Blockbuster adaptation of Broadway musical Wicked hits most of the right notes
Like a true theater kid, the film is a little too enamored with its own world at times.
Wicked. // Courtesy Universal
There are some movies so big they don’t need reviews. The Harry Potter movies still play on repeat in some people’s homes every holiday, despite the fact that the third film is the only one that really holds up (I said what I said). The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a Christmas staple in many homes, and for good reason! They’re amazing (the Hobbit films less so, but some people are completists — c’est la vie, right?). Even the Avatar movies made obscene sums at the box office, where their staying power kept them entertaining holiday season audiences for weeks after release.
I’m sure it won’t surprise you to hear that Wicked, a nearly three-hour-long adaptation of only half of the juggernaut Broadway musical, is one of these movies. After all, theater kids have been pitchily caterwauling “Defying Gravity” in their cars with friends on their way to dress rehearsal for generations now — I should know, my generation was the first to shove that cast recording into our car’s CD players. I still remember the year two of my school’s most dramatically talented seniors did a special performance of “For Good” during their graduation ceremony.
You already know this: Wicked is a big budget spectacle with an existing devoted fanbase, a movie hearkening back to the days when we were guaranteed a family-friendly adaptation of a beloved fantasy epic every November or December. It’s going to do well no matter what any of us tell you. And honestly? That’s perfectly fine.
Wicked isn’t a groundbreaking piece of cinematic art, but it is colorful, fun and has all those great Stephen Schwartz musical numbers to buoy it along. Not all of the stage show’s quirks translate perfectly to film, but 85% of it still hits, and that’s respectable. Director Jon M. Chu and crew have done a solid job with casting, staging, and production design that should leave fans satisfied while also charming newcomers.
We begin where the musical does: with the citizens of Oz immediately after Dorothy Gale melted the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Good witch Glinda (Ariana Grande) arrives in Munchkinland to deliver the celebratory news. A precocious Munchkin kid pulls a “You and she were…buddies, weren’t you?,” which leads to an extended flashback in which Glinda recounts her formative years at Shiz University (yes, it’s a ridiculous name, there’s lots of this stuff, you’ll have to get over it) with the green-skinned future Wicked Witch, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo).
Of course, Elphaba doesn’t start wicked. She’s idealistic and brainy, and a lifelong outcast in her family and community thanks to her unique hue. She’s also got a lot of magical potential, which turns her into a star student and puts her at odds with Glinda, a natural Queen Bee. Eventually, the pair reconcile and become friends, but when a visit to the Emerald City to meet the great Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) reveals the truth about Oz’s power structure and who benefits from it, Elphaba’s future, and her friendship with Glinda, is threatened.
Wicked. // Courtesy Universal
The legacy of Wicked’s beloved stage production casts a long shadow over this movie, particularly in its two lead performances. Grande does a fine job replicating Kristin Chenoweth’s iconic high notes and gutsy belting, but there are moments, especially during “Popular,” where it feels like exactly that — a very good imitation. It doesn’t help that like Chenoweth, Grande is a petite blonde soprano, which makes it tough to make that role her own. Erivo, on the other hand, is a different person entirely from Idina Menzel, which gives her an advantage in making her Elphaba wonderfully distinct and layered.
Other small elements, like the show’s occasional whimsifying of language, which plays fine in a heightened theatrical setting, are more confusing than endearing on screen, especially if you’re not ready for them. While most of the costume designs are excellent, there are likewise a few where the quirks seem like a bug rather than a feature. These elements belie Chu’s refusal to trim anything down — it’s clear that the show probably does have too much story to fit into one movie, but there’s nothing that says each part needs to be this long (for reference, on stage the show runs 2:45 with intermission).
Like a true theater kid, Wicked is a little too enamored with its own world at times, which fans probably won’t mind, but newcomers may find grating after a while. On the plus side, the world Chu and his collaborators create is engrossing and lots of fun to look at, with a cast that’s clearly enthusiastic about diving in and giving it their all. As a year-end tentpole built to engage viewers over the holiday buildup and following weekend, it hits the nail on the head. Whether it’ll be an enduring classic is anyone’s guess.
Wicked. // Courtesy Universal
