Stefen Echols

Franco wasnt the problem. I like Mila Kunis in most movies but she was absolutely terrible in this movie.

May 8 - 11:31 PM

Michael Mora

Zach Braff would have been a better Wizard.

Apr 10 - 11:39 PM

Alberto Balsalm

James Franco is a fine actor, given the right role. I think a more theatrical actor would have been better choice as Oz, somebody like a young Bruce Campbell. I'm sure Disney wanted Depp.

Mar 27 - 11:42 AM

Terelon Smith

Franco's talent fluctuated throughout the movie.

Mar 25 - 11:31 PM

Cai Carney

There was one scene where someone didn't do a good job screening for the CGI. The horses in the movie looked completely and utterly fake! Anyone else notice this?

Mar 19 - 11:53 AM

Sean Moore

I guess I feel nervous going into a film so heavy and dependant on CGI? There have been films that used it above and beyond(so few and far between)this film goes to the max with it's use of CGI and probably got made now because they saw it as possible now. The monkey great all else including the usual, very good, Franco ,sadly tiresome as is the vaunted CGI's...At least it kept a lot of movie folks working at least in the short term..

Mar 15 - 10:32 PM

Patrick Fairchild

I thought Franco did good. He wasn't great, but he wasn't bad.

Mar 15 - 07:31 PM

Colin Terrapin

So the moral of this movie: you are allowed to be a sexually promiscuous, evil intended leader as long as everyone BELIEVES that you are what they need as a good guy savior.

Mar 15 - 04:18 PM

Andrew Costello

79 million dollars for about an hour of CGI, an hour of horrible acting, and the seven minutes can be divided up into the credits, and the "cute kid scenes", I went to see this with my girlfriend , and I kept checking the time! I have never seen wicked but enjoyed the true message and pure message of wizard of oz. This movie will make you jump to your feet! And bolt for the door, because Mila Kunis is as about as entertaining as an hour long PBS special on lamps, and James Franco is a misfit who charms every girl, but in the end you feel as if he didn't really learn his lesson? I mean at least show some sympathy to poor Finley instead of acting like he is a gigantic burden. I'm sorry, but this is why I rarely go to the movies anymore, it's because of Movies with too much CGI and no acting.

Mar 15 - 12:51 AM

Palmi Angelov

This movie was AWFUL.
To sum it up, it was pathetic, boring, bland and ridiculous.

Mar 14 - 10:30 PM

Todd Ashbrooke

This movie just proves once again that CGI, technology, and revenue is all anyone cares about. To be perfectly honest I believe James Franco was the most horrible thing I have ever seen on screen. I did not believe his acting for a second, and nearly everything was forced and over acted.He may have done well in other movies but this was most definitely not one of them. However I cant completely blame him, the script was almost as terrible. I could write pages of things I found wrong with it, but the fact that they were constantly using 2013 slang in 1905 bugged me and I have yet to see it mentioned. Is using common language seriously more important than portraying a story? None of the characters could be believed, Franco is not Oz and Oz is not a circus performer from 1905.

Mar 13 - 01:11 PM

Justin Smith

I thought James Franco was decent, didn't detract, but didn't add a whole lot. For me Mila Kunis destroyed this film. Everything was just fine until she tried to be "wicked." She just does not have it within her to take on roles that require true acting.

Mar 13 - 12:59 PM

Alex S

I thought James Franco was great, I don't get all this negativity. That being said I think there were some lines/scenes he didn't want to do, that seemed forced. But where he believed in the script, I think he really shined.

Mar 13 - 10:30 AM

Gerald Dugger

Here's the thing; There is good and there is great. You can't get away from comparing this movie to the original Oz because it is it's prequel. It is hard to believe that a movie made almost seventy years ago was so much better, but it was and by a wide margin. This movie was a slap in the face to the legacy of the original. Sometimes less is more.

Mar 12 - 09:10 AM

Gerald Dugger

If I had to see that cheesy smile one more time I was going to scream. His miscasting was upstaged only by that of Mila Kunis, who has got to know someone in Hollywood. How else would she keep getting work? She is awful at her best.

Mar 12 - 09:02 AM

Sarah Banks

See in this review they don't trash him like too much in fact I'd day more compliment him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41-BU-V1pMY# as no offence but if they had gone with Robert Downey Junior then it would have been probably a whole different feel and I think Franco quite suits as they say he is unlikeable but likeable at the same time

Mar 12 - 05:04 AM

My Two_Cents

They should've casted an actor like Ewan McGregor for the role. Franco is too well-known in the states. Furthermore, I've seen McGregor's work and he fits the time period that the story takes place in. Plus, he's played this type of character before except that he does it in a very charming way where you feel like you want to hate his character but you also want to see good things come to him. Overall, Franco wasn't as bad as Mila Kunis. Now that was a total miscast!

Mar 11 - 10:44 PM

Jerky San Pedro

I think the role worked well for Franco. I suppose people hate his personality, but I think this role was like written based on that personality and he wore the role well, IMO. Anyways, those said, I really enjoyed this movie, Franco's, Williams', and the China Girl and Flying Monkey's performance.

