Adapting the cult book by Alexander Volkov is not an easy task. On the one hand, this is a beloved classic that is expected to be faithful to the spirit of the original. On the other hand, the viewer of the 21st century demands new meanings, dynamics and vivid emotions.
The authors of the new film understood this very well and tried to lure viewers into cinemas with a mixture of already established classics and modern trends. This was already visible in the trailers. And it worked – the film earned more than 310 million rubles from pre-sales alone.
We have already watched the new product and are eager to share our impressions. The first part of the planned trilogy of “The Wizard of Oz” leaves a feeling of a beautiful, but unfinished concept.
A modern adaptation is here
What is the film about?: A girl named Ellie lives in a distant city. One day, the evil witch Gingema conjured a hurricane that carried Ellie and her dog Totoshka to the country of Munchkins.
To return home, Ellie, along with her new friends – the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion – will travel along the yellow brick road to the Emerald City in search of a Wizard who will fulfill their cherished desires.
The film’s storyline follows the original book almost word for word, which is commendable. The creators clearly sought to please Volkov’s fans, carefully preserving all the key moments. There is a tornado, and Ellie’s meeting with the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Lion. There are dangers, naive lessons in friendship and, of course, the promise of a great miracle in the Emerald City. However, the rhythm of the narrative is too measured, and the conclusion on a cliffhanger looks awkward (they didn’t expect a different type of ending for the trilogy, but it could have been done differently).
The viewer is given a chance to admire the yellow brick road and the sparkling city in the distance, but is not given the chance to complete the journey. It feels like you are being led to a beautiful pie, but only allowed to inhale its aroma. Of course, this is done in order to maintain interest in future parts, but this approach leaves an unpleasant aftertaste.
Unfortunately, the cast is not up to the standard required by such a large story. The main character Ellie, although cute, seems somewhat flat. Her emotions poorly convey the full range of feelings that a girl should experience when she finds herself in an alien, frightening world. For most of the film she is uniformly neutral, and only manages to show a smile on rare occasions.
Ellie’s companions – Scarecrow, Woodcutter and Lion – look like souvenirs come to life. They are sweet and good-natured, but, alas, they lack depth. Lev is especially disappointing: his fears and insecurities are presented so superficially that the character seems like just a comic addition to the group, like almost all the main characters from last year’s “Bremen Town Musicians” (Thank you for at least putting some effort into the appearance here, and not whatever…). The only one who really attracts attention is the Wizard, but he appears too rarely to become anything more than a mystery.
The directing is too careful in places. It seems that the filmmakers did not dare to offer their vision of the story and simply reproduced Volkov’s text. The characters move according to the script, as if along a pre-laid subway line: without deviations or surprises.
The dynamics of the scenes leave much to be desired, and many key episodes – for example, the meeting with the Munchkins or the attack of the flying monkeys – do not seem as exciting as they could be. Too slow and clumsy.
The visuals may be captivating, but there is too little reality
If there’s one thing about the film that really impresses, it’s the visuals. The yellow brick road looks perfect – you just want to walk along it. The emerald city sparkles like a jewel, and the landscapes of the magical land amaze with their beauty. However, this impression is spoiled by clunky CGI effects.
Scenes where the actors interact with CGI sometimes look downright artificial. For example, flying monkeys, which are supposed to inspire fear, are more likely to cause bewilderment. Despite this, the overall fairytale atmosphere is maintained, which may appeal to younger audiences.
This simply begs a comparison with The Lord of the Rings, which the authors of The Wizard of Oz were clearly inspired by. And here the new product loses on all fronts due to the paucity of graphics, not very high elaboration of the details of the world and a minimum of location shooting.
The classic version of “Emerald” is distinguished by its simplicity and sincerity. Where the 2024 film strives to wow with special effects, the original captivates with characters and music. The harmony between fabulousness and human sincerity remains an elusive standard.
And they obviously decided not to pay attention to the sorceress Bastinda now. She is in one (!) location for the entire duration. It’s as if she was forcibly locked there and not even allowed to get out to breathe air.
And where the adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia finds a balance between fidelity to the text and modern cinematic techniques, in The Wizard of Oz there is a huge emphasis on modern slang and actions of the characters that ruin the entire atmosphere and look pretentious. Especially in those moments when you hear stupid jokes about relocants and mass fakes.
The musical accompaniment, alas, is lost against the background of events. The soundtrack uses classic tunes, but they are not memorable. In moments where music could add drama or magic, it is simply lacking. This is surprising considering how important music is in creating a magical atmosphere.
Beautiful but empty start
“The Wizard of the Emerald City. Yellow Brick Road is a beautiful but overly cautious film. Its strengths are its visual style and careful handling of the book. However, weak acting, slow pacing and a clumsy ending prevent us from enjoying the story to the fullest.
This film feels more like a prelude than a full-fledged work. If future parts correct the mistakes, then the trilogy could become worthy. In the meantime, we have before us a bright but unfinished story that leaves the viewer with a feeling of slight disappointment.
Source: www.iphones.ru
