Eighty-five years after The Wizard of Oz revolutionized color in movies, a prequel starring twenty-first century pop star Ariana Grande and Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo was released from Universal, directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights). Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, Wicked outlines the lives of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and her counterpart Glinda the Good Witch, before Dorothy arrives in Munchkin Land.
The movie takes little time to get into the music with Ariana Grande quickly leading “No One Mourns the Wicked”, the first of many grand musical numbers featuring elaborate choreography and group vocals. Doing her best Kristin Chenoweth impersonation, Grande’s range is as advertised, and her acting is impressively nuanced in this opening song. My only complaint to start the film is that Grande is not as articulate as the rest of the cast, causing a few of her lines to be missed.
The first part of the story details the two co-leads at Shiz University where they develop their magic and relationships. Rooming together, Elphaba and Glinda form a dynamic friendship that never stops evolving. For better or worse, director Jon M. Chu dedicates enough time for their relationship to authentically grow as the movie progresses. The musical, thus, ends up with a rather long two hour and forty minute runtime, but every scene (barring the original Broadway cast cameo) feels essential. This doesn’t mean you don’t feel the movie’s length though. It is made even worse, as you realize it is just part one of a two part series.
My biggest gripe with the movie, though, is Cynthia Erivo’s portrayal of Elphaba. She brings a confrontational attitude to the role, as opposed to the awkwardness and hesitation in the current Broadway adaptation. Erivo’s edginess feels out of place, and takes away from her empathetic and relatable nature. Personally, it took me some time to get into the movie, because Erivo’s character came off as so unlikable in the beginning. Her amazing, raw vocals in songs like “I’m Not That Girl” are what eventually brought me back into her performance. Her powerful voice and convincing authenticity through song are perfect for the musical – I just wish she would have played Elphaba with much less brashness.
Through Jon M. Chu’s direction, Wicked still has the characteristics of a future classic. As part of what made its predecessor, The Wizard of Oz, so successful, the world-building through elaborate sets and beautiful color grading sets Wicked apart from recent Broadway musical movie failures. Both Shiz University and the Emerald City are detailed, yet vast, perfectly complimenting the exciting musical numbers. “Dancing Through Life” is the ultimate example of Chu’s knack for the visually stunning. The intricate sets and choreography combined with Jonathan Bailey’s charm, make Fiyero’s song in the library a clear highlight of the musical.
Taking the catchy songs from the ever-so-successful Broadway musical, and pairing them with Jon M. Chu’s extravagant direction, Wicked stands out as a memorable take on an age old story.
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