Mar 11 - 07:15 PM

Luis Torres

Just saw the movie last night. Yes, Franco is miscast and seems a little wooden at times. So was Mila Kunis and I thought she was even worse than than Franco was - I mean it really got a little ridiculous at the end when she gets truly nasty. But neither performance was THAT bad, and I really thought the supporting cast (monkey, china doll, master tinker, etc) really carry the movie.

Mar 11 - 10:29 AM

Vince May

Not Franco's best performance.

Mar 10 - 09:17 PM

Victoria Paine Fedorov

I thought Franco was good for the role of a struggling con-man, wizard wannabe. Oscar Diggs is flawed, not smooth and powerful. I think he does a great job portraying how human a character Oz really is. Maybe I just think he looked damn fine in that hat ;)

Mar 10 - 02:58 PM

Greg Clifford

I don't think Franco nailed it, but I thought his performance was better than any of the ladies. And, yes, the flying bellhop was totally fake-looking.

Mar 10 - 12:14 PM

ray landry

James Franco was nominated for an Oscar. He has won a Golden Globe and two Independent Spirit awards and other critic awards.

Mar 10 - 11:01 AM

George Rasmussen

Let's give Franco a pass here, even though the china doll out acted him. I am not a fan of Franco but he did okay, could he have done better? Yes. It could have been worse, they could have given the part to KEANU REEVES. Overall I liked the movie more than I disliked it, FRANCO's performance didn't bother me to the point of being negative about it. In fact, I think he fit the part to a T, whereas, MILA's role always seemed to be a bit off, maybe it was because all I could think of was, Peter Griffin saying, "Shut up, MEG!" while listening to her voice.

Mar 10 - 10:38 AM

Li Wright

Franco is out-acted by the 3D technology and CGI wizardy.

Mar 9 - 03:43 PM

Stephen Goss

Franco being cast was one of the my main reasons for concern prior to seeing this movie. However, after viewing, I must say he won me over. Not because of his very limited charm, and even more limited acting range, but because he looked so uncomfortable most of the time, it was easy to buy him as a man in search of himself, one who hadn't yet found his footing in life.

He was constantly engaged in self-destructive pursuits because he didn't know who he was.

Franco's mannerisms, which for me are usually a detriment to any role he has played (with the exception of his stoner/slacker roles) fit this character perfectly. He knows he's only good enough to fool gullible people who haven't been exposed to much, hence his travels in seedy two-bit towns. He proclaims he should be playing to full houses in grand arenas, not these small half-filled tents in the middle of Kansas. His fake showmanship reads exactly as that- someone who knows he's a hack and is hoping he's not found out. He?s always a little off balance, not quite in the moment.

By the end of the movie, he gets there. And is in the moment, which he shares with all the other characters. He seems at peace.

I?m not saying this is a great performance. My review is based less on his acting ability, of which I believe he has a very limited range, but more on the fact that for this character, he surprisingly fit.

To arrive at this conclusion does require one to either be a James Franco fanboy/girl (of which there are many), or to divest yourself of all notions of this guy and his previous work, and appreciate him as a character in a fun and visually inspiring spectacle. In that context, in my humble opinion, his performance works.

Mar 9 - 01:01 PM

Ryan McGaughey

I was so disappointed with this movie. I was really expecting a lot more. Mila Kunis was awful, totally miscast, she looked ridiculous in that transformation. Franco as Oz was hardly a likeable character and looked high most of the movie. Very predictable at times, cheesy looking CGI, and very flat in parts. The couple things I did enjoy were the flying monkey companion (funny), Michelle Williams as Glynda, and Zack Braff in the beginning. Otherwise, this movie could have been something great but totally missed the mark.

Mar 9 - 08:14 AM

George Cordova

Yea when I saw this last night, the this wasn't fresh yet...now its "magically" green=lighted the idiot critics did miss the mark here sorry for all you non believers...but the movie did surprise and it was quite good, at least better than half the shit this site give fresh tomatoes to. BTW the singing was not misses at all...

Mar 9 - 07:04 AM

Diego Tutweiller

James Franco is a shit actor. I don't care WHAT he's in.

Mar 8 - 09:47 PM

Morrgan Bouler

Everyone has their own opinions. People can like or dislike an actor all they want. Everyone has different thought processes. I was worried when Mila was the WWW because I was afraid she wouldn't deliver. Turns out, no need to worry. Could the film have been better if Franco was replaced with someone like Johnny Depp (that was Disney's first choice)? Maybe or maybe not. Personally, I thought he was great.

Mar 8 - 06:57 PM

Devin Baranick

James Franco is intelligent and great at certain roles. I agree he was a bit miscast for this part though. He doesn't quite have the bubbly charisma or "magic" that this movie needed. He just isn't expressive enough for a fantasy thrill ride. I like him in other genres of movies.

Mar 8 - 07:58 AM

Kathleen Grone

I love how the audience totally disagrees with the arrogant know-it-all critics. It's the audience that truly counts.

Mar 8 - 07:58 AM

Beaker Muppet

James Franco ruins movies.

Mar 8 - 06:14 AM