Return to Oz

PG

Released Jun 21, 1985

1h 50m

Kids & Family

Fantasy

List

58%

38 Reviews

Tomatometer

71%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Dorothy discovers she is back in the land of Oz, and finds the yellow brick road is now a pile of rubble, and the Emerald City is in ruins. Discovering that the magical land is now under the control of an evil empire, she sets off to rescue the scarecrow, the tin man and the lion with the help of her new friends.

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Critics Consensus

Return to Oz taps into the darker side of L. Frank Baum's book series with an intermittently dazzling adventure that never quite recaptures the magic of its classic predecessor.

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Alec B

A delightful oddity. With the exception of the presence of the Ruby Slippers, just about everything in the movie runs counter to the iconic 1939 film, which makes "Return to Oz" a sequel to nothing. The movie is even darker than the Baum books its based on.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/09/24

Full Review

Holly

Why hasn't this got a higher rating.. it's brilliant!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/30/23

Full Review

Steve D

Fairuza Balk is just too young to pull this off. The story is solid.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/27/23

Full Review

Sahooon C

It's a pretty mid "sequel" if you can call it that. Not based on the books and a much darker tone than the original. Don't recall any singing. Think I'd say to most not to bother unless they remember this film and want a trip down memory lane

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Classic and creepy as heck

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/16/23

Full Review

Jeffrey M

The Return to Oz was an okay movie. It was interesting, I mean that is all I can say. The Return of Oz was a bit weird though. It had some very, very suspicious characters. I can't believe I'm saying this, but this movie had worse costumes than the original movie. The Return to Oz is much worse than the first one, but it is still a okay watch. The Return of Oz is also really clever. The Return of Oz was fine. I give it a 67%.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/05/23

Full Review

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Walter Murch

Director

Fairuza Balk

Dorothy

Nicol Williamson

Dr. Worley

Jean Marsh

Nurse Wilson

Piper Laurie

Aunt Em

Matt Clark

Uncle Henry

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Roxana Hadadi

Crooked Marquee

Taken altogether, the experience of watching Return to Oz, with its myriad nightmarish offerings, almost feels like thumbing one's nose at the prudish Disney of today.

Jul 1, 2020

Full Review

Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

Return to Oz doesn't soar when it so clearly should.

Dec 13, 2018

Full Review

Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

The basic problem with Return to Oz is its unrelieved oppressiveness, an atmosphere resulting mainly from our sense of Dorothy's constant plight.

Dec 13, 2018

Full Review

Joseph Robinson

Fish Jelly Films (YouTube)

Return to Oz is a slightly disappointing effort that occupies a space far from the 1939 classic Wizard of Oz while not being close enough to the more grim source material.

Rated: 2.5/5

Aug 5, 2023

Full Review

Richard Schertzer

ScreenAnarchy

The look of Oz is very dreary and depressing when compared to the 1939 film, but it certainly makes up for it with its sense of adventure and fun. ... a nostalgia ride into a blissful time of innocence and care-free wonder.

Jun 22, 2023

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Entrancing in a very different way from its bright Technicolor ancestor.

Rated: A

Dec 2, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

Dorothy discovers she is back in the land of Oz, and finds the yellow brick road is now a pile of rubble, and the Emerald City is in ruins. Discovering that the magical land is now under the control of an evil empire, she sets off to rescue the scarecrow, the tin man and the lion with the help of her new friends.

Director: Walter Murch
Screenwriter: Walter Murch, Gill Dennis
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Oz Productions Ltd., Silver Screen Partners II
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 21, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Surround

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