Oz The Great and Powerful

Story: A circus magician gets transported to the enchanting land of Oz, where he's mistaken for a great wizard of prophecy.

Review: Circus magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco) is quite a jerk. His womanising ways forces him to flee Kansas in a hot air balloon which gets caught in a tornado, transporting him to the magical land of Oz, where he's mistaken for the great wizard who can fight against The Wicked Witch of the West. He fakes his identity for his selfish reasons until he stumbles across three witches and a flying monkey, the very naïve Theodora (Mila Kunis), her conniving sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and the good witch Glinda (Michelle Williams). Can the conman con the people of Oz too?

When Disney adapts a classic fairy-tale, you can rest assured that the film would be nothing less than a visual spectacle which seamlessly blends physical sets with CGI. The 3D is spectacular. Do not miss out on the opening titles and scenes as they are shot in the gorgeous sepia tone. Once Oscar enters Oz, colours take over. The depiction of the dream-like parallel universe, located above the clouds, amidst lush green fields and serene waterfalls, takes your breath away.

The film, however falters when it comes to the length and a few performances. The film is slightly overlong. James Franco lacks the charisma to pull off an iconic character. He seems laid back! Surprisingly, Mila Kunis looks equally out of place. Helena Bonham Carter would have been apt for her role. Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams are brilliant.

The film strongly resembles Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland. If you fancied that one, you'd definitely love Raimi's feel-good pre-boot of the classic.