In recent years, most film directors have been obsessed with
creating a visual masterpiece. So much so, that the plot is either sorely
sacrificed, or completely contrived. And with Hollywood’s recent spate of
fairytale-turned-fantasy films, I’ll admit that as much as I was keen to see Oz:
The Great & Powerful- I was quite hesitant. After Tim Burton’s rather
insipid version of Alice in Wonderland, I wondered if Sam Raimi’s efforts were going
to suffer a similar fate. After all, it is rather tricky when you are
recreating a film based on a much-loved classic. Especially since there have
been preceding film adaptations.
We all know the story of the Wizard of Oz, (based on Frank
L. Baum’s books) which became a film favourite back in 1939. Featuring unlikely
characters, spontaneous musical numbers and a girl who could get out of trouble
by simply clinking her red shoes together, exclaiming, “There’s no place like
home!”
Oz: The great & powerful, however, is a prequel where we
meet the wizard, before he becomes.. yes, you guessed it, the wonderful wizard
of Oz! So no Dorothy, no red shoes (David Bowie wouldn’t be too pleased) and no
mention of “There’s no place like
home!” Yet there are some parallels between the original and the prequel- that
actually hit home. Dorothy and Oscar are both from Kansas, make use of magic
and illusions and befriend odd characters as they venture through Oz. And interesting
enough, while there may be no Tin man, I did notice that the lion and scarecrow
appear in different ways (Seriously, take note of that)
The beginning of the film is also in black and white and in
4:3 as Raimi pays homage to Victor Fleming’s classic. But once we hit Oz, the
film bursts into a kaleidoscope of colour!
Although the film follows a similar visual template to Alice in Wonderland, it offers an entirely different experience altogether. What Tim Burton (And I say this with a heavy heart as I am a massive fan) failed to achieve, Sam Raimi attempts fearlessly. Not only is Oz a visual treat, but it is also comedic, full of rapturous wonder and mythical enchantment. The colours are captivating and the performances are a breath of fresh air. After seeing this, I gained some clarity as to why Alice in Wonderland seemed so blaringly average. Despite the equally vibrant colours of Oz, the stars performances fell flat. Mia Wasikowska’s performance as Alice felt much like a Kristen Stewart performance. Expressionless and awkward in most scenes. On the other hand, Anne Hathaway overplayed her role as the white queen. While Helena Bonham Carter & Johnny Depp seemed to be the only redeeming factors of the film. Needless to say, as I much as I admire their eccentricity, casting them in those roles felt rather predictable.
The casting to me in this film is refreshing. Considering
that the role of Oscar was turned down by the likes of both Robert Downey Jr
and Johnny Depp, to me James Franco fits the role for different reasons. Let’s
face it, Robert Downey would’ve channeled Tony Stark and Johnny- the Mad Hatter
or Jack Sparrow. So the role of Oscar would’ve been all too familiar to them.
Franco adds a certain kind of irresistible charm and oddball humour that most wizards aren’t known for (Think Gandalf, Dumbledore-both very stoic & noble) making him a more accessible character. It was also interesting to see Mila Kunis as the evil witch Theodora. Although I do agree that she could never compare to Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 version, she certainly added some entertainment value. Which made me question, why do we need 2 evil witches? Rachel Weisz’s role as Evanora –the actual wicked witch, seemed rather obsolete once Theodora became the Hulk’s cackling counterpart.
As the third witch, Glinda, Michelle Williams was well
restrained, but not subdued. Her
goodness and grace felt nothing short of celestial. Very reminiscent of Claire Danes as the Fallen Star in Stardust.
And if you’re a Scrubs fan like me, you’d also be delighted
to hear that Zach Braff is in the film. No kidding! He is Oz’s assistant back
in Kansas, and is the voice of Finley, a loveable CGI winged monkey. So despite
no Tin man, Lion or Scarecrow, Oz follows the yellow brick road and encounters some
colourful friends of his own. Including a rather fragile but feisty porcelain
doll.
If you love the sheer thrill of escapism and being whisked
away into a land of ethereal grandeur- Oz: The Great and Powerful is for you. Even
though there may be some questionable CGI moments (the weight support of
Franco’s hand whilst holding the porcelain doll.. hmm..) to me the one actual
flaw was the lack of musical numbers. Well ok, there was one song . Half of one
to be precise. (Note: I’m not asking for Glee here) I’m just saying, a little Baz Luhrmann love wouldn’t have hurt! Right Baz?
In total, the film is about 2 hours and 10 minutes long (which
sounds pretty daunting) but once you’ve got your 3D glasses on and the opening
credits roll, you become part of a truly spectacular adventure. All I can say
is, since his Spiderman trilogy, Raimi has brushed the cobwebs off his career
and cast a curious spell of his own!
Check out the trailer here!
