Wicked is a movie that has become an instant classic from the second the first frame hits the screen. As a fan of theatre, I have been looking forward to Wicked: Part I for a very long time. I’m a huge fan of Wizard of Oz, loved the musical, and have read the books. Although I wasn’t a fan of the Wicked book series, as they were darker and honestly pretty crude, I had seen the musical adaptation of the books a few years back and absolutely loved the show. I wasn’t lucky enough to see the original cast, but the performers had done full justice to their parts! So, I was nervous as I thought it is a high possibility the film won’t live up to my expectations. Honestly, so many viewers came in with high hopes, so there were definitely heavy expectations that the filmmakers had to fulfill! After all, this movie had to be able to make such a diverse set of fans – fans of the original Wizard of Oz happy, fans of the Wicked book series satisfied, and most significantly fans of Wicked: The Musical – be happy and feel connected to the new production. Thankfully, the makers have not let any of the fans of the Oz universe down.
It is very difficult to recreate the vibe of theatre for a cinema experience, especially when the musical is one that has had such global success. In a theatre format, the audience feeds off of the live energy on stage, sees sets and costumes up close, and will watch dynamic movements happening in real time. So, it is a more immersive experience in many ways. To recreate such a vibe in the confines of a 2D space on screen is a challenge, unless many factors are perfectly done. Luckily, the director and the entire team of Wicked managed to make the movie experience just as engaging – and in many ways more so as characters were fleshed out more fully in the film! Each scene was captured in a way that the characters were able to shine without making the sets and costumes overshadow the actors. Moreover, the original cast had Broadway legends and stalwarts like Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth leading the cast as Elphaba and Glinda respectively. These two became the blueprint for those characters that others would follow and have to match with vocal skills and range. The casting for these parts had to be just right as comparisons would undoubtedly be made. Thankfully, vocal powerhouses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were chosen to play these iconic characters! Both recreated the characters in ways reminiscent of their predecessors versions, while being more fleshed out and relatable. Read below for my full review! (Side note – I have only commented on Cynthia and Ariana as I don’t want to give any spoilers to those unfamiliar with the production regarding any other characters and where they fall in the spectrum of wicked and good.)
Star Rating: 5 out of 5
For those who may not know, Wicked is based on the book “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire, which in turn is based on the book “The Wizard of Oz” by Frank L Baum (a book that was made into the classic Wizard of Oz film in 1939). In the US, at least, there is hardly an individual who has grown up without having seen the Wizard of Oz. It is almost always playing on television and is such a classical film loved by all ages. So, the movie had pretty much cemented in our mind who was good and who was bad. That is, until the Wicked book series came out which gave a new perspective of the iconic characters of the classic Wizard of Oz. Those characters we thought were 100% good (like Glinda the Good Witch) and those we thought were 100% bad (like the Wicked Witch of the West), suddenly were given backstories that made them enter a grey zone where shades of good and bad were present in each. This retelling made us rethink the events of the Wizard of Oz and rethink who each character had grown to be from Wicked until the events of Wizard of Oz. Seeing the Musical, and seeing the characters come to life further added to their stories and further affected how rooted these characters became in our minds. So, Wicked: Part I had a heavy burden in striking a balance between making the characters remain familiar to what viewers knew, while also giving them a fresh feel.
Thankfully, Wicked: Part I has many moments that will be loved by fans of the Wizard of Oz as well as Wicked: The Musical. If you haven’t seen either one, it’s okay, but these moments will feel more significant to you if you have. For example, while the Musical never directly addresses or shows Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Toto, the movie gives us a glimpse of them walking back to Emerald City when the film begins. It is rumored part II will feature Dorothy in a more significant way. As we begin the journey to Oz when the movie begins, following the children who proclaim that the witch is dead, the viewer can catch Dorothy and friends. The font used for the movie title, as well as certain dialogue, and even the basket used on Elphaba’s bike were good nods to moments in the Wizard of Oz movie. For fans of the musical Wicked: Part I followed the storyline of Act 1 of the musical almost fully. Songs were not cut and the styling for the songs remained familiar and unchanged. That is, no major modifications were made to the songs in terms of their genres or compositions, except for lengthening the track “Popular.”
