Oscar, nicknamed “Oz” (James Franco), gets himself sucked up into a tornado and lands in the eponymous mystical land of Oz. There he meets doe-eyed Theodora (Mila Kunis) who assumes that he is the Wizard who was prophesied to claim the throne and destroy the Wicked Witch. Being the sweet-talking con man that he is, Franco jumps on this royal opportunity while wooing the naive Theodora. They head back to Oz, picking up a sidekick, Finley (Zach Braff) the friendly flying monkey, along the way. When they get to the Emerald City, they meet Theodora’s sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), who inexplicably possesses a British accent contrasting the American accent of her sister. Subtle hint, this is ‘Murica so British accent equals villainy. Evanora sees Oscar for the fraud he is and sends him off to defeat the Wicked Witch, anticipating failure.
That’s as far as I can go without spoilers save to say that they pick up one more sidekick, a tough talking recently orphaned China doll (Joey King), and eventually run into the bubbly “Good Witch” Glinda (Michelle Williams).
Virtually every actor in the film seems lost and emotionally stranded in a CGI wonderland. If your main character is going to lie constantly, seek riches and attempt to mate with 99% of females he comes across, your actor better exude some wit and charisma or at least a little vulnerability. Franco does none of these things as Oscar. His disingenuous smile is so wide it feels as if he’s grimacing throughout the film.
Kunis has similar difficulties as Theodora, who lacks any complexity. The two things we know about her are that she’s ignorant about love and ballroom dancing and has a bad temper. She almost feels like a CGI effect herself sometimes, with a perfect face and huge, beseeching eyes—but no substance behind them.
The most grounded and emotional performance in this film comes from young Joey King. Though her character suffers from one of my least favorite tropes (short-lived, unrealistically tame grief), she is a beautifully rendered CGI creation with a strong, young voice actress to back up the movie magic.
It’s just a shame that, for a film that hinges on the celebration of classic slight of hand and movie tricks, it allows itself to get so absorbed in its own technical capabilities. You’re constantly taken out of the experience by the obvious and excessive CGI surroundings. I do give props to the visual artists for all of their time and effort. Some of their achievements were breathtaking, particularly the detail in the China doll and Glinda’s bubbles. Still, it’s not enough to redeem everything else.
In the end, “Oz the Great and Powerful” leaves about as much of a lasting impression as one of Glinda’s bubbles. It’s shiny and entrancing while it's there but once it’s popped… It scarcely leaves a trace behind.
