Dorothy wakes up in post-tornado Kansas, only to be whisked back to Oz to try to save her old friends the Scarecrow, the Lion, the Tin Man and Glinda from a devious new villain, the Jester. Wiser the owl, Marshal Mallow, China Princess and Tugg the tugboat join Dorothy on her latest magical journey through the colorful landscape of Oz to restore order and happiness to Emerald City.
All in all, the beloved kingdom of Oz is not well served, though there's just enough detectable affection to keep it from feeling like a pure cashing-in.
– Nicolas Rapold,
New York Times,
8 May 2014
rotten:
It's a little shocking how leaden the jokes are in this movie.
– Bruce Ingram,
Chicago Sun-Times,
8 May 2014
rotten:
It's short on jokes and hampered by unmemorable musical numbers (including one about building a boat), and the film's niceness can't overcome the dopey tedium.
– John Semley,
Globe and Mail,
9 May 2014
rotten:
The bricks are still yellow, but the road doesn't lead anywhere special.
– Adam Markovitz,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 May 2014
rotten:
Problems abound from the rushed beginning all the way through the impossibly resolved ending.