Lights,camera,action! With those three words the film Oz the Great and Powerful was created. With stunning visual effects and a magnificent cast this film is one for all ages.
Director Sam Raimi created the land of Oz based on the book, Oz by L. Frank Baum and the well known movie The Wizard of Oz. He also enlisted the help of Disney Pictures to create the magical land of Oz. The film starts with Oscar Diggs(James Franco) in Kansas working at a traveling circus. Within the first 15 minutes you see foreshadowing much like that of The Wizard of Oz. Three characters are shown at the carnival that make a re-appearance in Oz(Flying Monkey, China Doll, and Glinda).
As he descends into Oz from his hot air balloon he meets the Theodora(Mila Kunis), one of the Witches in Oz. She helps him find his way to the city of Oz and soon is joined by her sister Evanora who has a secret plan to overtake Oz. When Diggs leaves to defeat the “Evil Witch” she uses her crystal ball to see watch his journey. When he finds the Witch(Glinda) he doesn’t kill her but befriends her. She tells him of the evilness within Evanora and makes a plan with him to stop her. However,Evanora tricks her sister into thinking that he loves Glinda. Theodora asks her sister to stop the pain(heartbreak), and does so by eating a green apple thus becoming the Wicked Witch of the West.
On the road back to Oz with his new assistant flying monkey(voiced by Zach Braff) and China Doll(voiced by Joey King) he runs into trouble at every turn. Glinda soon realizes that they will need help from her people. She takes them to her city(Munchkinland), but soon Diggs finds out that the people are not allowed to kill. He almost gives up, but while tucking China Doll into bed one night she gives him an idea. The next day it is full steam ahead with sewing together scarecrows and making new machines for battle.
When they arrive at Oz the battle shows how Diggs(now known as Oz the Great and Powerful) uses the machines to make himself appear to be an immortal being. This scares off both of the Witches and Oz once again becomes the happy, emerald green city that it once was.
Although the plot of Oz didn’t relate much to the famous Broadway musical Wicked, and “cannot match the wonder and magic of the 1939 film classic “The Wizard of Oz”” said by thewrap.com, it did relate to The Wizard of Oz by bringing in the cowardly lion, scarecrow and re-creating a visually enticing Land of Oz. This had the critics giving it a “so-so” rating. In the end the rating hasn’t detoured anyone yet, making 85 million dollars so far, this movie is a definite must see.