I don’t particularly have a reverence for The Wizard of Oz. Yes, I watched it many times as a child, and yes, I loved the Cowardly Lion - but the story never resonated with me. I much rather would have watched Star Wars or the 1989 Batman again, than spent the time with Dorothy and Friends.  But there’s little doubt that nearly 75 years after its release, the story of Oz is one which continues to resonate today - hence this Friday’s release of Oz the Great and Powerful, a prequel of sorts, helmed by noted director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, Evil Dead).

The film focuses on the journey of Oscar Diggs, or as he is better known, the carnival magician known as Oz (James Franco).  Starting in the early 1900s, we are trust into the world of Oz.  A carny to the core, his life is a constant performance. Whether doing his daily magic shows, or becoming romantically involved with new girls in every new town, his is a life of pretending to be something greater than he is. But within him there is a struggle - a want and a need to truly be great, like his idols Harry Houdini and Thomas Edison. He doesn’t just want to say he’s great and powerful - he actually wants to be great and powerful.

One night, after a performance which ends on a rather dour note, where he realizes he may be more of a phony than he’d care to admit, his romantic life comes to a head as well.  Chased throughout the carnival, he leaps into a hot-air balloon, ascending into the air just as a Kansas tornado hits.  Spinning and swirling through the vortex, Oz suddenly finds himself crash landed into a new world, one which shares his name - the land of Oz.

From there, the story turns into the hero’s journey. As an unofficial prequel to The Wizard of Oz (licensing issues dictate that while they can hint towards the future events of that film, they can never actually acknowledge Dorothy and the gang), this is the tale of how Oz becomes the Wizard.  Sent on the mission to stop the evil Wicked Witch, he comes across three witch sisters - Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams) and befriends a flying monkey named Finley (Zach Braff) and a girl made of porcelain (Joey King).  If you are familiar with the Oz stories, you know where this leads, but even with that the story never plays out in an entirely predictable way.  Characters change dramatically, characters grow, and the world of Oz comes to life.

This realization of this new version of Oz is assisted by a deft combination of wonderful performances and strong filmmaking.

On the acting front, the witch sisters all bring something unique to the film - I’m not sure if they could have been more perfectly cast, especially as certain loyalties change. There’s a depth to each performance, even for characters that could have come off as one-note, such as Michelle Williams' Glinda.  But the real surprise here is James Franco. While Franco always tends to give 100% in every role, I wasn’t sure if I’d believe him as Oz.  However, the version here has an odd cocky, yet…sleazy assurance about himself.  Carny to the core, you truly can see the con man in Franco’s performance. Yet, his aw-shucks appeal which has helped him through so many comedies makes you want him to be a better man than he is.  At times the movie was connected to Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr., and seeing the final product, I’m not sure if there was an actor who would have been better for the role than Franco. He truly embodies every moment.

Unsurprisingly, however, the strongest element of the film is its filmmaking. Sam Raimi has an intense level of joy here - whether he’s playing with 3D imagery, film aspect ratios and color (the movie starts in Black and White 4:3 and moves to color/widescreen when the movie moves to Oz), or some absolutely stunning CG imagery.  While there were a few composite shots which looked less than believable, the artistry on display in Oz is second to none. The beautiful Emerald City has never looked more astonishing, and with two cast members made completely of CG (Finley and the China Girl), you are never met with the Jar Jar effect - you truly believe in each character. It’s a testament to both Franco’s performance alongside these characters and the amazing animation team that you believe them both, through and through.  It’s worth noting also that one sequence is perhaps the most emotionally effecting computer generated scene I’ve seen since…oh, the Sandman transformation sequence in Spider-Man 3? Raimi gets how to make big budget films work, simply put.   Also, for the hardcore Raimi files - yes, Ted Raimi and Bruce Campbell are both in the film, and we get an awesome POV shot. Sadly, no Oldsmobile.

From the trailers and images released so far, I wouldn’t blame you if you were to assume that Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful were another instance of a film like Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland - a movie where Disney gave a known director the chance to re-imagine a classic tale in a whole new light.

Sure, the comparisons are obvious - a stark visual rejuvenation for a new era, a Danny Elfman score - but they end there. Sam Raimi uses a deft hand for direction, a strong focus on storytelling and a surprisingly strong cast to turn Oz the Great and Powerful into one of the strongest family films released in recent years.  Sure, certain elements may be scary for the younger kids (the flying baboons and some of the plant creatures in the Dark Forest are going to be nightmare fuel, for sure), but children of every age should enjoy the film.

Last but far from least - this is one of those rare instances where I am going to recommend, hands down, that you see the film in 3D. Raimi has a LOT of fun tossing things at, toward and around the audience, and I can’t imagine the effects being anywhere as interesting without the 3D assistance.  It’s worth it for the beautiful opening credits alone.

What can I say - Oz the Great and Powerful truly impressed me. Built off of the work of amazing artists, and a strong performance at the center by James Franco, it’s a wonderful film to be enjoyed for years to come.