Wicked

by Tyler Glover

Photo: Universal Pictures

Director: Jon M. Chu
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande & Jeff Goldblum 
Rated: PG (some scary action, thematic material & brief suggestive material)
Runtime: 2 hours & 40 minutes

​Throughout my childhood, I visited the land of Oz and walked the Yellow Brick Road many times. When watching the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz, I dreamed of life somewhere over the rainbow. I fantasized about what dream I would ask the Wizard to grant me. I wanted the black-and-white dreariness of my life to turn into vibrant colors of happiness.

That is why when I got the opportunity in 2012 to go see a production of the Broadway musical, “Wicked,” I could not miss the chance to go down that Yellow Brick Road again. Somehow, “Wicked,” a prequel to the events of “The Wizard of Oz,” made me fall even more in love with the merry old land of Oz.

The musical won three Tonys, including Outstanding Lead Actress In A Musical for Idina Menzel, who played Elphaba on Broadway. The Broadway show’s incredible commercial and critical success eventually led to the announcement of a big-screen adaptation. Unfortunately, there were multiple delays over the years, the most notable of these being the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Wicked” tells the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a green-skinned girl who has been treated poorly her whole life because of her skin color, and Galinda (Ariana Grande), a blonde, rich girl who has had every opportunity given to her. Through a misunderstanding, they become roommates at Shiz University. While they start off as enemies, they eventually grow to learn and appreciate each other. Elphaba has long dreamed of working with the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). A powerful professor at the college, Madam Morrible, (Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh), sees her potential and starts training her. Elphaba and Galinda begin to navigate life together while trying to make their dreams come true.  
 
Erivo’s performance of Elphaba shows us why she has been nominated for two Academy Awards and has a Grammy, Emmy and Tony on her mantel. Her performance could have been cliche but she delivers such a complex and emotional portrayal of Elphaba. Elphaba has been bothered by her childhood, but she has allowed herself to have a sense of humor about it and has given herself a tough exterior. That is why, in those moments where Elphaba does begin to break, we see the beauty in Erivo’s performance. Erivo’s performance of the iconic “Wicked” song, “Defying Gravity” should garner her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. It is the kind of scene that reminds me of Jennifer Hudson’s Oscar-winning performance of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from 2007’s film adaptation of Broadway’s “Dreamgirls.” You want to immediately applaud the moment the song is over even though you aren’t in a playhouse. 

Likewise, Grande’s performance of Galinda is spell-binding. When you are a pop star of Grande’s caliber, it can almost be a stumbling block to helping their performance. When you are as iconic as Grande, it is hard to escape into a role but she does so masterfully. Grande pays homage to the original Galinda actress, Tony-winner Kristin Chenoweth while finding ways to make the character her own. Grande is hilarious in the film and displays a commitment to the role, which is evident in her acting choices. Grande allows her co-stars their space to shine but is so phenomenal in her performance that you are drawn to her character even when she isn’t the main focus. That is the mark of an incredible performance. 

One criticism of the “Wicked” film has been the decision to adapt the Broadway production into two films. Many have seen this as a decision solely for all the additional revenue Universal could get from two “Wicked” films. While that is definitely a perk, “Wicked: Part 1” shows us they made the right decision. The film is perfect in every single aspect of its storytelling. It expands the story, giving us more background on the characters and helping us understand the motivations behind their actions more clearly. An additional concern was that this film was two hours and 40 minutes long, an hour longer than the entire Broadway production. Would the film maintain the momentum and mesmerize us while expanding the universe? The answer is an unequivocal yes. I left the theater in disbelief that I had just sat there for almost three hours. I did not want to leave Oz.

This film is easily the best picture I’ve seen this year. Director Jon M. Chu and all of his creative team have delivered a film that I believe is perfect in every way. Chu has transported us to this magical world with actual sets the actors got to walk on. Munchkin kids ran through thousands of poppy flowers that were actually planted. The Munchkins were actually in Munchkinland, the college students were walking the halls of Shiz University and Ozians sang “One Short Day” in the actual Emerald City. While Chu did use CGI technology, he did not over-rely on it the way so many directors have and would have with this film. That made this film even more authentic. The film is firing on all cylinders. Not only is the production design Oscar-worthy, but the costumes are exquisite. The film has beautiful cinematography, giving us a complete picture of what it would be like in this world.  
 
I have no doubt “Wicked: Part 1” will go down as one of my favorite films of all time. Every choice made by the director, the actresses, the actors, the production design team, costume designers, cinematographers, sound mixers and visual effects artists was spot on. Ever since I got older and had kids, I have not wanted to see a film more than once in theaters – even if it is fantastic. I can say there is no way I will not see “Wicked: Part 1” in theaters again. This film will continue to help take me to the merry old land of Oz for many years. You should not walk or run to see “Wicked,” you should fly!