Bringing the most popular Broadway musicals to the silver screen has always been a Hollywood staple. This transition not only makes these shows more accessible to a broader audience but also opens up a world of cinematic possibilities for filmmakers to expand and enhance the story, for better or worse. For every Hairspray, Chicago, and West Side Story (the 1961 original or its remake), there are less favorable additions like The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and, most infamously, Cats. Everybody has been waiting to see what a big-screen adaptation of Wicked will happen, and it has been left to director Jon M. Chu to make it a reality in the first of a two-part film. Even though it was one of my most anticipated films at the beginning of the year, something about the trailers didn’t please me as I expected, fearing this would be nothing but a letdown. But I’m coming to this with fresh eyes and not knowing every facet of it besides some of the songs. To my surprise, I couldn’t believe how Wicked became one of my favorite films of the year.
What’s the Story: With the good news of the Wicked Witch of the West dead and Glinda the Good telling the folks of Munchkinland there’s nothing to fear anymore, they soon learn they were good friends long before becoming enemies. This revelation changes their perception of the Wicked Witch, making them wonder about the untold story. They both met at Shiz University, where Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande) is one of the newest students to arrive, while the green skin Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivio) is only there to drop off her paraplegic sister Nessa (Marissa Bode). An incident of accidentally using her magical powers caught the attention of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the Dean of Sorcery, to help harness her powers and has Elphaba share a room with Galinda. What started on the wrong feet turns into an unexpected friendship that soon sees them encountering the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), forcing one to take a stand for what she believes in.
Those who don’t call themselves theater or musical geeks know the massive fascination behind Wicked. Based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, the Stephen Schwartz/ Winnie Holzman Broadway musical remains celebrated after 20 years, winning three Tony Awards (losing Best Musical to Avenue Q). I’ve never seen the musical, and it would’ve been an experience to see it when Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel first originated these roles when they were part of its first run. But my sister did when she was in Girl Scouts. I remember the development of an adaptation that had been in talks for almost a decade. The closest we got was Stephen Daldry, who was initially attached to helm it and had a 2019 release date. What we got here with Chu is something special that longtime fans will highly appreciate.
This retelling of The Wizard of Oz story from the viewpoint of the witches has always been an interesting setup to understand what made one become on the side of evil. Chu had the right eye to make this as cinematic as possible to transport its audience to Oz in a different light and take the time to develop its characters and world- by exploring specific themes of friendship, racial prejudice, and animal rights when it comes to those who can talk and have different professions in Oz.
Erivo and Grande’s on-screen dynamic performances as Elphaba and Glinda are a journey in themselves. Their chemistry, starting from a point of mutual dislike when they become roommates, transforms into a bond that one would eagerly buy, a testament to the perfect casting that must have been a dream come true for them both. Erivo flawlessly steps into Elphaba’s shoes and lets us know how she’s been misunderstood ever since she was a child, with her father, the Governor, blaming her for his wife’s death. She doesn’t know her place in this world and has the unlimited potential to channel her anger into her powers. And it’s no surprise she can really sing since most know her more as a performer on stage before breaking out as an actress on film.
When it was revealed that Grande would be portraying Glinda, it was a casting decision that I found hard to reconcile. She’s a gifted pop singer, but her Nickelodeon acting days and diva-like persona didn’t always resonate with me. The contrast between her image and the character of Glinda was stark. However, never in a million years would I ever say Grande was fantastic with her scene-stealing performance. With her channeling Chenoweth and the other actresses who portrayed the character on stage, she brings to life this mean college girl who cares about herself but has charm and grows into someone with a heart. Plus, she has great comic timing that got me some of the most unexpected laughs with her dialogue and gestures.
Jonathan Bailey’s charm as Prince Fitero Tigeelaar, the object of Galinda’s affection, is a standout among the supporting cast. Equally entertaining were the likes of Yeoh and Goldblum, whose presence on screen never failed to amuse, even though their singing voices were an afterthought. The delightful screen presence of Ethan Slater as the Munchkin Boq Woodsman, Bode as Nessa, and Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Galinda’s friends Pfannee and ShenShen added to the overall amusement of the production.
The craftsmanship on display is truly something to behold. The decision to create a Wicked movie and invest in practical set designs from Nathan Crowley, rather than relying on CGI on a soundstage, is a bold one that pays off. The production design, used here to seamlessly blend the real and the fantastical, is so awe-inspiring that it genuinely brings locations like Emerald City and Shiz University or the real-life locomotive to life on screen, captivating the audience and immersing them in the film’s world. And the makeup work to make Erivo the green witch we know and love to hate must’ve taken a lot of time in the chair before filming every week.
The musical numbers, performed live, bring an immediate and vibrant energy to them through their grand scope, right from “No One Mourns the Wicked.” This live element of Christopher Scott’s choreography, combined with the catchy Schwartz songs (“Popular,” “Dancing Through Life”), is expertly framed by Chu’s camera work, and the colorful costumes and art direction are a feast for the eyes. Similar to his underrated adaptation of In The Heights years back, this dedication to these numbers has us remembering them when it’s over or listening to a specific song later in the day. It didn’t make me tear up, but you must love the moment Elphaba does his silent dance at a party, and Galinda joining solidifies their bond. However, once it reached the “Defying Gravity” climax, I had legitimate goosebumps to the last note (which I can’t hit because I’m a baritone). I wanted to sneak into another show to watch the entire sequence again. Thankfully, everybody in my packed IMAX theater was smart enough not to sing since there’s this debate about whether fans should be allowed to sing along.
Aside from some visual spots that didn’t look that great from the cinematography, there’s only one negative to pinpoint, and most will agree that a 160-minute runtime is long. And it’s saying something when Gladiator II is only 12 minutes shorter, and I barely felt that pace. That said, there wasn’t a particular moment or sequence that bored me or knew what new scenes added to the plot, but there were a few times in the second act where it briefly dragged. There’s a chance it might change when the time comes to watch it again. And because this is the first part of a story, we know it doesn’t feel complete, yet I don’t know how much was cut out or how long the actual musical is to sit through. I learned about months or a year in advance, but where it leaves off makes total sense.
Something about being proven wrong about a movie is a joy to me. In a year where Mean Girls and Joker: Folie à Deux were lackluster additions to what people expected for the genre, we’re looking at the best musical worth remembering (I hope Better Man will be in the same boat). This could’ve easily been a bad time if this didn’t have any care for the source material. But Chu and his company put everything they had into pleasing familiar and non-fans. For my money, he has really redeemed himself with this and his last two films after the awful Jem and the Holograms nearly tanked his career.
Universal put a lot of money into its marketing, and they released the kind of musical that was better than Les Misérables and less like Cats and Dear Evan Hansen, both of which were box office bombs and failed to earn any Oscar recognition. Even if this wasn’t getting rave reviews, it still would’ve become one of the biggest movies during the holidays. Now I see how this could be nominated for Best Picture and likely to see Grande land a Best Supporting Actress nomination. The prospect of these potential award nominations is actually thrilling. With Part Two scheduled to come out next November, the wait will be long, but it leaves me excited to know what it concludes, especially when imagining their tearful rendition of “For Good.”
Overall, Wicked goes above and beyond what a musical adaptation should do. With outstanding performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, breathtaking practical sets, and the faithfulness to make fans fall in love all over again, you have a crowd-pleaser movie musical that’s the perfect distraction during uneasy times.
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