by Heath Lynch, Contributing Writer
It’s Thursday, October 30th, 2003. Idina Menzel has just splashed onto the scene as Maureen in Rent. Kristen Chenoweth has just won a Tony for her portrayal of Sally in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Stephen Schwartz is hot off writing the music and lyrics for ‘90s animated classics Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Prince of Egypt. Winnie Holzman’s writing has recently captivated television audiences with her creation, My So-Called Life. And all of these talents are about to come together to premiere the musical re-envisioning of one of the most beloved fantasy worlds we’ve ever seen.
Wicked.
Broadway has never been the same since.
After blowing the ruby slippers off critics and audiences alike, Wicked went on to receive 10 Tony Award nominations. It took home three titles, including a Best Actress in a Musical win for Menzel. It was a cultural phenomenon in the realm of musical theater. This, of course, as these things often do, led to film adaptation talks… back in 2004. Yes, that 2004. The one from 20 years ago. Now, after 8,161 Broadway performances of this adored musical, a revolving door of director considerations, including the likes of J.J. Abrams, James Mangold, Ryan Murphy, Rob Marshall, and Stephen Daldry, and many on-and-off years of production hell, the long-awaited feature adaptation finally hits the silver screen.
Citizens of Muchkinland, the Emerald City, and all of Oz, rejoice! Wicked is one of this year’s best films! And it’s gonna be popular…
If I’m being honest and transparent with you, I have to confess to being a massive lover of musical theater. My mom made sure to share her passion for musicals with me, so I’ve been watching musicals in-person, as well as on film, for 35-plus years. I was even lucky enough to see Wicked on Broadway earlier this year in anticipation of this film’s release. Needless to say, my anticipation level for this was off the charts. But that doesn’t mean that this film was going to be a guaranteed success with me. If anything, as a theater kid, I tend to be overly critical. You really have to do a musical justice for me to fall in love with it and sing its praises… or at least sing along to the soundtrack at the top of my lungs while driving around town. So none of this Joker: Folie à Deux or Emilia Pérez hogwash was going to work with me. I wanted what the wizard promised me. Not the charlatan behind the curtain.
Thankfully, theater- and movie-goers alike will be exhilarated by this film. That’s largely because of the true wizard at work here, Jon M. Chu. While it may be easy to take cheap shots at him for directing such… treasures… as G.I. Joe: Retaliation and Now you See Me 2, it’s very clear now with 20/20 hindsight that those were outliers relative to his talents. In many ways, you can actually follow the breadcrumbs through Chu’s directorial history to see how he got to where he is today. With early works like Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D, and even Justin Bieber’s concert film, Believe, Chu honed in on his ability to utilize, frame, and shoot high-concept, well-executed choreography. Crazy Rich Asians allowed him to stretch his romantic storytelling muscles, while learning to tap into truly emotional and cathartic moments. Then there’s In the Heights, his first Broadway adaptation musical which allowed him to explore singing with dancing, truly inventive camera tricks, while tackling heavier political and community-based themes that add to the experience. With all of that experience under his belt, Chu is able to deliver an astounding cinematic musical spectacle in Wicked.
Chu’s directorial efforts are all the more impressive when you consider the sheer weight of expectations, as well as the production scale, of Wicked. Theater lovers have been wanting this for more than two decades. Many would be let down by anything less than exceptional. Then you have to contend with recreating the land of Oz, and making audiences believe in the magic once again. Constructing Shiz University, rebuilding Muchkinland, handling the scope of these sets, costumes, dance numbers… it’s a lot. This isn’t often the kind of movie that gets directing recognition from awards bodies, but Chu certainly deserves it. I view it like Denis Villeneuve and Dune. The movie didn’t make itself. So what if it’s a sci-fi epic? It’s such a massive production, and for Villeneuve to pull it off, well, that deserves praise. Wicked is no different. This film is massive, and Chu nails it. Give this man some accolades.
Frankly, between this and In the Heights, I’m kinda at the point where I just want Chu to direct Broadway musical adaptations the rest of my life, if he’s up for it of course. He’s just that good. One of the best, if not the best,in the game. Oh, would you look at that; he’s slated to direct an adaptation of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, how interesting…
Under Chu’s leadership, Wicked has the foundation to dazzle. But it’s due to the towering performances of its two co-leading (That’s right, co-leading. Not gonna play this category fraud game with you Academy…) ladies, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera (referred to as Grande from here on), that this picture is allowed to flourish.
Simply put — these two are outstanding.
