History YMMV / OzTheGreatAndPowerful

* BrokenBase: Mila Kunis as Theodora, considering who she's really playing. Her performance was panned at the time, for ChewingTheScenery and not being able to follow [[spoiler: Margaret Hamilton]]. However, she has a number of defenders who find she still manages to make the character work [[NarmCharm even with the hamminess]]. They point out that [[spoiler: the original Wicked Witch was [[FranchiseOriginalSin quite hammy herself]] in the first film]].

** '''''LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MEEEEEE!''''' Much of what [[spoiler:Theodora]] says after her FaceHeelTurn comes off as ridiculous due to her ChewingTheScenery.

* TheScrappy: Theodora. Hoo boy... Not only has Mila Kunis' performance been absolutely panned, [[spoiler:but the idea that the Wicked Witch of the West is nothing more than a teenager who got dumped by her crush did ''not'' go over well with fans of the original.]]

* ItWasHisSled: [[spoiler:Theodora and Evanora are the Wicked Witches of the West and East respectively]]. What was ''supposed'' to be a twist is now seen [[AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame as the only reason why this movie stays on people's radars]], mostly because how [[WhatTheHellCastingAgency ill-fitting]] [[spoiler:Creator/MilaKunis]] is as a famous villain of pop-culture.

* SpiritualAdaptation: Like ''Film/{{Frozen}}'' and ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'', the film is a cinematic adaptation of ''Literature/{{Wicked}}'' as an origin story for one of the most important characters in the Oz mythos and the Wicked Witch of the West is a major character in both stories as we get to see their FaceHeelTurn transformation into the BigBad of the original ''Wizard of Oz'' novel.

* SpiritualAdaptation: Like ''Film/{{Frozen}}'' and ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'', the film is a cinematic adaptation of ''Literature/Wicked'' as an origin story for one of the most important characters in the Oz mythos and the Wicked Witch of the West is a major character in both stories as we get to see their FaceHeelTurn transformation into the BigBad of the original ''Wizard of Oz'' novel.

* AdaptationDisplacement: {{Exploited|Trope}}. ''Oz'' is legally a prequel to the books, but intends to be a prequel to the film. This even extends to the movie's ''title''. "Oz, the Great and Powerful" is the moniker the Wizard uses in the 1939 film; in the book, he styles himself as Oz, the Great and ''Terrible''. Not to mention that the Wicked Witch of the West is portrayed with green skin, which she only had in the 1939 movie (in the book, she was just a withered old woman with an eyepatch).[[note]]Evanora's true form is in fact modelled after the description of the Witch in the book, as the Witch of the East is never seen.[[/note]]

** In ''Series/That70sShow'', Mila Kunis's character Jackie played Dorothy in the OffToSeeTheWizard episode. Donna was mortally offended that Jackie imagined her as the Wicked Witch of the West. In ''Oz the Great and Powerful'', [[spoiler:Jackie ''is'' the Wicked Witch of the West.]]

--> '''Evanora:''' Where are your bubbles now?
--> '''Glinda:''' [[PreAssKickingOneLiner Don't need 'em]].

* StrangledByTheRedString: Oscar and Theodora. A major part of the movie's plot revolves around her falling in love with him, and then [[spoiler:turning evil after she thinks he's betrayed her.]] But this falls short when you realize that Oscar and Theodora have only known each other for a day or two before he leaves the Emerald City and they don't see each other again [[spoiler:until after her FaceHeelTurn]]. Despite this, she's already talking about how she'll be his queen and they'll rule Oz together, and completely breaks down when she thinks he's cheating on her. It's also not entirely clear how far their relationship went to begin with and whether they actually slept together or not, which can make Theodora come off as a ClingyJealousGirl or a StalkerWithACrush.

* MagnificentBitch: Evanora murdered the previous ruler, managed to frame his own daughter for it to turn the public in her favour and nearly got Oscar to get rid of Glinda for her. [[spoiler: She also managed to manipulate her sister into a FaceHeelTurn]] to get herself a powerful ally with only the simplest of spells. Her WoundedGazelleGambit in the finale was also a decent attempt.

* WTHCastingAgency: James Franco as Oz the Great and Powerful? [[spoiler:And Mila Kunis? As the Wicked Witch of the West?]]

* DuelingWorks: With ''WesternAnimation/LegendsOfOzDorothysReturn''.

* AdaptationDisplacement: {{Exploited|Trope}}. ''Oz'' is legally a prequel to the books, but intends to be a prequel to the film. This even extends to the movie's ''title''. "Oz, the Great and Powerful" is the moniker the Wizard uses in the 1939 film; in the book, he styles himself as Oz, the Great and ''Terrible''. Not to mention that the Wicked Witch of the West is portrayed with green skin, which she only had in the 1939 movie (in the book, she was just a withered old woman with an eyepatch).

* CriticalBacklash: While not panned, there was a strong negative attitude towards the movie, partly because it was [[ToughActToFollow a prequel to one of the most beloved fantasy films of all time]] and partly because [[Film/TheWizardOfOz that film]] already had [[Theatre/{{Wicked}} a wildly successful prequel]] [[ToughActToFollow considered far superior to this one.]] As the years have gone on, more defenders of the film have popped up. It also got compared more favourably against the similar ''Film/{{Pan}}'' - a fantasy film that attempted to do the same for ''Literature/PeterPan'' - which got a bigger critically trashing.

* {{Fanon}}: It's widely agreed that Oscar and Theodora had sex in the field after the campfire scene. The movie only implies it with a dreamy shot tilting up to the sky, but some fans like to theorise that it was Theodora losing her virginity. She loves him after that moment and it would explain why she expects him to marry her.

