Memory Holed: Why Sam Raimi’s ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ Failed

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Welcome to Memory Holed, a new column by MovieWeb’s Britt Hayes. Each week, I’ll be looking back at movies (and sometimes TV shows) that had a moment in the spotlight before fading into obscurity. These films often featured big stars, generated Oscar buzz, were based on popular stories, or sparked debate – but for whatever reason, they’ve largely been forgotten. I’m calling it ‘memory-holing’ – when something is deliberately removed from the cultural conversation.

If you’ve been reading my column or following me on Bluesky, you’ve probably noticed I tend to write about movies connected to recent releases. So, you might have guessed I’d be discussing Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful with the new Wicked movie coming out – and you’d be right! Sadly, there are no prizes, and I don’t get anything for it either. Instead, I bravely suffered through what I consider Sam Raimi’s worst film – it was so bad I couldn’t even watch it all at once, and I had to split it over two nights without any distractions. You’re welcome for the sacrifice.

I saw Oz the Great and Powerful when it first came out in 2013, unlike many others who probably have better taste! Honestly, I’d forgotten most of it – James Franco plays Young Oz, and Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams are also in the cast. Watching it again just confirmed what I already suspected: this movie isn’t very memorable, and that’s because it’s not particularly good! It’s also occurred to me that I seem to be on a quest with this column to find a forgotten movie that’s actually good. Stay tuned to see if I succeed!

Sam Raimi returned to horror in 2009 with Drag Me to Hell, four years before releasing Oz the Great and Powerful. While not a blockbuster, Drag Me to Hell quickly gained a cult following and showed Raimi was creatively energized after finishing the Spider-Man trilogy. He had been considering other large franchises like Jack Ryan, The Hobbit, and World of Warcraft. Disney, meanwhile, had a history with the world of Oz, originally losing the rights to L. Frank Baum’s books to MGM, who made The Wizard of Oz. Disney later regained the rights in 1954, but only produced one film: the surprisingly spooky Return to Oz in 1985, which became a cult favorite and a childhood classic for many.


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The huge success of the musical Wicked likely both frustrated and inspired Disney. Seeing Tim Burton’s visually dark but financially successful Alice in Wonderland, Disney agreed to a proposal from screenwriter Mitchell Kapner (The Whole Nine Yards) for a backstory focusing on a surprisingly uninteresting character from the world of Oz: the Wizard himself.

One good thing about the movie Oz the Great and Powerful is that Johnny Depp didn’t play the lead role. Apparently, he was filming The Lone Ranger at the time, not because he didn’t like the costumes! After some script revisions by playwright David Lindsay-Abaire (known for Rabbit Hole), Disney hired director Sam Raimi, who had previously worked with James Franco on Spider-Man. Franco played Oscar Diggs, the character who becomes known as Oz.

Like the original 1939 film, Oz the Great and Powerful starts with a black-and-white scene in Kansas. We’re introduced to Oscar Diggs, a somewhat dishonest magician trying to escape trouble. His magic isn’t very good, he fails to help a girl in a wheelchair, and he’s angered a strongman by flirting with his wife. To make matters worse, the woman he seems to care about, Annie (played by Michelle Williams), is engaged to another man, John Gale, hinting that she might be Dorothy Gale’s mother and establishing a connection to the film Madame Web.

Oscar makes a surprising escape in a hot air balloon, but his journey takes a wild turn when he’s swept away by a tornado and lands in the colorful Land of Oz. There, he meets Theodora, a young witch who thinks he’s the chosen one – a prophesied king who must defeat the Wicked Witch. Oscar, always looking for an easy path to power and wealth, plays along, letting Theodora and her sister, Evanora, believe he’s a powerful wizard. He agrees to their plan to kill the Wicked Witch, hoping to rule the kingdom. Along the way, he’s joined by China Girl, a living doll, and Finley, a sarcastic flying monkey (both voiced by Zach Braff, who also played Oscar’s assistant earlier). Surprisingly, Braff is more enjoyable as the animated monkey than as the assistant.


