Wicked Review: A Magical, Musical Journey to Oz
Theatrical Movie Review - Musical
When it was announced two years ago that director Jon M. Chu was giving us Wicked: Part 1 rather than the entire musical, I was immediately skeptical. Film adaptations of musicals are notoriously tricky to pull off, and splitting a musical that is two hours and 45 minutes with an intermission into a movie that is that long but only act one was going to be a bloated mess. I was wrong. Wicked is astounding and the only film I would say must be seen in a theater this year.
When Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is born with green skin, she is immediately rejected by her father and scorned by other children. When her sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), heads to Shiz University, her father insists that Elphaba accompanies her to make sure she’s safe. When Elphaba perceives that Nessarose is in danger, she performs magic, catching the eye of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), who demands that she stay and room with Galinda (Ariana Grande), a bubbly socialite who is jealous of Elphaba’s natural powers. The girls eventually become friends and go to see The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) to find a way to save the talking animals in Oz.
Wicked was an absolute marvel. Chu brings a stunning adaptation of the theatrical experience to film, with a deft understanding of how to use filmic elements to enhance the storytelling. “What Is This Feeling” is performed largely in a split screen, which adds so much more to the song's humor. And “Defying Gravity” uses the full power of film to convey Elphaba’s transformation.
Despite the length of the musical, the pacing is almost perfect. Things drag just a bit around “I'm Not That Girl,” and I would have liked to see “Defying Gravity” stretched out a little less, but those complaints are tiny nitpicks compared to my praise for this movie.
The performances are nearly flawless. Jeff Goldblum is probably the weakest link, but even he adds his Goldblum charm to the character of the Wizard. Jonathan Bailey as the handsome Fiyero is fun and breezy. Erivo belts through her songs with so much heart that it is impossible not to understand the depth of her pain and longing. But Grande (credited as Grande-Butera, the name she had when she first saw the Broadway musical) absolutely sparkles as Galinda/Glinda. She brings an incredible amount of humor and pathos to the role, and any concerns people may have about her pop sensibilities should be laid to rest as she gives a spectacular vocal performance.
In addition to incredible performances, Wicked is a joy to watch from a technical standpoint. The production design, costuming, make-up, and color grading are all dizzying, allowing us to feel like we're in this magical land. In an age where so much world-building is done on a soundstage with a green screen, Chu built sets that are massive and immersive.
If you love the musical, see Wicked immediately. If you love The Wizard of Oz, see Wicked immediately. If you love big movie experiences, see Wicked immediately. If you want to sing along, maybe wait another month until those showings start popping up, but then see Wicked. The biggest skeptic of them all promises you won’t be disappointed.
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on November 24. 2024.
I thought Goldblum was certainly the weakest in terms of singing, but thought he was perfectly cast for THAT particular Wizard.