"There's no place like home." This immortal phrase has been uttered by countless children who were captivated and transported into a dream world with Dorothy Gale. Accompanied by a scarecrow with unknown wisdom, a tin man with a secret heart, and a lion scared into bravery, children have been traveling cinematically into the land of Oz since 1939. Meeting talking trees, munchkin peoples, and flying monkeys, viewers have learned that one of the main obstacles humans face during life is their own self-doubt.
A new rendition of The Wizard of Oz is now released for viewers at a movie theater near you. In Oz the Great and Powerful, the story of Oscar Diggs is told to viewers for the first time. Oscar Diggs is nothing but a small town magician living in Kansas. With questionable ethics and minimal talent, Diggs is hurtled into Oz after crossing paths with a tornado cutting its way through the Kansas countryside. Once in Oz, Oscar must figure out who to ally himself with in order to save the Ozian world. Oz the Great and Powerful acts as a prequel to the story known and loved by many giving the audience a unique view into the Wizard's life. By providing jaw dropping images of the Ozian world, showcasing entertaining acting talent, and including parallels to the original story, Oz the Great and Powerful acts as a perfect generational bridge introducing the younger children to the classic tale.
Technology has become the tool in many movies that pulls the audience into the story. By making the scenery and fictional characters look more realistic, the audience becomes able to live in the dream worlds Hollywood is able to create. The special effects team of Oz was able to do just that when imagining and animating the settings and characters of the movie. When Oscar first arrives in Oz via hot air balloon, the setting looks to be nothing short of perfection. The colors of the plant life combined with the bright lights of the sun work to create a mythical world unimaginable. When first seen on screen, the world of Oz seems nothing short of a Garden of Eden. This was possible due to the fact that the production crew based Oz on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the original Wizard of Oz book written by L. Frank Baum. Because of this, all the details first envisioned were included in the final movie production of Oz. Due to all of this attention to detail, Oz offers imagines that allow the audience to immerse themselves in the plot and action of the movie.
The actors showcased in the movie also hold much of the responsibility in personifying the characters for the audience. In Oz many of the actors accomplished this task 100% of the time. Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, and Michelle Williams did superb jobs with the roles of the witches. All three women adopted the role wholeheartedly making the audience believe the feelings and motives behind their actions. My favorite performance by far was that of Zach Braff who played Frank, Oscar's assistant in Kansas, and Finley, the good winged chimp who devoted his life to the Wizard in Oz. Zach Braff was able to bring the perfectly timed comedy to the movie. Ironically, I thought that the worst performance was that of James Franco, Oscar the Wizard of Oz. As the lead role, he had the responsibility of carrying the plot throughtout the movie. However, his acting seemed mediocre and intermediate at times. Franco smiled that goofy smile which made me want to roll my eyes rather than root for his character. Thankfully, the supporting actors saved the movie in the end.
With Oz being a prequel of a successful classic, the most admirable quality that I saw was the numerous parallels it had with the Wizard of Oz. One that I have already mentioned is the fact that the wizard also was transported to Oz by a tornado, just like Dorothy. I will not give them all away, but I do challenge you to see how many you can find. There are also parallels to the Wicked book series written by Gregory Maguire. These are not as obvious, but are included none the less. The parallels work well in connecting the stories together. Plus they are fun to find. It will probably take multiple viewings in order to find them all, but I am up for it.
In the end, Oz the Great and Powerful acts as a great reminder and tribute to the story that captured so many hearts. It may not have the memorable songs or ruby slippers, but it teaches the important lesson that sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Self-doubt is a fatal weakness humanity possesses. Learning how to overcome it and become a better version of ourselves is what everyone must strive for.
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