LEGENDS OF OZ: DOROTHY'S RETURN | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"LEGENDS OF OZ: DOROTHY'S RETURN"
(2014) (voices of Lea Michele, Dan Aykroyd) (PG)

QUICK TAKE:: Animated Fantasy: Dorothy returns to the Land of Oz after it falls under attack by the evil Jester, who turns out to be the put-upon brother of the Wicked Witch of the West.

PLOT:

After her adventures in Oz, Dorothy (voice of LEA MICHELE) is readjusting to her old life in Kansas. In the wake of the devastating cyclone, both her family farm and her nearby small town have fallen on hard times, and an evil Appraiser (voice of MARTIN SHORT) is swooping in to take advantage of the local population's misfortunes. He ends up condemning the Gale homestead, and Dorothy's Uncle Henry (voice of MICHAEL KRAWIC) and Aunt Em (voice of TACEY ADAMS) have no choice but to leave.

Before they can, though, a big and beautiful rainbow appears to Dorothy and her dog, Toto, in a field. Magically, it begins to move and even chase her. Suddenly, she is caught up in its brilliant colors and whisked back to Oz where she learns that the Jester (also the voice of MARTIN SHORT), the evil brother of the Wicked Witch of the West, has reclaimed her broomstick and is systematically capturing and imprisoning the various leaders of Oz in an attempt to take it over. Among his captures are the Scarecrow (voice of DAN AYKROYD), the Tin Man (voice of KELSEY GRAMMER), the Lion (voice of JIM BELUSHI), and Glinda the Good Witch of the North (voice of BERNADETTE PETERS).

Once again on a journey to the Emerald City, Dorothy assembles a new group of allies to fight the Jester and reclaim Oz for all its people. These new friends include the overweight owl, Wiser (voice of OLIVER PLATT); the candy solider, Marshal Mallow (voice of HUGH DANCY); the China Princess (voice of MEGAN HILTY); and an ancient tree who agrees to be carved into a boat named Tugg (voice of PATRICK STEWART).

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Yes, definitely. It can be viewed as a direct sequel to 1939's "The Wizard of Oz."

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For some scary images and mild peril.

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