Together with the brave people of Oz, Oscar draws up a plan to rid the land of evil once and for all, and become the great and powerful king who will rule from his throne in the Emerald City.įrom the monochromatic opening in a Kansas fair to the color shift that occurs when Oscar’s hot-air balloon drifts into Oz, it’s glaringly obvious that Raimi and company have chosen to play it safe instead of taking us any deeper into Baum’s extensive universe. Later, as Oscar and his new flying-monkey companion Finley (voice of Zach Braff) prepare to face their fearsome enemy, they’re joined by the fragile but fearless China Girl (voice of Joey King) and benevolent witch Glinda the Good (Michelle Williams), who helps them prepare for the arduous battle ahead. Theodora takes Oscar to the Emerald City to meet her sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz), a powerful witch who reveals that he cannot become the rightful ruler of Oz until he’s accomplished his mission. Magically transported to the wondrous world of Oz, he soon encounters Theodora (Mila Kunis), a temperamental witch who surmises that he is the wizard named after their land (Oscar’s nickname is Oz), foretold to fall from the sky, defeat a nasty witch, and ascend to the throne. Seeing a hot-air balloon as his only chance for escape, the illusionist jumps in and cuts himself free. Oscar is being chased across the circus grounds by the rampaging Strongman when a tornado blows in and everyone runs for cover. A self-professed con man, he’s a fast-talking performer who aspires to follow in the footsteps of inventors like Thomas Edison. Shady illusionist Oscar Diggs (James Franco) enchants curious audiences at a Kansas circus. Then again, it’s no secret to moviegoers that Hollywood - and Disney in particular - is loathe to break from a proven formula, ensuring that some of Baum’s most imaginative stories are likely to remain relegated to the printed page.
Frank Baum’s other Oz tales into the film, it’s a shame that they didn’t do the same with regards to the story line, given that the author created such a rich and immersive mythology throughout the course of his writing. The similarities between the two films are so pronounced that Raimi’s effort feels as much like a loose remake as it does a belated prequel to Victor Fleming’s beloved 1939 classic while screenwriters David Lindsay-Abaire and Mitchell Kapner slyly incorporate characters from L. Meanwhile, behind the camera, director Sam Raimi uses his own cinematic sleight of hand to try and convince us that what we’re watching is something more than a slightly altered take on The Wizard of Oz.
In Oz the Great and Powerful, a two-bit traveling circus magician convinces an entire kingdom that he is the wizard prophesized to deliver them from the wicked witch who killed their king and cast a dark spell over the land.
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