*SPOILER ALERT*
“Wicked” is one of the most well-known and treasured musicals ever created, and recently has been released as a film adaptation starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as the two famous witches. The hype for the upcoming film was incredible, and after watching it for myself, I would have to say it was just as good, or even better, then the musical itself.
The original film “The Wizard of Oz” will forever be ingrained in the minds of many as nostalgic and heartwarming, bringing back old memories filled with whimsy and magic. When “Wicked” was created as a spin-off musical, it brought the untold story of the witches of Oz to the big stage. In the production, the lives of Glinda and Elphaba were further explained, shedding light on their childhood and upbringing, their schooling and most importantly, their meeting and flowering friendship. “Wicked” also gave more of a background to the Wizard himself, the animals and their importance in Oz, and how Elphaba was misconstrued to be an evil, wicked witch.
When bringing the musical to the theaters worldwide, it was important that the storyline was similar, but at the same time encapsulating enough to hold the attention of viewers for the almost 3-hour run time. It was crucial to find the correct actresses to play the well-known roles and was a difficult process to go through. However, Grande and Erivo were the perfect duo to share the spotlight. They took the lives of the two witches and lived them out to the fullest, showing their true character all while portraying more emotion than the musical version of “Wicked” has ever seen. The acting was incredible, and Erivo and Grande portrayed such a lovely friendship between Glinda and Elphaba. They both have a strong background in Hollywood, so choosing them for the role was unquestionable.
Although the actresses and their “Wicked” debut were being looked forward to, there was criticism about the set design and choice of editing from day one. Many fans love “The Wizard of Oz” because of the use of Technicolor, something that brought the magical glow to many old movies but has long been extinct. Obviously, we are in a new era of time, with CGI reaching new limits and movies feeling more realistic than ever. I believe that “Wicked” was created to look how it does for a reason and should not be changed to be brighter or more nostalgic. Yes, there was controversy about the set design and the color gradient, but I believe it turned out to be just as magical and vibrant as the musical and the original journey to Oz. There was beautiful cinematography, and it not only kept the colorful world of Oz, but created it in a realistic way to fully immerse the viewer in a world filled with bright peony fields, a large but welcoming emerald city and a stunning school built from the ground up. Complete with great storytelling and pure emotion, I can speak for myself and many others that “Wicked” was an overwhelmingly beautiful experience.
When judging a good film, it is important to have the music and soundtrack in mind, but it is most important when looking at a musical adaptation. The music choices made by directors are some of the most crucial decisions that can really make or break a film. In this case, “Wicked” didn’t just defy gravity — it soared. The soundtrack has been on repeat for weeks now, and I can’t get enough of it. The catchy beats, the added riffs and tiny changes to the original lyrics make it all the more exciting. The movie’s team could not have done better with their rendition of all of the songs, and having Erivo and Grande and their incredible voices made it that much more special. Music is huge for me and is such a large part of my life and my emotions. This movie did an excellent job in expressing emotion and storytelling through song, and I couldn’t have asked for a better soundtrack.
Not only did the songs sound outstanding in the theater, but also before the release. The publicity team went above and beyond for this film, letting some of the soundtrack out early and giving viewers sneak peeks without spoiling it. They helped Grande and Erivo showcase their characters through whimsy, beautiful and unique outfit designs, with the pink and green theme becoming nothing short of iconic. Movie-goers dress up head to toe in one or the other to show their love and support, and get to reminisce about their childhoods of loving “Wicked.” From the heart-wrenching interviews to the hilarious TikTok trends, the “Wicked” team has gone above and beyond to reach out and appeal to all of their audiences while still keeping the special movie details hidden for its release date.
Overall, I loved seeing “Wicked” on the big screen. It was amazing to see on Broadway of course, but something about all of the extra details, harmonies, cinematography, humor, outfits and emotion really made this film one hard to forget. Although it was almost three hours long and only half of the original musical, I would watch it again in a heartbeat. It makes it all the more exciting knowing that it was created with immense detail and background, enough to stretch the usual movie time and still keep the audience engaged and on the edge of their seats for its entirety. I would definitely recommend this experience of a movie to anyone who enjoys a good heart-to-heart story, especially one as swankified and thrillifying as this.
