Movie Review: Oz The Great and Powerful

Truthfully, when  I read the book I didn't imagine Oz would be anything look like James Franco. Oscar Diggs was only just a plain con man from Kansas, whom ended up in Oz with an hot-air balloon. But, maybe  Oz is already old when he met Dorothy Gale, the girl who killed both Wicked Witch of The East and Wicked Witch of the West. And why did Oz the Great and the Terrible changed into Oz the Great and Powerful? Sounds cheesy!

This movie, was something worth expecting. Without no excessive promotion it gained so many watcher (I watched twice). Oz The Great and Powerful was a merely child's movie with a superfine effects on 3D. The good one win, the evil was exiled from the Emerald City, everybody go home happy. 

But, there are several keys to the real story of the whole story of Land of Oz, with Dorothy Gale as heroine. This movie could be the first of many movies for Land of Oz. I never imagine that the Wicked Witch of The West became wicked because of love (this was a new version of the story). Before, Elphaba (one of many names of Wicked Witch of the West) was evil because she's just evil, no sort of explanation why she's becoming a wicked witch. And while Wicked Witch of the West is enjoying the hall of fame (who wouldn't remember the greenish wicked witch?), her sister, Wicked Witch of The East is so underrated and she finally gained some fame through the movie. But again, only for a short time until Theodora the good changed into pure evil green ugly witch.

Read more about the Wicked Witch of The East here

And about the Wicked Witch of The West here

The book explained how Oz gave Dorothy Gale and her friends' their wishes. Oz was a clever con man. The people of Emerald City was getting restless with the act of The Wicked Wizard of the East after the death of her sister, the wicked one from the west. So they demanded Oz, as the king to kill the last wicked witch. Realizing that he didn't have that power to kill her and hearing that Dorothy killed the wicked witch from the west with her house, he then put Dorothy and the package to banish the wicked witch. And Dorothy did kill that witch gracefully. That was from the book. Who is this Dorothy Gale? My unpopular opinion is, Dorothy

Gale is the daughter of Oz' ex, Annie. She mentioned about John Gale proposing to her. I am positive that Annie is the mother of Dorothy, and John Gale is the father.

More about the connection, everybody saw the Lion who wants to attack Finley, the monkey. I am absolutely positive too, that he was the Cowardly Lion, since he was running when he hear the explosion from Oz' trick. More about the connection, The Tin Man was probably made by the Tinkers. And the Scarecrow was either made by the Munchkins or the Farmers. Not to forget the Winged Monkey! On the book, they were said to help Dorothy three times because they promised Oz (I forgot the detail) but after the movie then, AHA! That's it, Oz saved Finley. 

Glinda the Good was said to have a powerful kiss that said will protect whomever who get the kiss from her. And she did kiss Oz before the battle in the movie. They didn't highlight this, but everyone who read the book will understand that it was the kiss from protection, but they made it Hollywood-ly so that it looks like Glinda likes Oz. Glinda loves everyone, and I'm a little bit annoyed with the loveline in the movie. Nobody love "love" anyone in the real story. It only got friendship and family love. But whatever, Michelle Williams played Glinda perfectly. She's definitely my favorite, after the cute China Girl! And her costumes and make-up are just flawless.

The China Girl was absolutely my favorite! Really, she's just like a child, a human child. 

So, is she gonna be the queen of China? Then she'll rule the Card's army to protect her people, which made of china. I expected more of her. I hope she'll still be cute in the next movie. And Finley too. A loyal flying monkey! He's so cute :3

Overall, the movie was good. The story was something new, the make up was cool, the effect was marvelous, and the characters were perfectly fit (out of the book). I can't believe someone who made Spiderman and Drag Me To Hell can make this kind of movie. One side, Sam Raimi proved that he can make any kind of movie, on the other side, I saw him as someone who didn't have his own style of a movie (comparing to Tim Burton, Christopher Noland, and Martin Scorsese). But still, I am expecting more for the next movie.

More info about the cast and the movie here from IMDB.

Credits to all the sources.

R.B