Oz v Oz

The trick in re-making any movie about the Land of Oz is to re-create the beloved characters we know so well. And to present them seamlessly enough to the audience that they are convinced these inventions are residents of Oz. In this case, the movie does a fairly good job convincing us that this is the Land of Oz we know so well. Some of the key elements used to re-invent the wheel begins with the idea that you must start in a black and white landscape if you are going to transition to the magical color field that is Oz. And when you are in Oz, the characters must jive with the original source.
The basic story begins and ends with the fact that the Wizard is a humbug. The witches are divided into two camps, good vs. evil. And there must be some kind of comic relief. In this Oz, relief is found in the form of a small wise-cracking monkey and a slightly chipped china doll.
There is just enough magic in the original story to help mix the potion. We are not entranced with the beauty and wonder of a Judy Garland, but we are given a small peek into the wonders of a 21st Century rendering of the magical Land of Oz It is worth the effort to glimpse into this latent Land of Oz.