Best to see them as individual films with nothing in common apart from source material, one a classic, the other a strong enough picaresque amongst some decent fabulation.
Comment
12/12/07
Return to Oz (1985)
58 %
Reviews Counted: 19 Fresh: 11 Rotten:8 Average Rating: 5.8/10
Runtime: 2 hrs
Synopsis: A dark return visit to L. Frank Baum's astonishing world of Oz. After clicking her red shoes together and finally returning to Kansas, Dorothy finds that, in fact, there is someplace better than home -- especially when her family concludes that any girl who keeps insisting that she's... [More]
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Starring: Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie, Matt Clark
Reviews
1 - 19 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Top Critic
Despite the presence of Billina the talking hen, the emphasis on insecurity and peril harks back to the treat-'em-rough days of children's fiction, and the disturbing/comforting ratio tilts conclusively towards the former.
06/24/06
Top Critic
There are some fine, Oscar-nominated special effects, but the excitement just isn't there.
12/12/07
Top Critic
I can see why the Judy Garland fans might not appreciate this weird little adaptation, but it's actually pretty good!
04/03/05
Director Walter Murch tries to infuse the story with the inventiveness and adventure of the Star Wars saga, but the results are disappointing.
08/21/04
The work of ingenious technicians who seem either not to know what gave the original film its magic, or not to care.
05/20/03
Top Critic
Return to Oz is hardly as kid-friendly as The Wizard of Oz, but older children with a taste for the fantastic will find it interesting. Adult Oz fans will find it entertaining as well.
11/07/02
An underrated little romp, surprisingly faithful to L. Frank Baum's atmosphere... though obviously it's all overshadowed by that other Oz flick.
07/26/02
moody non-musical sequel to 'The Wizard of Oz' bombed at the box office and was faulted by most critics as being too weird and scary for kids.
01/01/00
1 - 19 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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