“Wicked,” the Tony-award-winning Broadway musical and spin-off of “The Wizard of Oz,” drew attention from theatre kids everywhere after its 2003 debut. After two decades as a modern Broadway classic with a cult-like fanbase, part one of the film adaptation was released in theaters Nov. 22 — telling the origin of the notorious Wicked Witch of the West and her complicated relationship with Glinda the Good Witch.
An uncommonly emotional press tour with Ariana Grande (Glinda) and Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) gave the impression that “Wicked” would be the magnum opus of the cinematic musical. But just like Elphaba realizes that The Wizard of Oz isn’t more than an average man behind a false sense of grandeur, the true essence of the “Wicked” film doesn’t equal the religious experience Grande and Erivo seemed to have.
Despite this, “Wicked” retains as much merit as the original Broadway musical, encapsulating its feel-good songs, comedic moments and heartfelt messages.
The pleasure people receive from the film remains valid — “Wicked” beholds many joys from upbeat dance numbers to moving vocal performances and vibrant world design. The casting of the leads proved strong, despite the occasionally awkward contrast between Ariana Grande’s playful Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s overserious Elphaba. Grande peaks performance-wise as Glinda, with the most charmingly entertaining and undeniably talent-infused moments of the film, from her dramatic hair-flipping, immaculate comedic timing and masterful dominance of every camera frame.
However, elements of overproduction mute out the genuine attention to world-building, and the sheer amount of content leads to a weirdly paced and unnecessarily long runtime. The director, Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians”), attempted to avoid this tone by making real sets and recording vocal performances live instead of relying on CGI and autotune. Unfortunately, this attempt failed to come across in the film, and post-production tweaks disservice the film by glossing over the authenticity of the set and costuming.
Whether or not “Wicked” required a nearly three-hour runtime plus a second film remains questionable, as many plot points still await proof of significance. The beginning of the film engages audiences immediately, but around the time Elphaba and Glinda make their way through Oz, the story begins to drag.
The pressure to share a strong liking and emotional connection with the film also repelled some audiences from enjoying it in their own right. Many treat “Wicked” as a sacred text, but a film shouldn’t require prior knowledge of another piece of work or bank on nostalgia in order for audiences to independently appreciate it.
But as far as the all-too-common overproduced film adaptation goes, “Wicked” justifies the larger-than-life, grandiose approach more than past works. The true success of the film adaptation rests in the hands of “Wicked: Part Two,” but for the next year, replaying “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” on streaming services will suffice.
4 flying monkeys out of 5
