When the announcement came that we’d be getting a “Wicked” movie, I was intrigued to see what that would entail. The hit Broadway musical, originally starring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, is a classic that didn’t deem necessary a big-screen adaptation. However, director Jon M. Chu got it right in nearly every possible way.
Where “Wicked” shines brightest is in its casting. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande bring to life the mismatched and lovable duo of Elphaba and Glinda. Jeff Goldblum brought the perfect amount of wit and arrogance needed to play The Wizard. Michelle Yeoh was expectedly phenomenal as Madame Morrible. Other standouts in the cast include Ethan Slater as Boq, Bowen Yang as Pfannee and Marissa Bode as Nessarose.
It was clear when the “Wicked” movie was announced that it would be nearly impossible to find someone who could match the power that comes from Menzel’s voice in the original production. However, Erivo’s performance blew any expectations out of the water. Her renditions of “The Wizard And I” and “Defying Gravity” (with ample space held) are powerful enough to leave the audience speechless — or in tears.
Erivo’s performance in “Wicked” was phenomenal enough that her name will be brought up in Oscar nominations come 2025, especially considering a majority of the songs were sung live, and the fact that she performed her own stunts.
Grande’s performance as Glinda was also an example of exceeding any sort of expectations. She performs in “Wicked” with the perfect amount of sass and airheadedness that the character deserves. Her performance of “Popular” stood out as well, staying true to the original tone and feeling of the song.
Another area “Wicked” excelled in was making the production feel closer to a Broadway musical than a movie. The way props and costumes were used pop out more than a traditional Hollywood production, bringing the emotions of the scenes to life.
One shortcoming of the film, however, was in the length, both in this part and the fact that there will be a part two. The movie has a runtime of two hours and 40 minutes, and only gives us half the story. Part two of the entire project, which has already been filmed, will be released on Nov. 21, 2025. The original Broadway production was only two hours and 45 minutes in total length. There is not a valid reason the entire film adaptation needs to be a cumulative five hours.
Despite the length, Chu’s production of “Wicked” exceeds all expectations and is worthy of the 96% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes. Though we have to wait one more year, I cannot wait to see what direction the film will take for the second half of the story.
4/5 stars
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @wickedmovie, Instagram
