Wicked

Rating 9/10

I admit I was skeptical. A couple of recent movie musicals had me bracing for another disappointment. Missteps from overly serious tones to lackluster integration of songs and stories seemed to signal a troubling trend in the genre as of late. Furthermore, this is 160 minutes long, and it’s only Part One, with Part Two arriving next year. Stretching Act I out to nearly three hours is not a good place to start. However, my fears gradually dissipated as I experienced this dazzling manifestation from the stage to the screen. Director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) understood the assignment and embraced everything that makes musicals magical.

Wicked is an adaptation of just the first Act of the 2003 Broadway show by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Maguire’s novel reimagines the backstory of the Wicked Witch from L. Frank Baum’s 1900 classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its iconic 1939 film adaptation. Oh, so you thought she was a villain? Well, it’s a little more complicated than that.

The movie begins in Oz following the events detailed in the 1939 movie. After the defeat of the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) recounts the tale of Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo). Through this framing device, we learn the tale of a green-skinned girl who defies assumptions. She attends a regrettably named school called Shiz University with her paraplegic sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode). Elphaba is mocked by the students for having green skin but earns the attention of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), who recognizes the girl’s potential for magic. Meanwhile, this recognition inspires a rivalry with Galinda (later Glinda) Upland, a popular classmate with whom she forms an uneasy bond. There’s also the carefree and handsome Fiyero Tigelaar (Jonathan Bailey), a Winkie prince. When Dr. Dillamond (voice of Peter Dinklage), a professor who just happens to be a Goat, reveals that talking animals in Oz are losing their ability to speak, Elphaba believes the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) can help. A visit to the Emerald City sets off a chain of events that will forever transform her life.

The concept of an origin story for the Wicked Witch as a misunderstood being who is discriminated against can seem like a hackneyed idea in 2024, especially 21 years after it was first introduced on Broadway. Yet, it is the way that actors can draw you in emotionally that makes the developments seem fresh and engaging. Wicked sports a large ensemble cast. Sure, it’s impossible to connect with all of the secondary characters. That said, actors Jonathan Bailey and Michelle Yeoh stand out. The considerable charisma of each actor shines in small but meaningful roles. Nevertheless, it is the central duo that comprises the heart of Wicked, and their chemistry is compelling.

Actress Cynthia Erivo has affected a grave, self-serious tone that has not won fans in the public forum. However, as Elphaba Thropp, that quality is perfectly channeled into a character who is vilified—a moral crusader whose ideals are not widely accepted by the masses. The woman can sing, and in both “The Wizard and I” and the climatic number “Defying Gravity,” she proves her talent with her strong, clear soprano. Both numbers left me astonished.

Ariana Grande likewise dazzles as Galinda Upland, a popular young woman who will become Glinda the Good. It’s not easy to convincingly portray the psychological arc of a personality whose feelings toward Elphaba fluctuate through dislike, tolerance, friendship, admiration, and then conflict again, almost on a whim. She fully embodies the superficial individual with a toss of her hair and chirpy sing-songy vocals, even when speaking. Together, Grande and Ervio shine in “What Is This Feeling?” a duet where each details their immediate hostility toward one another, expressed through exaggerated declarations of “loathing.”  But Grande’s big number is “Popular,” a comedic ditty where Glinda envisions herself as if some version of Professor Henry Higgins, albeit with different motivations, taking it upon herself to change Elphaba to fit societal expectations.

Director Jon M. Chu and choreographer Christopher Scott benefit from having the blueprint for the original theater production. Still, they comprehend that this is film and take full advantage of the cinematic medium. Scott’s routines incorporate spectacular set pieces featuring huge troupes, with some sequences boasting over 150 dancers—impossible to mount on a Broadway stage. The pair met on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance and have a long history of working together in movies since 2008 on Step Up 2: The Streets. That familiarity enables a seamless marriage of movement and storytelling that heightens the musical numbers.
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The production also emphasizes practical sets designed by Nathan Crowley. “Dancing Through Life” features a notable scene in a library where parkour performers do flips and other acrobatic feats around spinning bookshelves ​like gears in a towering structure. The song is good, but the intricate choreography, carefully timed and executed in the framework, elevates it into a wow. The decision to prioritize physical sets over CGI grounds Oz in tactile reality, offering a richness that complements the performances and dancing. This attention to practical effects and choreography means that famous songs—like “Defying Gravity” and “Popular”—are more than just catchy tunes; they’re spectacles that enhance the depth of the narrative.

Director Chu truly grasps how to properly mount a musical. Lavish set designs, exuberant choreography, and songs that burst with emotional resonance should be—and are—the centerpiece here. When Glinda shows solidarity with Elphaba by embracing her awkward movements during a pivotal scene in a ballroom, it poetically affirms more about their evolving relationship than mere words ever could. I’ve seen that scene performed on stage, but it seemed humorous in that context. I never felt the poignancy of that demonstration until now. Great song-and-dance productions remind audiences that heartfelt character journeys go hand in hand with grand, showstopping numbers. Just as war pictures, action thrillers, and superhero epics can deliver a spectacle, so too can musicals be a thrilling cinematic experience. Thanks to director Jon M. Chu and his talented team, we have been given a cogent reminder. Wicked is wicked good.

11-21-24