MOVIE REVIEW: 'Hometown Boy Makes' Okay

It would have been easy for Dorothy and the Witches of Oz to be a disaster, but most of the time, it's a fun homage to a beloved classic. Set in present day (where else?) New York City, the movie focuses on Kansas native Dorothy Gale, who has become a successful children's book author. Of course, she soon finds out why she is able to write such wonderful, fantastic stories: they are actually repressed memories of her adventures in Oz as a child. Even more complications ensue when the Wicked Witch of the West (along with a few other friends and foes) arrives to settle some old scores.

Obviously, if you're going to expand and occasionally even gently poke fun of something that has become such a cultural touchstone, you had better know what you're doing. Written, produced and directed by Milwaukee native Leigh Scott, the final product isn't perfect, but it's certainly an interesting expansion/update.

The pressure certainly didn't seem to get to the cast. Eliza Swenson, Ari Zigaris and Barry Ratcliffe all seem to have a ball recreating the characters of the Wicked Witch, the Scarecrow, and the Lion, respectively. And some of the other actors, such as Sean Astin and Billy Boyd of Lord of the Rings fame, are clearly experienced enough to know their way around a fantasy classic.

The most disappointing thing about the movie is in what it gets right, as it ironically serves to further highlight what it gets wrong. For obvious reasons, the stakes are high. While the film's darker, weirder moments might be fun for some, it certainly won't be enjoyable to everyone. And its cheesier elements make it very suitable for younger viewers, but adults may find it hard to take.

Paulie Rojas, who certainly has the greatest power to thrill or disappoint as Dorothy Gale, gives a performance both sweet and vulnerable, but is hampered by a script that can get a little cliched. We've all seen small-town girl taking on a big city before; that's nothing new.

In fact, during a few of the smarter plot twists and genuinely funny moments, I felt that there could be a really great, Shrek-style movie hiding somewhere, but it gets lost in some of the weirder, convoluted turns that make the film harder to follow. Maybe next time? Two sequels are already in the works.

REVIEWER RATING: B-