I saw this movie tonight and I would give it 2 stars out of 4. The story beyond the original concept was weak and clichéd, but it had some really touching moments and a strong finish. I thought the humor was too silly at times. Michelle Williams was absolutely gorgeous in this movie, Mila Kunis is beginning to look like the ‘Designing Woman’ Delta Burke, not the ‘First and Ten’ Delta Burke.
The only reason it got PG rating was if it had been given a G rating no one would have watched it. I thought the special effects made the movie look too phony, looked like they came from the John Carter movie. The flying monkeys looked fake not as scary as the original.
There is a clue in this movie as to why people voted for Obama; more of a moral rather than its intent. This movie is apolitical despite its liberal utopianism.
I thought the movie being 3-D really did not add anything to enhance the movie. Danny Elfman’s score was very good, which surprised me. This would be the perfect date movie to take a single mother and her young kids to see.
Thanks for the review. Might be something a few kids could see next weekend.
Michelle Williams looks great in the trailer.
Why ever did the late Heath Ledger dump her?
Saw it this weekend. Parts of it I was prepared to be disappointed about, others I really liked.
One reviewer (not here) mentioned one letdown was how Oz (Oscar Diggs) didn’t receive any sort of punishment or retribution for his amorality and using people. The Michelle Williams/Glinda character was his “reward” and he didn’t suffer for having turned another woman (Mila Kunis/Theodora) to evil ways.
I’d read a lot of the L. Frank Baum stories as a kid so wasn’t going to compare this movie to the 1939 film going in. (For others who liked the books, see the 1985 movie Return to Oz for an introduction to a few of the other Oz characters.)
Parts I really liked:
Scenes with the China Doll girl and her Kansas counterpart.
The part where Oscar/Oz decides to use his human powers as a magician to help liberate the kingdom. Good references to early 20th century technology, a hat tip to the Wizard of Menlo Park, nice stuff for steampunk fans.
“There is a clue in this movie as to why people voted for Obama; more of a moral rather than its intent.”
Interesting. Care to expand on that? Thanks.