Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this miniseries is nothing like the classic 1930s film it's based on. The Wizard of Oz was all about love and the nurturing goodness of home; here, the Outer Zone (aka "the O.Z.") is a dark, grim place where suspicion easily trumps affection. Evil sorceress Azkadellia uses force, fear, and magic to dominate the land -- her goons roam the countryside looking for rebels, and in the capital, Central City, hookers, strippers, and drunks hang out on the corners. There's some swearing ("crap," "bitch," etc.) and a fair amount of violence, but little gore. The film is dominated by an oppressive feeling of despair and gloom that could be scary for young children; even tweens might find it difficult to see that underneath the darkness is a story with a happy ending.
Families can talk about why movies get remade (or, in this case, "reimagined"). In cases like this, where the new version is so different from the original, is it even accurate to consider it a remake? Do changes to stories you're already familiar with bother you? Families can also discuss the secrets that DG discovers, including her mysterious connection to Azkadellia. Is it OK to have conflicting feelings about a family member? How would you react if you found out that some of the people closest to you aren't who you thought they were? Also, Cain is seeking revenge on one of Azkadellia's henchmen, who carried out a brutal attack. Does that justify more violence? If there really is no place like home, how far would you go to protect yours, and would you want revenge on someone who destroyed it?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Will Wade
If the cyclone had deposited Dorothy Gale not in Oz, but in the famed grim future of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, the result might have been TIN MAN, an imaginative -- and very dark -- retelling of The Wizard of Oz.
This updated version loosely follows the basic storyline -- the heroine travels to a mysterious realm, picks up three unusual traveling companions, defeats an evil witch, and is reunited with her family. But unlike the mostly sunny and happy land of Oz (flying monkeys and hostile trees notwithstanding), the Outer Zone (get it? O.Z.), as the locals refer to it, is more like a fascist Brothers Grimm fairyland seen through a steampunk lens, with a hint of David Lynch thrown in just to make sure nobody seems too cheerful.
The O.Z. is ruled by the evil sorceress Azkadellia (Kathleen Robertson). She keeps the locals in line with the help of an army of thugs known as Longcoats, whose black uniforms and sadistic habits make them seem more than a little like Nazi SS goon squads. Azkadellia desperately wants to find a powerful mystical emerald that will help her rule the land, but she has no idea where to look until DG (Zooey Deschanel), an everyday farm girl -- er, modern feminist who rides a motorcycle and likes to roll up her sleeves and repair engines -- from Kansas is transported into the O.Z. by, yes, a twister. Turns out DG and Azkadellia share a mysterious bond; unraveling this puzzle may help them locate the gem.
As DG sets off to figure out her true identity, she meets Glitch (Alan Cumming), a flexible and loyal pal who's been lobotomized by Azkadellia's mad scientists (in other words, he has no brain); Raw (Raoul Trujillo), a nervous, hairy sort who sometimes has magical visions; and Cain (Neal McDonough), a former lawman -- or Tin Man, as they're known in the O.Z. -- who wants nothing more than revenge on the Longcoats who attacked his wife and son years earlier.
Tin Man is filled with clever shout outs to The Wizard of Oz. Look for DG's blue gingham waitress uniform back in Kansas, and the Munchkin-like members of the Resistance Fighters of the Eastern Guild.
But Tin Man is definitely its own film and a totally different story -- though ultimately it offers a similar message about the value of family. The original, though a timeless classic, may seem a bit too sugary to some people these days; this dark, modern version is an exciting and interesting update (though, at six hours, it sometimes drags).
Fans might also like Castle in the Sky, Hayao Miyazaki's animated classic about a lost girl who seeks her roots in a mysterious magical land, or Bridge to Terabithia, another film (co-starring Deschanel) featuring a mystical realm. Or try The Wiz for yet another take on L. Frank Baum's classic story. Teens who like dark, thoughtful sci-fi should check out Blade Runner and Minority Report, which also offer dystopian visions of a familiar world.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentNo sex or nudity, but Azkadellia's wardrobe is heavy on the low-cut gowns. Central City, the capital of the O.Z., seems to be a modern day Sin City, with scantily clad working girls on the corners and several theaters that appear to be strip joints. |
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ViolenceSeveral fistfights, a few gunfights, and plenty of attacks by various beasts and monsters. Azkadellia's private army, the longcoats, rule through violence and intimidation and aren't above beating up women and children. A thick sense of gloom and oppression pervades much of the series. |
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LanguageSome swearing, including "bitch" and "crap" -- but that's about as strong as it gets. |
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Social BehaviorWicked sorceress Azkadellia rules the O.Z. through violence, intimidation, torture, and a private army of goons known as longcoats. Think of it as fascism backed by magic; the result is a country gripped by fear. Residents of the O.Z. are unwilling to trust each other and live in constant fear of Azkadellia's spies, and the series' mood is relentlessly gloomy. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoOne important supporting character, the Mystic Man, appears to be addicted to magical vapors, and there seems to be plenty of carousing in Central City. |
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