A film adaptation of the popular stage musical Wicked, broken ostentatiously into two parts, really shouldn't be this good. But often I found myself so engrossed in its magic that I couldn't help but get inspired by its ambition. The film completely commits to not only attempting to capture the phenomenon that this musical achieved (and few truly reach these heights of zeitgeist) but also being part of a legacy connected to the classic film The Wizard of Oz. The cast are all in their ways amazing (more on that later) and Chu directs this like it is his magnum opus. Whatever kind of critique I could lob at the source musical's oversimplifying of a resistance message, the message remains and it is an important one, especially in these times, and Wicked delivers that in a truly magical way to its audience. Wicked Part One just hits right, even if it stops abruptly with a "to be continued..."
Chu completely builds the world of Oz in a way that both pays tribute to what's come before (the classic film and the stage musical both) but also by breathing life into it that feels authentic which is an achievement in a film with this much CGI and technicolor inspired art direction (again a tribute to where this all comes from). In all this there is a magic here that the Harry Potter films never really found. It's hard not to compare the two series as Potter steals so much from this (Wicked the book predates Potter by a couple years) and while the Wizarding World got bogged down in its own minutia, Wicked lets itself soar by giving us just enough back story to really feel it while sticking to its story. Chu seems to get that. For a 160 minute film that is only half a movie, the time flies and keeps you hooked throughout.
And then there is the cast. First I'm going to call out the Grande haters. She is wonderful here. Sure she channels Chenoweth a bit but still puts her own spin on it. Her Galinda is complicated and a scene stealer. She nails the part and now I want to see her in other films. But she's not alone, Jonathan Bailey's star is rising and here he also gets to shine by making Fiyero a charismatic, difficult, and vulnerable person while being as hot as possible. But yes this film is Elphaba's story and Erivo who has been building a resume of strong roles really shines here as the only main character and by not playing to the rafters but letting her character emerge through a mask of rage and sadness with an almost impossible strength.
While I do believe the musical adaptation has softened the revisionist iconoclast nature of its story with its almost chicken-soup-for-the-soul approach, and I know there will be critics falling all over themselves to highlight shiny-plastic sheen while ignoring the history of the whole Wicked experience are rooted in broadway and technicolor popcorn glory. But bedded within all that carnival showmanship a resistance narrative remains and it is in songs such as the iconic Defying Gravity where the marginalized often find inspiration to stand tall and fight back. The Wicked film captures that spirit... at least Part One does. We'll have to see if Part Two sticks the landing. After seeing the first instalment, I have a strong suspicion it might.
Wicked
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Dinklage, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth
Director: John M. Chu
Writers: Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox, Gregory Maguire
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