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Parents' Guide to

Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Kids will like well-intentioned sequel, but it lacks magic.

Movie PG 2014 88 minutes
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 8 parent reviews

Angelie T.
Angelie T. Parent of 11-year-old
May 6, 2020
age 11+

It is scary

I don’t think this is appropriate for kids under 9. You have to be mature. The songs are very good. But it is surprisingly scary. There is animal neglect. There is one scene where the China Princess dies and the song is beautiful but it is very sad. The earthquake in the China Palace is very scary when you think about it. It is funny because they are dolls, but what if it was real people.

This title has:

Too much violence
Darkseid
Darkseid Parent of 5 and 7-year-old
April 30, 2020
age 5+

A movie with its own little magic

Kids are 5 and 7 years old. SPOILERS: They kids were very interested in the movie. The villain was definetly evil, the kids got it and understood how some of the main characters had to change to be better. the songs were adequate, and animation was good for its style. not worth a movie night experience but a random dinner movie for the kids is a good use of the movie.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Dorothy (voiced by Lea Michele) is back in tornado-struck Kansas, but not for long: Her Oz friends -- the Scarecrow (Dan Aykroyd), the (no longer) Cowardly Lion (James Belushi), and the Tin Man (Kelsey Grammer) -- need her help. The brother of the Wicked Witch, called the Jester (Martin Short), has imprisoned Glinda (Bernadette Peters) and turned her into a marionette, taking the magic broomstick and all its powers with him. Now Dorothy must find her old friends (who have also fallen prey to the Jester's evil plans) with the help of new ones: Wiser the Owl (Oliver Platt), Marshall Mallow (Hugh Dancy), China Princess (Megan Hilty), and Tugg the tugboat (Patrick Stewart). But it's no easy feat: The Jester is formidable, and the flying monkeys are angrier than ever.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (11 ):

Like the edible wonders of Candy County, LEGENDS OF OZ: DOROTHY RETURNS is sweet, and it means well. But will it achieve the icon status of its legendary predecessor? Not likely. For one thing, the story is a retread of the original, with Dorothy picking up a different motley crew on her way back to the Emerald City. For fans of the original Wizard of Oz, that will either feel like an homage or a decided lack of originality. And the songs aren't nearly as compelling or memorable, aside from a catchy duet sparked by the budding romance between Marshall Mallow and the China Princess. (As an aside, given how sarcastic and superficial she is, it's a puzzling flirtation, though she does ultimately become more pleasant.)

The sidekicks from the original story -- the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow -- aren't given much to work with, and we miss them, especially given the talented voice actors who portray them. But at least we get lots of Martin Short, who's fantastic. And the animation, while not up to Pixar standards, bathes the film in nostalgic glow. Keep expectations in check, and you'll enjoy the film for what it is: a harmless return to Oz.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return compares to the original Wizard of Oz. Is it as scary? Scarier? Why? How does the fact that this movie is animated (versus the original's live action) affect the impact of the more frightening scenes/creatures?

  • Dorothy makes new friends on this adventure. Are they similar to or different than the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Lion? What are the lessons she learns this time around? Are they different from the original?

  • Should some movies be left alone without a sequel? Or is it fun to see Dorothy's story continue?

Movie Details

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