Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)

[Teresa Edgerton]

Today my husband and I saw Oz the Great and Powerful. This was a movie I decided to see with no expectation that I would enjoy anything but the way it looked. I knew the story was going to stray far, far from the book, and that the script would probably be very bad.

And what a fortunate thing it was that my expectations were so low! The basic idea for the plot was OK, but what they did with it wasn't. The dialogue ... I don't think the dialogue would have been quite so bad it if weren't for the way the actors delivered it. But it wasn't awful in a "so bad that it's good" sort of way. It was dreadful in a "what were they thinking" kind of way. Because I am convinced that there was some thought behind it, and that the awfulness of the dialogue and the acting was done deliberately, perhaps meaning to be ironic, perhaps intended to poke gentle fun at The Wizard of Oz and it's 1930's Hollywood sentimentality.

But if that's what they intended, the joke was on them.

As for the visuals, there were a lot of things that I knew were supposed to knock my socks right off and left me unimpressed. Some of it was just ... ill-conceived. But I loved the way the old time carnival at the beginning looked, and the Emerald City, and the little town made of china, and a few other things, so that I left thinking it had been worth my time and money, if only barely.

While I wouldn't actually recommend it, if anyone is already planning to see it, then, what the heck, you might as well go. You might not hate it.

(My daughter loved it. Since the word "daughter" always suggests the innocence of childhood, I should point out that mine is almost 40. I think children might find it slow.)

Has anyone else seen it? If so, what did you think?

 

[Dave]

I have actually read the Wizard of Oz book (which is more adult and more political allegory than the film) and I believe there are other books (which I haven't read.) So, does this film draw upon material from those books or is it pure Hollywood scriptwriting? Also (I haven't seen it myself) but I have it good authority that the musical Wicked is quite good, which means that if you do it right, you can make something reasonable set within that created universe.

 

[monsterchic]

When I was at Jack the Giant Slayer, my mom and younger sister went to see Oz. They didn't like it that much, so I'm not gonna bother.

 

[Christopher Lee]

I rather enjoyed it, myself. The dialogue was a little cheesy (although they did cast James Franco who, ironically, delivers cheesy dialogue very well in my opinion) and the CGI left a little to be desired; the story was alright.

For me, the movie as a whole just felt a bit rushed along, like it was a race to get to the end.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

We couldn't get into Jack, so went to see this. The kids enjoyed it, and I thought the spectacle was good. The dialogue was awful, though, and Oz a bit too much of a sleezy scumbag for my liking. Also, sorry to my US chums, a little american for my tastes, especially the Thomas Edison bit. But, overall, it was good fun. A decade of kids films and I can certainly attest to having sat through much worse!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Also, sorry to my US chums, a little american for my tastes

Well, it was based, however loosely, on the Oz books, which are about as American as fantasy gets, so it would have been disappointing (to those of us who loved the books) if it had been anything else.

Or do you mean that it was a little Hollywood? If so, I concur.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Yes, the Hollywood false type, not the all-american Baum did so well and so, to be fair, did the original film.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Then you don't have to apologize to me (and probably not to any of the other Americans on the forums) because it was too Hollywood. A lot too Hollywood.

Although I didn't have a problem with Edison. If they had been otherwise true to the books, that part would have been a little off, but I felt it was an element that could have fit into the classic film.

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

We saw it last weekend, and I really wasn't impressed. I have read almost all the Oz books, but it has been years since I did that. However, it didn't strike me as feeling like the books.

I thought the dialogue and acting was cheesy, and James Franco just got on my nerves. I really liked the little China Girl though; I thought she was well done visually. Other than that....

I can't say I would recommend it.

 

[jamesmartin]

james franco is a great actor, i have not seen oz but i am sure it will be worth
watching

 

[Alex Mason]

I liked it. I was happy that they stuck to practical effects as I generally prefer those and especially when they are shooting in 3d. Oz was filmed in 3D, so I suggest you see it that way for full spectacle. I am a huge fan of 3d, but I almost wish they would stop post converting films to in since the 3d is not nearly as good that way. It makes people that see one that way think there isn't much to offer (and they are right in those cases). When you see a film that was actually shot in 3d, it is amazing.

I especially liked how they made the intro B&W area seem like a stage play. It was a great anachronism that really created a feel that (I assume) was similar to the coloration that the first one did. I can imagine the thrill an audience would have in that situation was grand.

 

[doglim]

Wow. Looks like a fair few didn't like it.

I bloomin loved it. Was just cheesy enough to match the '39 movie (which many of you seem to have forgot was cheesy as hell). Franco is amazing in everything, but won me over even with him being sleezy. It felt like a magical film to me. I just let myself go and went to Oz with them.

 

[shamguy4]

Oz the great and Terrible (spoilers)

What a bunch of hogwash!
I just watched the worst thing to have ever entered OZ!

I am trying to write my own book and I may not have one written yet but this story sucked so bad it makes me feel I have a big chance at doing well! lol

First let me see...
right ok so first he lands in oz, meets a girl who says he's the wizard. She brings him to the castle and somehow they all know he is coming?

Did she use a phone to tell them? she doesnt even know what a music box is, so I doubt it...

Then the monkey joins the party in a most unnatural way. They have him say something stale like 'My masters house got ransacked... I am in your debt for life... I shall join you on your quest'
I felt like I was playing an rpg game and a new party has joined my adventure.
It would have been more normal and fun if he would have forced his join and nagged along.

Then we enter the Emerald City and meet the sister witch. Scary music starts playing and she is in shadow, so you know she's no good. What a twist of crap.

Then they go to break the wand of the witch they think is bad. This witch for some dumb reason places her wand on a random rock outside some gates where it will be safe. Seriously, I have wanted to just stop watching, but I rented it! So I had to get my moneys worth.

Then Glinda revelas she is good and takes them to a village where I guess everyone knows she is good...So who is the bad witch fooling? only emerald city?

Then she tells him to lie to the people and just make them believe he can save them. Apparently this will help somehow.

Overnight the people of oz learn how to use electricity to meld and build his contraptions.

I cant even finish typing the rest Im laughing to hard and crying at the same time...waste of my time and money, somebody help me.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Post moved to already existing thread.

 

[finbaa]

I quite liked it... i had very low expectations though. The only bad thing was I think Family Guy has ruined Mila Cyrus for me a little: I felt when she got mad all i could hear was meg griffin.