Wicked - Review

 

Thirty years ago, a novel about the untold story of Oz released to the masses. And less than a decade after that, the musical adaptation (loosely) based on it premiered on Broadway and became one of the most successful productions of all time. The movie adaptation has gone through a few iterations since 2010, but finally settled with this two part adaptation, and folks, it is off to a pretty great start. 

Misunderstood because of her green skin, a young woman named Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) forges an unlikely but profound friendship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), a student with an unflinching desire for popularity. Following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their relationship soon reaches a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.

Director Jon M. Chu really has his work cut out for him with this one. The musical is so beloved, it is basically guaranteed to be some sort of hit, and with any sort of quality, likely a smash. Thankfully, Chu brought the same energy that made his adaptation of In the Heights soar, producing some of the more visually interesting musical numbers in recent memory. The one complaint that could be made, is the color does seem drained at places, as the internet will surely tell you ad nauseam.

But the central piece to any Wicked adaptation is going to be the cast. Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero gets to show off his charisma, as well as his vocal chops, flirting with just about every student he comes across at school. No one had any doubt Cynthia Erivo was a home-run pick for Elphaba, and the she more than proves that. Her talents are more than perfectly suited for the role, with the whole film basically building to her show-stopping final moments. But the standout here might actually be Ariana Grande. 

Perhaps it comes from a place of skepticism upon her initial casting, but Grande nails the somewhat ditzy, but lovable Glinda. She has multiple readings and takes in the music that are phenomenal, and bring a familiar but different energy to the character. Combine that with the chemistry that she and Erivo share, and you’ve got a winner, and possibly a few nominations when the time comes.

It’s easy to question why this film was split into two parts, a trend that seemed to die out but has recently roared back. However, when you’re in it, it doesn’t feel at all like a 2 hour and 40 minute film, and some would argue it actually flies by. Wicked is not a flawless adaptation by any means, it likely has more than this review would suggest, but the feeling it provides and the energy it leaves you with are hard to ignore. And more than anything, the immediate desire to see it again, speaks volumes to how absolutely magical the whole experience truly is.