Let’s get to the cast! I honestly think this movie will sweep any award show for all awards! Having to fill the shoes, or should I say iconic slippers, of someone like Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda was no small task. It is very easy for an actor to become a carbon copy of what someone else has portrayed. However, only a truly talented actor can recreate an iconic role without being consumed by what was done before. Yes, it was obvious that Ariana Grande had studied Kristin’s mannerisms and the way she had portrayed Glinda. However, Ariana was able to shine in her own way and bring her own take to Glinda. Personally, I felt that Ariana’s Glinda may be as arrogant as Kristin’s, but somehow the Glinda of the movie came across less superficial. As the movie progressed, Ariana’s Glinda seemed to be maturing. Ariana managed to normalize Glinda in a way the Glinda of the musical doesn’t achieve until closer to the end of part 2 of the musical. For the casting of the two female leads a strong vocal ability was key. Ariana’s vocal range was just as strong as Kristin’s, and her comic time just as flawless. Personally, I enjoyed Ariana’s Glinda far more as she so beautifully struck a balance between the exaggerated and over-the-top nature Glinda has, with more subdued acting as well. For example, the scene when Elphaba walks in wearing the hat that Glinda convinced her to wear really showed how good Ariana is as an actor as one could feel the guilt Glinda was feeling. In fact, Ariana’s Glinda revealed that she truly cared about Elphaba from her first moment on screen. She made such an impact with Glinda with her comic timing and nuanced acting.
Like Ariana, Cynthia Erivo too had a heavy burden of having to match a powerhouse like Idina who made the role of Elphaba so iconic. What helped Cynthia instantly rise above Idina’s shadow, however, is that the Elphaba on screen was given a deeper backstory. Showing Elphaba’s childhood developed the character afresh and made the audience sympathize with the character. One could better understand why Elphaba became who she is. As Elphaba becomes an adult, the audience is on her side and wants her to succeed. Cynthia portrayed Elphaba with power, and also gave her vulnerability. Though Elphaba is the only one with green skin, it doesn’t stand out. So, even though that fact is brought up at several points, as an audience watching, it didn’t even become a focal point due to the acting. Cynthia’s vocals dominated the film and her acting humanized Elphaba. Like Ariana, I think Cynthia shone best in the scene where Elphaba shows up at the ball wearing the iconic witch’s hat. There, no dialogue was needed and watching Cynthia move in silence spoke volumes. Her subtle emotions revealed the inner mindset of Elphaba and exposed how hurt she has been her whole life. Truly no one other than Ariana and Cynthia could have done justice to these roles or moments like that.
Finally, one would be remiss to not comment on the detailed costumes and sets! The grandeur of the film transcended the screen due to the efforts put in having costumes reflect the characters personalities. Each costume added to the harshness or softness of the moment. The sets too did not overwhelm the frame the way CGI does in modern times. Rather, the emotion of a scene was elevated due to all of the elements in totality. I couldn’t believe the crew actually bothered building sets, planted 9 million tulips, and created the massive train to add realism to the production! Of course, CGI was used to enhance moments, but these days we hardly see production invest so much in creating in an old school way. Every part of this film was perfect!
For anyone wondering if they should see Wicked in the theatre or wait for it to be on streaming services, I highly recommend going to the cinema! One won’t be able to notice details of the costumes, or landscapes, unless one sees it in a grander scale. Also, the performances of all the actors – as well as their singing and dancing – is best appreciated in the amplified audio experience a theater hall will give! These are larger than life characters who deserve the space of a large theater to come to life for the viewer. With Wicked: Part I, the makers have truly defied gravity by creating a product that even exceeded the theatre experience of the incredible Wicked: The Musical!
Do comment below with what you thought of this film!
