OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL
An entertaining, redemptive fantasy journey for older children and adults.
Should You Watch It?
You should see Oz the Great and Powerful if your family enjoys colorful fantasy, comedy, and stories about redemption. It is a big-budget production filled with beautiful scenes that create a wondrous fantasy land. Its moral center is strong: goodness is extolled, prayer matters, and lives are saved.
The film also includes witches with supernatural powers, references to magic, lying, and scary creatures. Younger children may be frightened, so parents should decide whether their children are ready for those moments. Older children and adults are the best audience.
The practical answer: take older children and adults on this entertaining journey, while using discernment with younger viewers.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESOscar Diggs is a circus magician who has built his career by faking magic. After escaping in a hot-air balloon, he is swept into a tornado and carried to the fantastic land of Oz.
There he meets Theodora, a witch who believes Oscar is the wizard foretold to defeat evil and bring peace. But a corrupt witch tells Oscar lies and sends him toward a dangerous choice. To save Oz, Oscar must find a way to help its people without possessing any real magic.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is an excellent family fantasy with strong entertainment value. The production is big-budget and visually beautiful, creating a wondrous fantasy land. Its comic tone also keeps the story from taking itself too seriously.
The film does not match or exceed the delights of the classic The Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland. Still, it succeeds as an entertaining prequel with colorful creatures, a lively journey, and a redemptive moral center.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong moral and redemptive worldview. Oscar must sacrifice himself to help the people of Oz, goodness is honored, and prayer appears in a moment of danger. The story also includes a savior who is expected to bring peace and destroy wickedness, creating elements that seem like a metaphor for Christianity.
The film’s wizard is not Jesus. Unlike Jesus, he is imperfect and sins. The witches also possess supernatural powers, and references to magic require discernment. Even so, the story emphasizes self-sacrifice, courage, goodness, and the restoration of peace.
The film’s central idea—that laying down one’s life can save others—echoes Jesus’ words: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong redemptive worldview with strong moral elements includes main character prays to God not to die, goodness is extolled, a rainbow appears after some massive destruction, there are mentions of a savior to bring peace to the land and destroy wickedness, main character saves two lives, with some witchcraft such as witches use magical ball to see what’s happening and witches use magic to attack characters; three obscenities and one profanity; light, sometimes scary violence man hits other man on the head multiple times, witches use magic to attack characters, flying monkeys attack; no sexual content; no nudity but some low cut dresses; drinking; no smoking or drug use; and, lying, main character lies many times, greed.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Oscar has to move from selfishness toward sacrifice. What does it look like to use your gifts for other people instead of yourself?
Philippians 2:3–4 · Mark 10:45The story includes prayer during a frightening moment. When have you needed to ask God for help, and what does Scripture say about bringing fear to Him?
Psalm 56:3–4 · Philippians 4:6–7Several characters are affected by lies. Why does truth matter, especially when a lie seems useful?
Proverbs 12:22 · Ephesians 4:25The film connects peace with defeating evil. What kind of peace does Jesus give, and how is it different from simply having no conflict?
John 14:27 · Romans 5:1The Final Word
Oz the Great and Powerful is a beautiful, funny, redemptive fantasy with a strong moral center. Its scary moments and references to magic call for discernment with younger children, but older children and adults can enjoy its wondrous journey. Our answer is clear: WORTH THE TRIP.
