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Wicked (PG)

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater

Release Date: November 22, 2024

Runtime: 2 hr. 40 mins.

Genre: Fantasy, Musical

Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway's The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a defiant social outcast who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande (Hairspray Live!, Don't Look Up), as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. As the two women forge an unlikely sisterhood, they will empower each other in ways that neither foresees. But as dark forces of prejudice and oppression loom on the horizon, the choices they make will separate them, and will set them on different destinies that will change them, and Oz, for good.

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Review

Let me start out this review by asserting that those who consider themselves die-hard fans of the stage musical Wicked, upon which this movie is based, will almost certainly love what director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) has delivered. He is clearly a fan and has channeled his passion into this project. However, for the rest of us, whose experience with the world of Oz may be limited to the 1939 classic film, a less enthusiastic reaction could be in the offing. Although Wicked: Part 1 has its share of high points (some of which aim very high), the filmmakers seem to have embraced the concept of "bloat" as a beneficial characteristic. Ask Peter Jackson how that worked for his Hobbit trilogy...

Chu's adaptation of the stage musical gives us eye-popping settings, big-screen expansions of Broadway numbers, and far too much stretching of an already-thin narrative. The film's strengths lie in the singing and dancing as well as the development of the friendship between the two leads: Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda (Ariana Grande-Butera), the future Good Witch of the North. Its weaknesses, in addition to the interminable length, can be found in its bungling presentation of authoritarian power abuse and the associated marginalization of minority citizens. Those elements feel like afterthoughts shoehorned into a fantasy fairy tale rather than organic elements of the story. In short, Chu soars when he's working with the light and fun aspects and crashes when he tries to take things in a darker direction.

After sitting through 160 minutes, we arrive at three irritating words: "To be continued..." Granted, considering the movie is subtitled Part 1, no one should reasonably expect the whole tale to be told in this film, but that doesn't make it less annoying. Then again, I wasn't ready to sit through another two hours now to get the rest of the story. Chu has stated that the reason he broke the adaptation into two pieces was to protect the integrity of the story. I wonder if he considered that a bifurcation might not serve that purpose. The stage musical has a running time of 165 minutes (and that includes a 15-minute intermission).

Wicked: Part 1, a translation of the play's first act, tells of the meeting between Elphaba and Galinda at Shiz University. The former, a green-skinned outcast, is perceived by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the Dean of Sorcery, as being a talented magician worthy of being brought to the attention of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). The latter, the blond airheaded Queen of Popularity, has little ability with magic but turns heads and attracts followers. The two young women clash during their early encounters but eventually become friends. The development of this relationship, which comes with its share of lighthearted moments, one-liners, and singing, is one of the best things that Wicked has to offer. It allows the stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera, to show off their comedic aptitude (and, at least in Erivo's case, dramatic depth). Their singing ability is a given but both acquit themselves admirably when not belting out tunes.

A romantic triangle involves the two leads and the preening Fiyero Tigelaar (Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey), who may not be quite as fatuous as he initially seems to be. Outwardly, Fiyero seems to be a perfect match for Galinda but inwardly he pines for the dour, misunderstood Elphaba. Marissa Bode plays Nessarose, who will eventually become the Wicked Witch of the East, and Ethan Slater is her would-be paramour, Boq Woodsman. Peter Dinklage lends his voice to the CGI Doctor Dillamond, a talking goat. And Jeff Goldblum brings his usual charm to the role of the story's chief antagonist.

One could make the argument that the only thing Chu needed to do to make a successful version of Wicked was to impress with his staging of the first act's premiere numbers, "Popular" and "Defying Gravity." To that end, his reach doesn't exceed his grasp. Those show-stoppers, so magical on the stage, are no less enchanting on the screen. This is due as much to the performances as the choreography and decisions made in the editing room. Another number, "Dancing Through Life," deserves mention due to some inventive choices made in its energetic presention.

Wicked offers plenty of fan service, none of which is disruptive to the flow. There's a nice Wizard of Oz callback at the very beginning that shows Dorothy, Toto, The Scarecrow, The Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion on the Yellow Brick Road. There's a quick glimpse of the ruby slippers. And the stage originators of Elphaba and Galinda, Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth, are accorded extended cameos that give them a chance to sing and appear opposite their motion picture successors. (Wicked fans may melt during this scene.)

One of the most difficult things for any musical to achieve is a balance between the pageantry inherent in the medium and an exploration of serious themes. This becomes even more difficult when a filmed interpretation replaces the intimacy of a live performance. Although Chu's approach successfully gets us invested in the characters and their relationships, the politics of Oz are a shambles and the Wizard comes across as too affable to be truly villainous. The movie drags at times, evidence that the too-generous 160-minute running time adversely affects pacing without resulting in a better-defined, deeper storyline. One wonders whether Wicked: Part 1 might work better as a clip show.

© 2024 James Berardinelli

Synopsis

Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway's The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a defiant social outcast who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande (Hairspray Live!, Don't Look Up), as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. As the two women forge an unlikely sisterhood, they will empower each other in ways that neither foresees. But as dark forces of prejudice and oppression loom on the horizon, the choices they make will separate them, and will set them on different destinies that will change them, and Oz, for good.

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