OZ GREAT AND POWERFUL

For all those who have seen The Wizard of OZ (1939) starring Judy Garland

it becomes so easy to be misled whiles watching OZ Great and Powerful (2013). Not even the smartest film enthusiast can figure out what’s going to happen next. In summary OZ is based on a story of a wizard who rescue the people of OZ from the hands of a wicked witch.

It will come as a big surprise to many Ghanaians why the review of a foreign movie on a blog dedicated to the Ghana film industry. [The reason is at the bottom of this article]

o   BEGINNIG 1.0

o   ISADORA’S APPEARING 1.1

o   QUEENS OF OZ 1.2

o   WIZARD ACCEPTS CHALLENGE 1.3

o   WIZARD BEFRIEND LINDA 1.4

o   ISADORA GOES WILD 1.5

o   THE BUBBLE JOURNEY 1.6

o   BATTLE LINES DRAWN 1.7

o   THE WAR OF OZ 1.8

o   BANISHMENT 1.9

o   CRITIQUE 2.0

o   REASONS 2.1

BEGINNIG 1.0

The OZ story flows in this fashion.

A wizard performing magic trick,

conning people and womanizing was chased out of the town. Escaping in his flying balloon he was carried by a hurricane into Oz.

ISADORA’S APPEARING 1.1

Isadora Queen of Oz was the first to see the wizard when he crush landed.

Excited by the magic tricks he performed she introduces him to the people of Oz as the prophesized wizard to rescue them from the wicked witch. They celebrated his arrival.

QUEENS OF OZ 1.2

In reality there were two sisters who were the true heir in OZ, Linda and Isadora.

One is demonic the other good.

Isadora had a side kick who advices and protect her and the people from the witch-Linda.

They sent the wizard on the mission to destroy the magic wand of Linda. In the magic wand lies her powers without it she is powerless.

WIZARD ACCEPTS CHALLENGE 1.3

Finally he accepted the challenge to battle with the wicked witch simply because he was shown a chamber of gold as

his reward for winning. The side kick expresses her distrust for the wizard to Isadora in quiet. The wizard embarks on the journey with some assistants.

Arriving at the supposed camp of the wicked witch they were attacked by sharp teeth and wide blazing eyes flower trying to bite them from all directions. 

WIZARD BEFRIEND’S LINDA 1.4

When the wizard finally met Linda he

became convinced she wasn’t a witch but the good sister. The wizard became friend with Linda the supposed wicked witch of Oz.

ISADORA GOES WILD 1.5

The sister side kick showed it to Isadora through a crystal ball.

Isadora was in pain, because the love she had for the wizard has been betrayed. She vowed never to fall in love again. The side kick offered her an apple, assuring her that will take away all her pain. She took a bite and unfortunately she turned into the green

wicked witch and she loved it.

THE BUBBLE JOURNEY 1.6

Linda traveled with the wizard in a flying bubble to her country side in OZ

to meet her people. Linda narrates the true story of Oz to the wizard how she was betrayed by Isadora’s side kick who was responsible for their father’s death. She further reveals the spell the side kick has cast on Isadora who now regard her as the witch threatening OZ.

BATTLE LINES DRAWN 1.7

Isadora has now turned into the witch. She flew out of the castle into the

country side of Oz and threatened the people of Linda of an impending doom.

The wizard not convinced of his strengths decided to leave, but out of the blue he got an idea to put up the most spectacular show of his life full of magic trick.

Together with the people of Oz the wizard planned and built all sort of camouflage machines and dummies for the battle.

THE WAR OF OZ 1.8

On the day of the battle a series of spectacular magic works was used to over the green wicked witch.

Isadora flew out of Oz. She was offered the possibility of coming back when she

changes but she shouted mid air on her flying broom “never!”

BANISHMENT 1.9

The source of powers for the side kick to Isadora was from a necklace she wore. In her scrimmage with the true princess of Oz Linda, the necklace got broken and she lost all her powers. She was banished from Oz for life.

Oz people celebrated their victory. Peace, joy and harmony returned to Oz once more.

CRITIQUE 2.0

Jonny Depp would have been fantastic for that role knowing him for the queer roles that he plays.

The two aids to the wizard, the flying monkey and the ceramic little girl appeared too much animated more especially their movement. This also applies to the flying baboons of the wicked witch.

From the story line of the movie there is no way of predicting what the next scene is going to be like or what the next character is up to.

Only the ending did appear glamorous. There were two witches that got banished into abyss. This provides a perfect ground for a sequel. The green witch didn’t deserve the punished she got at the end of the movie she deserve something better than that.

REASONS 2.1

There is going to be many reviews of Ghanaian films but occasionally there would be sparks of foreign reviews. This is in line with the long term vision of GhanaFilmIndustry.com.

The review of a foreign movie is meant to assuage the tempter of some Ghanaian film makers who go wild when their film is criticized.

Writing a review on Oz Great and Powerful (2013) didn’t come cheap. The plot, sequence and suspense were very intriguing and easy to be left footed when you think is right. Oz is used as a yardstick to set a standard for subsequent reviews of Ghanaian films.