WOW - Wicked

Twenty years can feel like an eternity to wait for something. It can feel even longer when the wait wasn’t worth it. Broadway musicals routinely fall flat as they crawl their way to the silver screen. Because of this, a healthy dose of skepticism is always warranted when beloved Broadway IP is making the trek, and there may be no more beloved Broadway property than Wicked, the prequel to The Wizard of Oz. Luckily, this latest Broadway transplant shines, soars and everything in between.

We join the story with the citizens of Munchkinland celebrating that the Wicked Witch of the West has died. We are quickly introduced to Glinda the Good (played by Ariana Grande), who confirms the news for the citizens and begins to explain how she knew Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo), the Wicked Witch, from their days together at Shiz University. When Elphaba arrives at Shiz, she only intends to drop off her sister, but when Madame Morrible (played by Michelle Yeoh) witnesses her magic abilities, she insists that Elphaba will study with her directly. She also assigns her to room with Glinda for an unlikely pairing.

Glinda and Elphaba start the story as foes, but quickly become friends once each is able to see the humanity in the other. When Elphaba receives an invitation to meet the Wizard (played by Jeff Goldblum) in the Emerald City, the pair travel together for the big moment. But when Elphaba realizes that the Wizard is responsible for the animal injustices she’s witnessed in Oz, she quickly rebels and refuses to play along with their plans for her.

While the above is an accurate summary, it doesn’t begin to capture the highs and lows of the music that really makes Wicked what it is. That music. Those songs. That’s where Wicked rises and falls. Luckily, Cynthia Erivo may be the greatest singer alive and her talents are on full display here. Cynthia is Elphaba now. Ariana Grande’s Glinda is a perfect comedic blend. She executes every hair toss and high note flawlessly. And given recent events, even the way the film explores the forces that seek to divide us feels as timely as ever.

But Wicked is not without its foibles. At two hours and forty minutes, this film is just five minutes shorter than the Broadway musical and only covers the first act. You can definitely feel a certain lack of momentum in the film version’s expanded numbers. It also manages to dampen Oz’s famous color palette in a way that may be jarring to audiences expecting the full technicolor brilliance of The Wizard of Oz.

Those slight dings aside, this is it. This is the magical ride fans of the musical have prayed for for two decades. The casting is perfect, the choreography is special and the notes are all there. It defies gravity—we just have to hope they can land safely in next year’s Part 2.

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