After twelve long years of anticipation, Universal Pictures has finally pulled back the emerald curtain, bringing their musical film adaptation “Wicked” to the big screen. This Ozian “Animal Farm” showcases a diverse cast and a world nearly as sprawling as the movie’s 160-minute runtime. An adaptation of Stephen Schwarz’s Broadway hit of the same name, “Wicked” presents the “true story” of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, played by Cynthia Erizo, and her friendship with Ariana Grande’s Glinda the Good.
The film weaves an immersive tapestry of world-building that can capture the scale of Oz through a pair of 3D glasses. Opening in Munchkinland, a location with a flawless set design that prompted the planting of millions of tulips, the movie offers a seemingly celebratory triumph over the Witch’s death. A nostalgic Glinda takes us on a broomstick ride to the past to explore the events that led to Elphaba’s infamous reputation. The narrative, centered at Shiz University many years before the opening scene, challenges the simplistic and propagandistic notions of good versus evil introduced a century ago by “The Wizard of Oz.”
Cynthia Erivo delivers a powerful performance as misunderstood and relatable Elphaba, bringing depth and vulnerability to someone deemed “Wicked.” She initially loathes Grande’s superficial and fantastical “Mean Girl” Glinda. Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s nuanced script, however, has you pulling for both of them. Erivo’s misunderstood character becomes the protégé of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). Selected to meet the eccentric Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), Elphaba and Glinda embark on their journey to the Emerald City together.
Clumsy Cinematography or Otherworldly Oz?
The set design of “Wicked” brilliantly favors physical constructions over CGI; the production team built the fantastical Shiz University in its entirety for the film with inspiration from actual architectural marvels like the Brighton Pavilion. Opening shots of the yellow brick road offer a glimpse into the unimaginable extent of Oz—and a glare into the eyes of the audience. The lighting in the film is as unbalanced as the tornado that swept Dorothy away. If my 3D glasses didn’t have a dark tint, I might have gone blind on the protagonistic duo’s trip to the Emerald City. Cinematographer Alice Brooks claims her lighting decisions were all about collaborating with Jon M. Chu to highlight emotional beats and themes of “humanity.” Unfortunately, the audience’s eyes didn’t get the memo. While some scenes—particularly Prince Fiyero’s (Jonathan Bailey) “Dancing Through Life”—suffer from questionable cinematography choices, most of the film escapes unscathed. Of course, a 3D viewing might convince you that these visual missteps are simply part of Oz’s fantastical charm.
“One Short Day,” which echoes the crowd participation of “No One Mourns the Wicked,” commemorates Elphaba and Glinda’s arrival in the Emerald City. It’s a joyous and upbeat piece, demonstrating composer Stephen Schwarz’s attention to plot detail, and it certainly made me want to spend one short day in the Emerald City. It also features a few surprise cameos that have already lit the “Wicked” fandom ablaze online. Chu’s careful direction and Christopher Scott’s lively choreography give “One Short Day” a clever way of conveying key plot details without feeling forced. The energetic sequence is fun and informative, and the spectacle of the song only makes Oz larger.
A Wizard, a Love Triangle, and the Politics of Oz
The dynamic duo finally meets Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard of Oz after 120 minutes of curiosity and buildup. His fatherlike character seems more than ready to grant Elphaba’s heart’s desire, and the Wonka of a wizard showcases his eccentric inventions and ideas. As we know from the Broadway musical, though, he is dubious at heart—as dubious as the star’s pick seems amidst a less studded cast.
Goldblum’s performance is not lacking, although his presence in “Wicked” seems out of place. He maintains an Ozian level of musicality, but alongside Michelle Yeoh, he stands out as a moneymaker hired not for characteristic merit but for the publicity of the film. The two do their best to make up for this potential shortcoming by delivering commendable acting and musical performances. Goldblum was never an obvious pick for the Wizard of Oz, but he ended up being a solid pick. Yeoh’s Madame Morrible was a cunning cohort to the Wizard, and she “headmistressed” Shiz with style.
Depictions of animals being persecuted throughout Oz develop the film as, at heart, political. We watch, as helpless as Erizo and Grande, as Dr. Dillamond (Peter Dinklage), a goat professor at Shiz, faces discrimination because of his species, making Oz an Ozian Animal Farm. Glinda’s meek acts of protest, despite their ostentatiousness, are surface-level acts of solidarity that mirror our world’s ever-present faux activism as both superficial and effective. Amidst heart-wrenching political turmoil, a detestable love triangle between Glinda, Elphaba, and Prince Fiyero forms—one that the former is entirely oblivious to. A dystopian shortcoming, Erizo’s excellent performance of “I’m Not That Girl” cannot make up for this pointless, lone storytelling shortcoming.
A Wickedly Wonderful World Worth Watching
Still, the plot of “Wicked” is riveting, and despite an exceptionally long runtime, I was never once bored. The extensive length of the movie allows director Jon M. Chu to fully develop his brilliant world of Oz. The various characters undergo superb and realistic development, grounding the film in a level of realism while still allowing it to defy gravity.
Musically, the film is a feast. There is not a single skip on the Wicked soundtrack. “No One Mourns the Wicked” is at first expository, but it transforms to devastating on the second listen—save for Jeff Goldblum’s fun, jazzy interlude. Jeff Atmajian, the film’s orchestrator, brilliantly arranged the film’s soundtrack for an 80-member orchestra. He carefully introduces leitmotifs based on song lyrics and appropriately flourishes them throughout the movie. Even “Dear Old Shiz,” while solely expository, serves as a beautiful choral transition to the past. Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh’s performances in “The Wizard and I” are stunning and offer tragic foreshadowing into Elphaba’s unfortunate fate. I grimaced in the theater when she proclaimed, “There’ll be a celebration throughout Oz that’s all to do with me.”
“What Is This Feeling,” the first real duet between Grande and Erivo, is unimaginably catchy and unadulteratedly lovable. “Something Bad” is a political anthem that brilliantly explores the turmoil of Ozian animals without being too expository. Jonathan Bailey’s “Dancing Through Life” is the epitome of “Wicked”—catchy and inspiring. Grande’s iconic “Popular” lives up to its name; it’s by far the most-streamed track on Spotify so far. “I’m Not That Girl” features an incredible standalone musical performance. “One Short Day” is an inspiring and joyful counterpart to the Requiem-esque first track of the film. “A Sentimental Man” showcases Goldblum’s gentle, playful musical pursuits that mask his character’s true intentions. Finally, “Defying Gravity” is Erivo’s crowning achievement—a perfect end for the first part of Wicked.
In reality—or perhaps defying it—“Wicked” is a fantastical, Hobbit-esque exploration of Oz that brings a surplus of life to a fantasy backdrop. Admirable set design, outstanding performances, catchy and introspective songs, and a cast picked for skill, not stardom, make this film so memorable. Every actor and actress delivered incredible performances. There are shortcomings, of course—occasionally subpar cinematography and questionable storytelling decisions certainly harm the film, but in a very minuscule way. The decision to split the film in two—with the first part being nearly as long as the entire Broadway musical—is controversial and not for everyone, but I felt there wasn’t a moment wasted. It was handled excellently. “Wicked” was, well, wicked, and the second part cannot get here soon enough.
Rating: 4.5 stars