* GeniusBonus: Oz's love interest back in Kansas, Annie, is going to marry a man named Gale. Dorothy's surname is Gale. FridgeHorror in that one of the Oz books specifies that Dorothy's parents died around her birth, so Aunt Em and Uncle Henry raised her.

* OlderThanTheyThink: Some thought China Town was thought up for this movie -- it was in the original book.

* ToughActToFollow:
** ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' continues to cast a huge shadow over pop culture, so a film positioning itself as a prequel takes a lot of nerve...
** On a similar note, ''Oz'' already had a beloved unofficial prequel in the form of ''{{Literature/Wicked}}'', and many fans of both the novels and the Broadway musical adaptation were less than thrilled that this film is incompatible with the canon of either.

* WTHCastingAgency: [[spoiler:Mila Kunis? As the Wicked Witch of the West? James Franco as Oz the Great and Powerful?]]

* WTHCastingAgency: [[spoiler:Mila Kunis? As the Wicked Witch of the West?]]

* EarWorm: The music box theme and the fanfare.

* {{Fanon}}: It's widely agreed that Oscar and Theodora had sex in the field after the campfire scene. The movie only implies it with a dreamy shot tilting up to the sky, but some fans like to theorise that it was Theodora losing her virginity. She loves him after that moment.

* RelationshipWritingFumble: One of the most vocal complaints about the movie is the writing of the relationship between Oz and Theodora. Theodora's StartOfDarkness was a result of LoveMakesYouEvil... but the two of them were barely on-screen together at the same time to develop such deep feelings for each other. The rushed nature of the development made it stand out more.

* VisualEffectsOfAwesome: Oz is simply stunning to look at. With such advances in CGI, it's impressive to see Oz recreated in such a beautiful way.

** Oscar's performance as "The Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz" is such over the top [[ChewingTheScenery scenery chewing]] that it would plunge headlong into {{Narm}} territory if it also didn't happen to be his truly epic victorious MomentOfAwesome against the wicked witches with RuleOfCool on his side.

* CriticalBacklash: While not panned, there was a strong negative attitude towards the movie, partly because it was [[ToughActToFollow a prequel to one of the most beloved fantasy films of all time]] and partly because [[Film/TheWizardOfOz that film]] already had [[Theatre/{{Wicked}} a wildly successful prequel]] [[ToughActToFollow considered far superior to this one.]] As the years have gone on, more defenders of the film have popped up. ''Taste of Cinema'' also included it on a list of films 'That Need To Be Re-Evaluated By Critics'. It also got compared more favourably against the similar ''{{Film/Pan}}'' - a fantasy film that attempted to do the same for ''Literature/PeterPan'' - which was critically trashed.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: It's Danny Elfman, after all.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Alright, show of hands who has read fanfiction involving [[spoiler: Theodora getting redemption, even though the film shows that this is literally a physical impossibility? Hilariously enough, Creator/MilaKunis does wear leather pants in this movie.]]
* DuelingMovies: With ''WesternAnimation/LegendsOfOzDorothysReturn''.

* EvilIsSexy: Evanora, as played by Creator/RachelWeisz in a black dress. [[spoiler: Until her true form is revealed, at least]]. Averted when [[spoiler: Theodora becomes the Wicked Witch of the West]].

* LesYay: Some see it between Evanora and Glinda, and also Theodora and Glinda. They both seem obsessed with caressing Glinda's face and calling it pretty out of... jealousy. Yeah, jealousy. Sure.

* {{Narm}}: '''''LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MEEEEEE!''''' Much of what [[spoiler:Theodora]] says after her FaceHeelTurn comes off as ridiculous due to her ChewingTheScenery.
** Graham Norton had this reaction to the campfire scene when the clip was shown on [[Series/TheGrahamNortonShow his show]]. Specifically Theodora ShakingHerHairLoose. He burst out laughing, as the scene out of context made it appear as though Oscar had never seen hair before.

* CriticalBacklash: While not panned, there was a strong negative attitude towards the movie, partly because it was [[ToughActToFollow a prequel to one of the most beloved fantasy films of all time] and partly because [[Film/TheWizardOfOz that film]] already had [[Theatre/{{Wicked}} a wildly successful prequel]] [[ToughActToFollow considered far superior to this one.]] As the years have gone on, more defenders of the film have popped up. ''Taste of Cinema'' also included it on a list of films 'That Need To Be Re-Evaluated By Critics'. It also got compared more favourably against the similar ''{{Film/Pan}}'' - a fantasy film that attempted to do the same for ''Literature/PeterPan'' - which was critically trashed.

* CriticalBacklash: While not panned, there was a strong negative attitude towards the movie, partly because it was [[ToughActToFollow a prequel to one of the most beloved fantasy films of all time]]. As the years have gone on, more defenders of the film have popped up. ''Taste of Cinema'' also included it on a list of films 'That Need To Be Re-Evaluated By Critics'. It also got compared more favourably against the similar ''{{Film/Pan}}'' - a fantasy film that attempted to do the same for ''Literature/PeterPan'' - which was critically trashed.

** [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy This isn't the first time]] James Franco has his life made difficult by a green, flying, cackling person who has pointy ears and nose and likes to attack throwing orange orbs. And, for added points, both films had [[Creator/SamRami the same director]].

** [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy This isn't the first time]] James Franco has his life made difficult by a green, flying, cackling person who has pointy ears and nose and likes to attack throwing orange orbs.

* TheScrappy: Theodora. Hoo boy..... Not only has Mila Kunis' performance been absolutely panned, [[spoiler:but the idea that the Wicked Witch of the West is nothing more than a teenager who got dumped by her crush did ''not'' go over well with fans of the original.]]