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

This movie relies way too heavily on computer-generated imagery. While the director, Sam Raimi, did use some real sets and actors, many scenes look like a poorly made version of films that blended live action with animation, like Paula Abdul’s “Opposites Attract” music video or Who Framed Roger Rabbit? One early scene with Oscar and Theodora running along the Yellow Brick Road is especially bad – it makes you wonder what the critics who praised the movie in 2013 were seeing. Perhaps they were being lenient towards Raimi, or maybe the effects simply looked better back then. However, Alice in Wonderland still looks awful, and Oz repeats many of the same visual mistakes (which isn’t surprising, since both films had the same art director).

Okay, so I’m totally hooked on this story! It’s frustrating watching Oscar get away with pretending to be a wizard, especially when he makes Theodora promise to keep his secret. You know that’s going to blow up in his face! It’s actually really sweet to see Oscar discover that the ‘Wicked Witch’ is a kind person named Glinda, and that the real villain is Evanora. But poor Theodora! To fall for someone after just a few hours, only to find out he’s a fraud…and that he’s into Glinda?! It sets off this incredible, over-the-top reaction. Evanora basically manipulates Theodora into eating a magical apple, and it completely unleashes her jealousy, turning her into this vengeful, green-skinned witch. It’s a wild ride, and I’m completely invested in seeing what happens next!


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Kunis injects a delightfully over-the-top energy into Oz, giving the film’s dramatic moments a fun, campy quality. Director Sam Raimi showcases his signature style in scenes like Theodora’s transformation, using dramatic camera angles and close-ups reminiscent of comic books and classic monster movies. He builds suspense by first showing Evanora’s reaction, and Weisz delivers what might be the film’s best line – a horrified yet admiring, “Oh, sister. You’re hideous.” When Theodora embraces her new appearance, screaming “No! This is who I am now!”, it’s hard not to be reminded of a certain character from Family Guy.

If Raimi had downplayed Oscar’s part and centered the story solely on the three witches, the film might have resembled the over-the-top silliness of The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Weisz and Williams deliver engaging performances, though they’re cast in familiar roles: Weisz as the self-assured, alluring enchantress, and Williams as the bubbly, charming heroine reminiscent of classic Hollywood stars.


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Focusing on Oscar really highlights how ridiculous Theodora’s anger is. All this fuss over him? Oscar isn’t endearing; he simply takes advantage of people, using his looks to get what he wants – usually money and relationships with naive women. He avoids responsibility and doesn’t care about the consequences of his self-centered behavior. It’s similar to the movie Forrest Gump, which tries to portray an unremarkable man’s successes as an inspiring story about overcoming hardship. Looking back, Forrest Gump might actually be as insightful as Idiocracy in predicting where we’re headed.


Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

In the third act of Oz the Great Powerful, Oscar begins to prove he’s a good person. After helping China Girl and befriending a flying monkey, he tries to save the land of Oz from the witches using his magic tricks and creating the appearance of great power. While this final showdown isn’t perfect, it features some creative direction from director Sam Raimi and a particularly striking visual effect: Oscar projects his face into a cloud of smoke and fire, accompanied by falling fireworks. Most of the movie’s special effects are over-the-top, but this one is clearly more polished and stands out.

The scene is made memorable by a particularly over-the-top moment from Oz, thankfully captured on YouTube for everyone to see.

On paper, Oz the Great and Powerful feels like it could have been a pretty good movie. Unfortunately, watching it isn’t nearly as fun as that sounds. The film is a slow, frustrating experience, and it relies too heavily on James Franco, who isn’t a good fit for the role. He’s simply not a convincing lead, and tends to be better in more low-key parts alongside stronger actors. In a way, Oz the Great and Powerful unintentionally serves as a metaphor for Franco’s career – and the careers of other actors who haven’t quite lived up to their potential. It’s a story about an unremarkable man who succeeds despite himself, supported by women who are far more capable and engaging.

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2025-11-21 19:22