Wicked
Rating: 5/5
By: Nathaniel Simpson
In the Broadway world, Wicked, which originally starred Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith in star-making roles, is considered one of the best and most famous musicals ever made. Based off the iconic 1939 film, which then spurred a novel that the play is based upon, the story follows the two iconic witches from The Wizard of Oz as they grew up, before Dorothy dropped a house into Oz. It seemed inevitable this iconic Broadway musical would get the film treatment, which made me both incredibly excited and slightly nervous when they announced this film. The musical holds a special place in my heart, and I didn't want to see it in shambles when it came out. In a nearly three hour film that details the events of the first act of the play, director Jon M. Chu and his ensemble cast craft a brilliantly moving and spectacularly entertaining film that could easily rival the original stage adaptation.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande play Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, the two dueling witches that were present throughout The Wizard of Oz. While they were portrayed as enemies when Dorothy flew in, this film shows how they met at Shiz University, where they are both studying magic. When Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) shows interest in Elphaba's powers, it causes a bitter rivalry between the two, who also happen to be roommates. However, as time goes on and they start to discover who they are as people and not what they are perceived to be, they form a beautiful friendship that is going to be challenged at every turn.
Like I mentioned, I am a huge fan of the musical and have seen it at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood numerous times. I was very excited for this movie and to see what director Jon M. Chu could do, but for some reason, I wasn't fully on board with the casting and some of the other decisions Chu decided to make leading up to the release of this picture. But this movie absolutely blew my expectations and hesitations out of the water and truly immersed me into this world of Oz and the magic within. When watching it, I got goosebumps and chills multiple times as Chu does such a great job of capturing the essence and beauty of the Broadway musical.
From the cinematography to the musical numbers and the way the actors sung live on set to the set and costume design, this movie just pops off the screen in such a glorious and magic way. The way that Chu captures the presence of the witches and the world that they are surrounded by is so magnetic and draws the viewer to the screen and into the picture. There is possibly not another film recently that has immersed the viewer into this magical world since the Harry Potter franchise.
In terms of the performances here, I think each actor does an incredible job, especially the two main leads. Erivo and Grande perfectly embody these iconic characters, and have such fascinating chemistry together. Erivo is so powerful as Elphaba, and gives so much raw emotion throughout the film that it easily allows the viewer to emphasize with her character. At the same time, Grande plays this role in a way we have never seen her before, really becoming Glinda. I was sort of worried about how she would do since I haven't ever seen Grande in a role of this magnitude, but I honestly think she was the best part about this whole movie.
The other actors in the ensemble cast do a great job of playing the secondary characters and complimenting the two leads. From Jonathan Bailey and Michelle Yeoh to Jeff Goldblum and Marissa Bode, each single one does a great job of bringing these iconic performances from the stage to the screen and make the viewer easily fall in love with them. Each of these incredibly talented performers kept me hooked to the screen and engaged throughout.
This is a near-perfect film embodiment of such a classic Broadway musical, and Chu handles the story and characters with such great care. Quentin Tarantino has once said that if you loved the film art form so much, then it is nearly impossible to make a bad movie, which is the case here. You can tell the entire cast and crew poured their blood, sweat, and tears into making this, and the final product is an absolutely beautiful and moving film that will easily become an instant classic.
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