Film Review: Oz: The Great And Powerful 2D

Sam Raimi is a very special kind of film director. He's not prolific, but he's not a Terence Malick-type who usually makes one film every 10 years or so. Raimi's last film was the excellent pitch black comedy/bonkers horror film Drag Me To Hell, so following that 2009 film with a Disney PG film that acts as a prequel to the hugely influential and game-changing 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. For a director best known for his horror-comedy Evil Dead films and the 2-out-of-3-ain't-bad Spider-man trilogy, it seems strange that he'd take us back to Oz for his next adventure. However, Raimi is a self-professed Oz fan, slipping in references to it where he can in his films. Here, he just lets himself go and has the time of his life telling the story he's always wanted to tell.

This story focuses not on Dorothy Gale, but on the wonderful wiz himself, Oscar Diggs, played by a buoyant James Franco who reunites with Raimi after collaborating with him on 3 Spider-man films. Oscar is a conjuror, aiming to be a mixture of Thomas Edison and Harry Houdini, while using his "magic" to attract the interests of women. We see this from the get go, and, just as in The Wizard of Oz, visual hints to the mystical land of Oz are seen in the small Kansas carnival, beautifully crafted in black and white, recreating the magic of the original film changing from b&w to amazing technicolour. Whisked away in a hot air balloon through a tornado, Oscar ends up in Oz, a visual feast that, I can only imagine, would look as amazing in the third dimension as it does in the second. Top marks go to the effects department, who have created a beautiful backdrop to the story, fully realising the beauty of the '39 film while also expanding on it.

This whole film feels like an expansion of the '39 film, so it shouldn't be compared to as such, but more referenced with. It shows us the Oz from Baum's books, but through the eyes of one of the most playful and camera-happy directos around. Sam Raimi is famous for making the camera come to life, using it as an eye way before the recent trend of camcorder movies like the awful Paranormal Activity. Below is an example of Raimi doing this in Spider-man 2 (Around the 1:40 mark). Raimi's visual flare is a trademark of his films, and even in 2D you can see that this is a director using his resources to the fullest, having a whale of a time crafting visuals that ooze enjoyment.

Raimi's not the only one enjoying himself here though. Franco is chewing up his role, having fun with everything thrown at him, something which Franco doesn't always do. He's usually very laid back in his acting, even when it gets serious (see 127 Hours), but here it is obvious that he is loving every minute of it, embracing the whimsy that Oz has on offer. As does Mila Kunis, who plays the tragic Theodora. She plays her role really well, going from loved-up girly to, well you'll have to watch it to find out. Without spoiling anything, she demolishes the film with a scenery-chewing performance, stealing the spotlight from the reliable Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz. They play Glinda the Good Witch and Evanora, respectively, and do a great job, Rachel Weisz especially relishing the chance to be eeeeeeevil. However, Kunis' performance has rightfully stolen the show, as she plows through the film, loving every second of it. See the film just for her, she's brilliant.

The full film itself is typical Raimi, mixing humour and dread and fantasy with ease, and it all pays off in the end, leaving room for more while also being a satisfied close to the story that this film is telling. It's not an amazing film, though there isn't much wrong with it in terms of giving you what you want: a magical return to Oz worthy of the '39 film, with enough flair and originality to keep you satisfied without feeling out of place. A fine successor/predecessor to the classic. Seriously, see this film. It's very entertaining, I loved it, my little brother loved it, as did his friends, and I'm only disappointed at the fact that I didn't see it in 3D. 

Score: 8/10