- Film Review
- Reviewed By Alan Jones
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3 out of 5
How did charlatan magician Oscar Diggs end up as the Wizard in the Land of Oz? And what caused the Wicked Witch of the West to become so evil? All that and more is skilfully answered in director Sam Raimi's vibrantly colourful flight of fairy-tale fantasy. Following the established yellow brick road pattern, it sees the engaging James Franco whisked from Kansas to Oz by tornado (this monochrome prologue being a particular highlight), where he gains some unusual travelling companions (a flying monkey and china girl, voiced by Zach Braff and Joey King, respectively), while Munchkins regularly burst into song. The film tries hard to be an original adventure as well as paying tribute to The Wizard of Oz, but it lacks the emotional resonance of the 1939 Judy Garland classic. The thin plot simply fills in the back stories of L Frank Baum's much-loved characters, including Glinda (a saccharine Michelle Williams), as well as providing links to key events to follow. It's good-looking and fun to watch, but it's certainly no Wicked.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Oscar Diggs
- James Franco
- Theodora
- Mila Kunis
- Evanora
- Rachel Weisz
- Annie / Glinda
- Michelle Williams
- Frank / Finley
- Zach Braff
- Girl in wheelchair / China Girl
- Joey King
- May
- Abigail Spencer
- Nikko
- Martin Klebba
- Skeptic / Tinker
- Ted Raimi
- Master Tinker
- Bill Cobbs
- Knuck
- Tony Cox
- Winkie gate keeper
- Bruce Campbell
Crew
- Director
- Sam Raimi
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