MOVIE REVIEW - OZ Great And Powerful

This is the toughest kind of movie to review.   The trouble with movies like OZ is, virtually everyone who is going to see this, loves it before they even buy a ticket.   And there are somethings to love here, just not what you would expect.

Oz, is the prequel to the original Wizard of Oz from 1939.  It's the story of how the Wizard came to OZ, and how he became the great and powerful.  James Franco was given the role of The Wizard.   He is a hack magician in Kansas in 1905 in a traveling show.   What he really is, is a con man who makes many enemies.  So in a frenzied escape from a swindle gone wrong, he takes off in his hot air balloon, and straight into another tornado.   He then crash lands in the land of OZ.  There he is greeted by a witch (Mila Kunis), who begins to fall in love with him.

They travel to the Emerald City, and begin big plans to rule OZ together, as he is the answer to a long anticipated plan for OZ.   Then it all goes wrong, as more witches enter the fray, and jealously takes hold. And suddenly, Oz himself finds himself with the actual "good witch" of the south (Michelle Williams), and the other sister witches launch a diabolical plan to rule OZ with and iron fist.  So, can Oz the man, the good witch and her people save the land of OZ so all may be free?  In nutshell, that is this movie.

Just what we need, more witch and sorcery movies right?  OK, enough sarcasm, but in the end, that's what this is. It's a visual feast, and that is what it required in this era of movie making to get the core to go. Now that there is no more Harry Potter around, we get this.   The visual is the draw, the story is fair at best, and the payoff is basically average at best.   But the story is not why most are going. This is 3-D, regular D, and IMAX 3-D in some areas.

Franco is fine as Oz.   He certainly looks like a crook, as his smile and general attitude is that of a con man. Being fair, he was better than I thought he would be.  Kunis is who she is, but she has certainly been better in other movies.   The fact is, all the actors in this movie look like they are in school when Michelle Williams is on screen.   Williams is sensational in this role of the good witch.  She is alluring, gentle, and perfectly cast.  She is maybe the most quiet superstar in Hollywood. She has been great in virtually everything she has been in, and she dominates this movie with her amazing acting talent.  This movie is way better when she's on screen. She is schooling everyone else in this movie, as at times they all look over matched in many scenes with her.

Oz Great and Powerful.  Good, not great. The only thing great and powerful in this movie is Michelle Williams.