‘Wicked’ Review : Pop Culture Leftovers

‘Wicked’ Review

November 19, 2024 2:14 pm |

“You’re gonna be popular!” – Ariana Grande as Glinda.

Wicked is a film that has a lot riding on its release, with a massive fanbase ready to charge up and tear it to smithereens for even the slightest discrepancy from the source material. I am not here to advocate for how this film compares in contrast with the popular Broadway show or the book it is based upon. I went into Wicked with the mindset of a skeptic, who was never blown away or even intrigued by the trailers released leading up to nor the coordinating press tour. However, I took that skepticism and threw it out the window as soon as the credits began to roll. Wicked has fully captured the magic of Oz from the original film and delivers a delightful journey that delves into the concepts presented within L. Frank Baum’s novel while paving its own path alongside the iconic yellow brick road.

Wicked is absolutely tremendous to look at: full of joy, bewilderment and wonder. The film for those like myself who are not acquainted with the source material, is a satisfying mixture of The Wizard of Oz and Harry Potter. Wicked is a musical through and through, there’s seemingly more songs than spoken dialogue in the film and while the songs pull their weight… Some manage to be much more impactful than others in conveying the dialogue in the scene.

Cynthia Erivo portrays Elphaba, a woman born with green skin tone and the ability to harness an incredible magic through her emotions. Erivo is unrecognizable in the role and delivers a phenomenal performance that fully immerses into her and Glinda’s tale. Glinda as portrayed by Ariana Grande is the true star of the film, Grande is the dark horse of the picture delivering an absolutely stunning performance that transcends anything we’ve seen thus far from her. Her vocals flow perfectly in the context of a fantastical musical.

Elphaba and Glinda’s rivalry turned to friendship is an emotional discourse that will easily cause one to root for the pair, rather than a singular victory in the end.

Love interests Prince Flyero (Jonathan Bailey) and Boq (Ethan Slater) provide a YA dynamic to the feature, as they long after the affections of Glinda. Not to worry for Elphaba, as she also has a stint for one of them behind Glinda’s unconscious back. Bailey seems to be the ladies’ man, flirting and unleashing his charms on the gullible Glinda. While Boq, so enthralled in Glinda doesn’t understand the harm he’s placing on his own newly established relationship.

Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh reunites with her Crazy Rich Asians director to deliver Madame Morrible, an interesting yet oddly nondescript professor from the university (it’s difficult to know if in a Harry Potter comparison she is more like a Dumbledore or a McGonagall).

Elphaba’s younger sister, (Marissa Bode) Nessarose plays a key role for a small part of the film before being delegated to the background in the later half as an opposing love affair for one of Glinda’s interests. A prime figure in Elphaba’s life as she is the only normal part of her existence until she becomes friendly with the enemy.

However let us not forget Wicked’s most flawless casting… Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard. Goldblum is a slick talker, sly in reality as much as the character and fully embodies the naive arrogance of the conman. James Franco’s most recent iteration of the Wizard pales in comparison to Goldblum’s alluring charms.

The exorbitant runtime may be daunting at first glance, but rest assured for those willing to invest themselves into the world of Oz, the time will fly by. The film has a deeper message hidden behind its emerald colored glasses and it’s a message that is as true today as it was back when the Wicked novel was originally released. While the animalistic creatures may not come across as the best rendered CGI in all of filmmaking, it’s absolutely serviceable, especially when films with much larger budgets provide worse results. The animals play a major factor in the perception of our two leads as the world around them changes for the worse. Peter Dinklage’s Dr. Dillamond, an intellectual goat professor, is the most prominent example of the mistreatment of animals amongst humanity. These scenes with exceedingly more violent discrimination against the animals crafts a powerful hint at the darkness amongst the bright backdrop of Oz.

At face value, however, viewers will find an uproarious musical riddled with a wide array of emotional cues. Many of which derive from the many songs throughout such as the iconic “Popular” and “Defying Gravity”, but there are also other times such as a prolonged interpretive dance that almost draw a tear.

For those massive fans of the original Broadway production, there is fan service for you to applaud. Witnessing this moment first hand, it was clear upon a particular performers’ arrival that their presence was a welcome surprise. This moment not only garnered applause but also several cheers, which for someone outside the realm of the original show caused a minor withdrawal from the world the film had immersed us in prior.

With the brisk pace the film puts forth, I’m glad the decision was made to expand this into two parts to fully allow the audience to transport themselves into the majestic yet troubled world of Oz. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande offer career defining performances in Jon M. Chu’s grandest project to date. Magical from start to finish and leaving the viewer longing for more, Wicked conjures an extraordinary experience that welcomes newcomers to the material.

Published Simultaneously on Cinefied.com