6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that tells how the Wizard arrived in Oz became the ruler.
Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach BraffAdventure | 100% |
Family | 98% |
Fantasy | 85% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy (as download)
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
News that The Wizard of Oz would be receiving a prequel -- from Disney no less, and without carte blanche access to all the elements from the original MGM classic -- was greeted with equal parts curious excitement and curious indignation. The announcement that Oz the Great and Powerful would be directed by practical effects master Sam Raimi and might just star Hollywood's current most valuable A-lister, Robert Downey, Jr., offered Oz travelers more hope, but only for a time. Downey, Jr. soon declined the role of the titular wizard, and Johnny Depp followed suit. James Franco eventually earned leading man status, having previously worked with Raimi on the director's Spider-Man trilogy, but Franco's casting didn't inspire much confidence. The film's subsequent theatrical trailers didn't help, no thanks to a glaring CG sheen and skewed design sense many criticized for being more akin to Alice in Wonderland than The Wizard of Oz. Curiosity obviously remained high for the duration -- the prequel grossed $220 million in the U.S. and $490 million worldwide -- but audiences and critics seem to agree: for all its grand fantasy-scapes and grander ideas, Oz the Great and Powerful lacks true intelligence, heart and courage.
Weeeee're off to see the... um, Wicked Witch, so we can... uh, kill her and stuff.
Like its separately released 2D counterpart (no catchall Combo Pack for Disney this time around), the 3D Blu-ray edition of Oz the Great and Powerful boasts a knockout 1080p video transfer, and even improves upon that with a stunning, technically proficient 3D experience. Opening on a cramped, window-boxed 1.33:1 Kansas traveling circus, the film soon expands outward to the 2.40:1 wonders of Oz, flooding the screen with rich hues, serving up lovely fleshtones and crackling with primary power. Color and contrast remain vibrant and consistent from that point forward, backed by piercing reds, dazzling yellows, lush greens, brilliant blues and beautifully deep, at-times ominous blacks. The slight, relative dimness of the 3D image and glasses actually benefit the presentation too, lending the image a more filmic appearance and masking some of the seams between CG and practical elements. Detail is impeccable throughout too. Edge definition is crisp and clean (without any significant ringing to point to), textures are both wonderfully resolved and natural, and delineation is as revealing as Raimi allows at any given moment.
The 3D, though, is where the presentation really shines. Depth and dimensionality are outstanding, allowing the Land of Oz to feel grander, more infinite and more magical. Aggressive 3D elements pop with precision and visual punch, and very little ghosting appears. (Although it's important to remember crosstalk is almost always a product of 3D displays and glasses, and rarely the result of a faulty encode.) Wide shots involving legions of flying monkeys or hundreds of Munchkins have a bit more trouble, but it isn't remotely troubling and, again, traces back to the equipment being used, not the presentation. Aliasing is also MIA, as is any other anomaly that might drag down the 3D transfer. There's a hint of minor crush and intermittent noise present in the film's darkest scenes, sure -- among them Oscar's first encounter with Glinda -- and a few flushed faces along the way, but none of it is very noticeable, much less distracting. Macroblocking, aliasing, banding and other unwelcome beasties are held at bay, and the film's CG, though rendered more problematic by such exacting clarity, is just as refined as it should be. Honestly, 3D is the way to go with this one.
Oz the Great and Powerful exerts tremendous power by way of an energetic and enveloping DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. However, Disney has settled on a single "Near Field" mix, optimized for smaller listening environments rather than larger home theaters; something the studio does quite often, this simply being the first time the menus have labeled a near-field mix so clearly. Fortunately, a very small number of listeners (I'd estimate less than 1%) will actually be affected, as the soundstage hasn't been narrowed in any way perceivable outside of a very large, open environment. Two 7.1 mixes would, of course, be more ideal -- one near-field, one not -- but, again, the words "near field" will raise far more questions than the track itself will cause any real pause or concern. Dialogue is crystal clear, intuitively grounded and perfectly prioritized throughout, effects are bright and involving, and dynamics are outstanding. Rear speaker activity is full of transparent awe and directional wonder, creating a bountiful, bustling soundfield as immersive as it is engaging. LFE output, meanwhile, arrives with terrific fanfare, bolstering every element that requires its support or has need of its strength. All told, the mix is more magical than the film it accompanies, and goes a long way toward making Oz a more alluring and frightening land than it might be otherwise.
Rather than include the film's bonus features on the 3D disc (bear in mind the 3D Blu-ray combo pack doesn't include a separate 2D Blu-ray disc), Disney has opted to make the extras available via the studio's new Digital Copy Plus accounts. More details will be available on June 11th, when the Digital Copy Plus website launches and the Oz the Great and Powerful digital content becomes accessible. In the meantime, I've provided an overview of the special features available on the 2D Blu-ray edition below, which Disney has confirmed will be available on release day -- in one form or another -- through the DCP website and/or interface.
Note: I've lowered my supplements score by a full point; a half-point for the loss of the Second Screen Experience and another half-point for the loss of choice and convenience, as on-disc supplemental content is almost always preferable to online or downloadable content.
Oz the Great and Powerful never ascends to the heights of The Wizard of Oz, and certainly won't ever be hailed a timeless classic. Comparisons almost seem unfair. And yet that's precisely the comparison that haunts the production. Nothing quite clicks into place -- the script, the cast, the visual effects -- and there's more Alice in Oz than anything more substantial or magical. Still, Raimi eventually finds his footing and Oz, for better or worse, hits a decent stride and finishes poised for a sequel. The 3D version is even better (so much so that I bumped its score up half a point), and honestly a bit more exciting. Disney's Blu-ray release is more consistent and satisfying than either version of the film, though, with an excellent video transfer, a terrific 3D experience, and a strong DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. The 3D edition's extras are only available by way of Disney's new Digital Copy Plus online service, so that's a rather irritating hassle, but at least the content is still available in one way or another. All told, Oz isn't the great and powerful prequel it could be, but its Blu-ray debut and 3D AV presentation unite to become a formidable powerhouse.
2013
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Disney Movie Rewards Exclusive / Disc Only
2013
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80th Anniversary Edition
1939
2019
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2010
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2019
Collector's Edition
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