The surprise for many will undoubtedly be Grande. She’s spent so much of her career, especially over the last decade, cultivating her musical skillset, and expanding her singing opportunities, that some might not even be aware that she started her career as an actor. With several years worth of work on Nickelodeon shows perfecting slapstick humor and her sense of comedic timing, as well as small, fun appearances over the years on Saturday Night Live, and even a funny cameo in Don’t Look Up from a few years back, she has stealthy been training for years to take on her self-admitted dream role of Glinda. And she crushes it. I have a suspicion that most will come away from this film loving both performances, but slightly favoring Erivo’s due to her emotional vulnerability and triumphant singing performance, but for me it’s Grande that steals every scene that she’s in. She perfectly captures the manic, bimbo energy that defines Glinda in the Broadway play. Whether it’s the ditzy way she flips her hair and chases guys, the ignorantly flippant condescension in her speech, or the slapstick zaniness, especially during vocal performances like “Popular,” she’s go, go, go. Committed to the character in the best way possible. But what’s truly impressive is how Grande is able to tap into an emotional vulnerability that exposes her lack of intelligence as she rediscovers what friendship and morality truly looks like. All that, and you still have to take into account her singing performance, which is stellar. I mean, she’s a pop star for a reason, and all the talent that you know she has is on full display here. There’s a very possible future where Grande comes out of this with a nomination for Best Supporting Actress (because the Academy can’t help but commit category fraud…) and she’ll be deserving of that honor. I’m genuinely rooting for it at this point.
The mirror to Grande’s earnest tomfoolery is Erivo’s stoic reservation that gives way to powerful self-actualization. Gaining prominence for her outstanding work on Broadway as the lead role, Celie, in The Color Purple, as well as Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act, Erivo is no stranger to musicals. Her lush soprano vocal range is a thing of beauty, imbuing the lyrics she sings with so much heart and soul. That powerful vocal tool is on full display, bringing me to tears on multiple occasions with tracks like “The Wizard and I” and the film-defining “Defying Gravity.” But Erivo’s talents aren’t just limited to her spellbinding vocal work. She’s also great at playing off others, as well as tapping into relatable, raw emotions. The frenemy-to-best-friends arc of Elphaba and Glinda is the narrative core of Wicked, and that powerful journey is largely on Erivo’s shoulders. Never buckling under the weight. She makes key moments in the story, most notably a silent dance sequence, emotionally stirring in a way that will elicit tears from the eyes of audiences worldwide. As the story progresses, and Elphaba begins to open up to life’s opportunities, you can visually see a shift in her performance as her voice becomes stronger, and her eyes begin to pierce the silver screen itself, as if she’s staring right at you. There’s sorrow, anger, and a resounding sense of determination in her that’s beyond captivating. By the time we get to the final battle cry vocal riff at the end of “Defying Gravity,” she is transformed.
What’s really great is that it’s not just Erivo and Grande knocking it out of the park, but the supporting cast is doing some solid work as well. Jonathan Bailey will likely get a lot of buzz from audiences due to his suave charisma that hides genuine morality. His song, “Dancing Through Life,” is one of the film’s greatest moments. Michelle Yeoh does well as the elder witch in search of a young pupil to help lead Oz to greatness. I even enjoyed Peter Dinklage’s voiceover performance for Dr. Dillamond, a college professor of history who just so happens to be the world’s most awesome talking goat. I actually wish there was more for him. Other notables that might catch your eye for their comic relief or cute performances include the likes of Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, and Bowen Yang. There’s even a few cameos here that’ll have fans of Wicked squirming in their seats with delight. Or maybe rolling your eyes if you’re being a curmudgeon. Don’t be a curmudgeon.
I will say that Jeff Goldblum as the infamous Wizard of Oz felt slightly miscast to me. This is partially because, well, he kinda just plays Jeff Goldblum and not the Wizard, but also because he’s so underutilized. Even his song, “A Sentimental Man” (which isn’t sung very well), feels stunted, and actually comes across to me as the low point of the movie where I could really feel the runtime. I wouldn’t say Goldblum is bad, and I’m we’ll see more from him in Wicked: Part Two next year (yes, this is a Part One which was not marketed as a Part One — we’ll get to that…) that could sway my opinion, but right now I’m feeling… underwhelmed. But if that’s the weakest performance in your movie, damn, you’re really cooking.
Beyond the performances, the narrative here truly sings, as well as the themes, and I’m not just saying that because this is a musical. As stated earlier, the core of this is the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda, which is pitch-perfect. But the other aspects of this story work really well too. This simultaneously serves as a coming-of-age tale, a fantasy epic, and even a mild political thriller. While some storylines certainly get more screen time than others, it’s amazing how seamlessly the script flows from one to another without feeling like it’s undercutting anything, and without confusing the audience. There are a couple characters that may feel a bit undercooked, but I would just say that’s intentional because those characters, such as Nessarose and Boq, will have a lot more to do come Part Two next year.
A nice surprise, though, was the rich political themes. While these elements of the narrative are a massive part of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the original novel that the Broadway play was based on, a lot of those aspects were toned down for the stage production. Simply put, unless you’re Sweeney Todd, darkness doesn’t sell as a musical. So the more morbid elements of the book were switched out for bubble gum on the stage. Wicked, the film, blends the two. Largely adhering to the cotton candy aesthetic of the stage musical, the cinematic medium allows for more conversation and connectivity to the lore, opening up much richer thematic avenues. The commentary on racism, bigotry, and exclusion, while not in your face, is certainly pronounced. The examination of fascism, and the manipulative propaganda techniques of this in power who wish to maintain said power is poignant. If you want to just enjoy this as a color musical in the land of Oz, you can absolutely do that. But if you want to dig deeper and really find a sense of purpose in the narrative, those elements are there for you as well, and it’s quite welcome.
