Unless I am watching a Broadway play, I usually will not waste popcorn watching a musical movie. So, when I went to watch “Wicked” with my friend and her sister in my local movie theater, I was skeptical – until I watched it.
With its flawless soundtrack, dynamic acting and immersive setting, “Wicked” has quickly become one of my favorite movies.
“Wicked” hit theaters two months ago on Nov. 22, 2024, during the week of Thanksgiving. Originally a Broadway play that came out in June 2003 starring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, director Jon M. Chu decided to make the musical a cinematic experience for viewers worldwide.
The beginning scene of the film acted as a clever hook to entice its audience to continue watching the film, and, let me tell you, I fell hook, line and sinker. The scene alluded to the original movie “The Wizard of Oz” with the munchkins of Munchkinland celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch of the West due to the infamous bucket of water. Glinda (Ariana Grande) joins in the celebration. However, she is quick to state that the Wicked Witch wasn’t born evil, which she knew from the two going to school together. Thus, the movie begins with how Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), also known as the Wicked Witch, became an iconic villain.
Between the two female main characters, Elphaba was by far my favorite. Her humor was hilarious and she made continuous snide comments throughout the film that really made it more enjoyable. In contrast, Glinda annoyed me greatly. She came across as selfish, arrogant, stuck up, and used to having daddy’s money to get her way. She was highly rude to Elphaba for the whole movie until the party scene in which her compassion provoked her to start acting kindly towards her. However, despite Glinda’s character flaws, the acting was phenomenal. With beautiful singing and jaw dropping performances, both stars portrcayed their character with emotional authenticity and accurate physical transformations that made viewers believe in the magic of the Land of Oz.
“Wicked’s” lack of computer-generated imagery was a risky but well-decided move. With the nine million tulips planted for Munchkinland, two and a half hours of Erivo waiting for her signature green skin to be applied each day, live singing and practical sets, “Wicked’s” world felt truly enchanting. As an avid reader, I love it when film adaptations bring a world to life exactly as I imagined it, and, seeing how the musical was first a book written by Gregory Maguire, Universal Pictures did the story justice.
Advertised as a musical, I definitely think Wicked hit its mark. The soundtrack from the film was exquisitely written by composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, with the famous “aaaaahhhhh” riff from the ending of “Defying Gravity” becoming as legendary as it should be on social media. Other notable songs include “What Is This Feeling” and “Popular” due to their catchy lyrics and exceptional singing.
While I am excited for “Wicked: For Good,” the sequel to “Wicked” that will close out the story of the original musical, I am disappointed in Universal Pictures for not advertising that “Wicked” was going to be made into two parts Without my Broadway-obsessed friend telling me that there was going to be a sequel, I would have walked into the movie expecting to walk out with all my questions answered with no loose ends. I found this lack of advertising frustrating, and I think Universal Pictures should have been more forthcoming.
In the end, even the characters of “Wicked” can answer the underlying question in the movie about whether or not a person is born evil or if evil is thrust upon them. But, whether or not you agree with the answer, families should buy the popcorn and tickets to this movie so that they too can experience the cinematic phenomenon known as “Wicked.”
