‘Wicked’ Review: Cynthia Erivo And Ariana Grande In A Movie Musical Adaptation That Actually Eclipses The Broadway Stage Play

Pete Hammond
·5-min read

The movie version of Broadway’s beloved musical Wicked has been a long time coming since the show’s opening in 2003, but it is finally here — and quite frankly, not only does it soar cinematically, it exceeds all expectations. What director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) does here ranks with the best movie musicals, an innovative and quite stunning take that will not disappoint even the hardest-core lovers of the stage version. And this is only Part One (more on that later).

Of course a magical descendant of one of the most celebrated movies of all time, 1939’s The Wizard Of Oz, and even before that L. Frank Baum’s immortal book(s) first published in 1900, this take was based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 origin story of Elphaba and Galinda and the relationship between two BFFs whose lives go in wildly different directions in a world pre-Dorothy.

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Set initially at the Shiz University we meet Galinda (Ariana Grande), a very pop-u-lar student with an optimistic outlook on life, and Elphaba, elder daughter of the governor of Munchkinland, who was born different. Her green skin makes her an outcast for many of the other students, but her emerging friendship with Galinda becomes the crux of a story that goes in surprising directions. With a screenplay by Winnie Holzman, who wrote the original stage version and teams here with Dana Fox, this Wicked has sharp political relevance and a gravitas I didn’t quite recall from seeing this originally on the stage. It has been expanded for the screen in every way.

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This is a world where fascism in Oz is taking hold, where fear and hatred is being promoted and the intelligent and wise speaking animals of Oz are having their voices silenced. Quite frankly it is like watching the emergence of the Third Reich in some ways, and it sends a chill down our spines, even if the movie is at heart a sprightly musical confection with those terrific and bouncy Stephen Schwartz songs that are so memorable. To be sure, lovers of the Broadway show have much to look forward to. No song has been cut, and in fact the story and characters have been given more attention and time to really come alive in this universe.

And as I said, this is just Part 1, a rather brilliant idea by Chu, an avowed fan of the musical, to divide it into two movies. This first one runs 2 hours and 40 minutes but stands on its own while setting up the second film, due a year from now, as the origin story of Elphaba merging into the Wicked Witch of the West and Galinda becoming Glinda the Good Witch will become one with all we have known of Baum’s books. No stranger to musicals, Chu somehow has avoided turning off the fans, with this film really enhancing everything and turning the stage magic into pure movie magic.

Erivo is simply stunning in the juicy role of Elphaba, her voice a wonder and a perfect fit for Schwartz’s music, especially in the iconic “Defying Gravity.” She is matched in every way by a charming and very funny Grande, proving her acting chops and adjusting the pop vocal styles of her career to a voice that truly becomes Galinda — a popular choice indeed. The supporting cast is superb, with Michelle Yeoh ideally cast as Madame Morrible, the headmistress and dean of sorcery studies who takes Elphaba under her wings, seeing extraordinary potential in the girl’s powers. Jeff Goldblum puts his own stamp on the fearsome Wizard of Oz, using his quirky persona to reinvent the character and providing a delightful musical number of his own.

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Jonathan Bailey has the look and swagger necessary for dreamy Prince Fiyero, and there also is fine work from the amusing duo of Bowen Yang as Pfannee and Bronwyn James as Shin Shen, who hang with Galinda. Marissa Bode is quite touching as Nessarose, who uses a wheelchair and has affection for Munchkinlander Boq (Ethan Slater), who pines for Galinda. Peter Dinklage’s vocal performance of Dr. Dillamoad, the all-wise goat, is superb. There is a new character added in Miss Coddle, but The Greatest Showman standout Keala Settle gets all-too-brief screen time. There also are some unexpected casting surprises, but I won’t reveal them here.

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Any trip to Oz requires top-of-the-line craftsmanship, so a big shout-out to the sparkling cinematography of Alice Brooks, costume design of Paul Tazewell, production design of Nathan Crowley and the dazzling choreography of Christopher Scott. John Powell’s thrilling musical score, blending with Schwartz’s iconic tunes, is note-perfect.

Chu has made a movie musical — the best since Chicago, even if it ends with its own “intermission” — that manages to stand on its own as a fully satisfying screen entertainment and also serves as a delicious invitation to an upcoming second half that I quite frankly can’t wait to see.

As the credits promise: to be continued.

Producers are Marc Platt and David Stone.

Title: Wicked
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release date: November 22, 2024
Director: Jon M. Chu
Screenwriters: Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum
Rating: PG
Running time: 2 hrs 40 mins

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