The Wizard of Oz has been a pop culture classic since its release in 1939. Contrary to popular belief Great and Powerful is not a prequel to the 1939 film, it is a prequel to the novels by Frank L. Baum. Directed by Sam Raimi, Oz: The Great and Powerful goes into how Oz came about.

James Franco portrays Oscar (Oz), an up and coming magician whose antics lead him to get caught in a twister and brought to the land of Oz. He meets Theodora, a witch who tells him of the legend of the wizard who will come to Oz and save the land. Theodora leads him to the Emerald City where they meet Theodora’s sister, Evanora. The sisters tell him about the “bad” sister Glinda and say that he should stay away from her. Also, the only way he will be able to become king is if he kills the wicked witch of the west. The sisters rivalry along with the search for the wicked witch leads Oz on the ride of his life.

Despite scrutinizing reviews, Oz leads you into the fantasy world made famous back in the ‘30s. With the newer movie technology of our time, the land of Oz looks even more beautiful than before. While Great and Powerful was a quality film, the concept kind of came out of left field and no one saw another Oz movie coming. Franco fit the role well, but he was not the first choice being behind Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp.

Oz: The Great and Powerful brings the tale of the wizard of oz to the modern age.