“Wicked” Review: Ariana Grande Steals the Show in an Oz-some Adaptation of the Hit Broadway Musical

The prequel to 'The Wizard of Oz' also stars Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum

Wicked is the cinematic equivalent of the tornado from The Wizard of Oz: A massive and impressive force that transports anyone in its path to a magical place filled with singing, dancing and — a certain green-skinned character.

In Oz, she was the Wicked Witch of the West, a cackling villain determined to destroy Kansan interloper Dorothy.

In director Jon M. Chu’s prequel and origin story — based on the long-running Broadway musical which debuted in 2003 — she’s Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), a shy, misunderstood young woman born with special powers and a viridescent tone.

An outcast, she carries a quiet pain that the excellent, affecting Erivo can convey with just a simple look.

Related: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's 'Kismet' Outfit Coordinating Began on the First Day of Wicked Rehearsals

At Shiz University, she meets an opposingly iridescent aspiring sorceress (and future Good Witch) Glinda (pop star Ariana Grande, whose voice has never sounded better while belting songs like “Popular”).

The complicated relationship between this Ozian odd couple serves as the backbone of the movie, which involves a nefarious plot to silence the talking animals of Oz, one of whom (a goat voiced by Peter Dinklage) is a beloved instructor at Shiz.

As any theater nerd can attest, the success of Wicked relies on the chemistry between its two leads, and Grande and Erivo go together like the film’s pink and green color scheme.

But Grande, in the showier role as the perky, plucky Glinda, owns the movie with her hair flips and humorous hubris. Imagine if Elle Woods from Legally Blonde aspired to sorcery instead of law school (and had a four-octave range to boot).

Erivo's shining moment comes in the film's finale, when she soars (literally and figuratively) while delivering a powerful rendition of the inspirational "Defying Gravity."

The star-studded supporting cast includes a very funny Bowen Yang as Glinda's not-so-nice BFF, a deliciously oily Jeff Goldblum as the smooth-talking Wizard of Oz and Michelle Yeoh as Elphaba’s mysterious mentor Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Shiz University.

Oscar winner Yeoh brings a regal presence to the role but, unfortunately, not enough vocal prowess — which is all the more evident when she sings with Erivo.

Related: PEOPLE’s Wicked Issue Goes Behind the Scenes: Ariana Grande Hid Candy in Her Costume, Cynthia Erivo Baked Cookies (Exclusive)

Though the events of the movie cover only the play’s first act (Part 2 hits theaters on Nov. 21, 2025), the running time is still around 2 hours and 40 minutes (which is about the length of the entire Broadway show).

So be sure to hit the loo before venturing down this yellow brick road.

Wicked is in theaters nationwide on Friday, Nov. 22.