Where Wicked truly excels is in its technical achievements. While I do give a little pause to note that some of the lighting decisions by cinematographer Alice Brooks are… puzzling, I don’t think that they’re bad by any means. Some moments are lit in such a way that scenes may appear quite dark, but it feels like a conscious decision to capture the world of Oz, so I at least respect the swing. Just don’t expect the character’s faces to always be properly lit. Outside of that, the rest of the technicals are jaw-dropping. I’ll just say it: Wicked is going to get some serious Oscar love when it comes to Art Direction, Costume Design, Hair and Makeup, and Visual Effects. There may be the odd moment where the CGI feels like it’s missing something, but those are few and far between. The tactile and textured nature of these practical sets are absolutely gorgeous. The blending of CGI into those sets to expand the world is beautiful. Shiz University looks awesome, and the town square of Emerald City is dazzling, but seeing the cool waters and lush forest that surround Shiz, and the massive green spires creating the skyline of the city, really shows you the scope of Oz, and the full vision behind this film. The costumes are stunning in such a way that you’ll wish you could wear these dresses and suits out to real events. In particular, the looks of Elphaba and Glinda brilliantly do so much character development for the film just due to their very distinct looks. And don’t even get me started on the makeup and hair. The transformation of Erivo into Elphaba is absolutely perfect.
Look, if it sounds like I’m just dumping heaps of praise onto this movie, with almost very downside, and you’re just sitting there waiting for the shoe to drop… I’m sorry, Wicked is just that damn good. It deserves the praise. There hardly is any downside. It’s that simple.
We do have to talk about one thing though: the fact that this is a Part One, and a long Part One at that.
The musical theater stage production of Wicked, with intermission, is about two hours and 45 minutes to three hours long, depending on the intermission and how long a few key scenes play out. Wicked, the film, is just the first act of that stage play. Just over an hour and a half’s worth of material. Yet this film is two hours and 41 minutes long. Almost as long as the entire stage production.
For me, the time largely flew by. The added runtime goes towards expanding on lore, political themes, and some damn good dance sequences of extended choreography. There’s not really any time that feels wasted, per se. But there are a couple of slower beats that bring down the momentum of the film’s energy to the point in which you can feel the runtime. Not much should be trimmed, but about 10 to 15 minutes could’ve been trimmed, and I feel like that could’ve gone a long way to make the pacing of this film as perfect as the direction, narrative, and co-lead performances. Even mild editing changes could’ve helped with this, especially in the dance sequences. Some longer exaggerated takes could’ve gone a long way. But this is the most minor of minor quibbles.
All of that needs to be said though to illustrate that this is a longer flick, and it’s still only half of the overarching story. Now, let’s not confuse things, this is still a complete film. There are complete narrative beats, and complete character arcs, that are resolved by this film’s end. But there are still more stories to be told. The movie will warn you this is coming, saying it is called Wicked: Part One in the title card, even though the official title is Wicked. It’ll even give you a nice “To Be Continued…” at the end. But it’s worth harping on to set proper audience expectations, as this movie wasn’t marketed as a Part One, which is frustratingly deceptive.
Unfortunately, that was not the only deceptive aspect of this film’s marketing. All of the trailers for this film blatantly tried to hide the fact that it was a musical. If you’re a fan of the genre, and keep up with stage productions, then you undoubtedly knew what this was. It has been one of the most celebrated and beloved musicals on Broadway for the last two decades. You knew what was coming. But there’s a sizable chunk of movie-going audiences that will have no idea, and that’s a shame. Hopefully studios will get to the point where they can be honest with their advertisement, because I feel there’s been a societal shift in the last 10 years where people are more accepting of musicals as a genre than they have been in the past several decades before this, but clearly today is not that day.
So set your expectations properly. This is a musical. It’s a Part One. And it’s really long. But this is a damn good musical with amazing songs and vocal performances. This is a part one that will give you a powerful ending that only serves to excite you for Part Two. And it is a lengthy film that almost entirely earns it runtime with brilliant spectacle and emotional catharsis.
Genuinely, I cannot say enough good about Wicked. It is sincerely one of the greatest films of the year, hands down. I hope, and expect, it to receive a lot of awards recognition and accolades, as well as absolutely absolutely crush it at the box office with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of ticket sales. Maybe even a billion. Who knows? I wasn’t kidding earlier; this is gonna be popular.
Wicked reminds us of the magic of the movies. The sheer potential of large-scale productions that aren’t afraid to go over the top with intense visual moments, fun character beats, hilariously memorable sequences, and emotionally riveting storytelling. It’s the kind of movie that evokes classic Hollywood cinema by redefining what movie musicals can be for the modern age. I can’t wait to see this again. In fact, I already bought tickets. I hope you’ll join me at the theater to be fully entertained by the enchanting nature of this film.
Rating: Loved It
Wicked is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Heath Lynch, and follow him on Letterboxd