As Kermit the Frog once said, “It’s not easy being green.”
That’s certainly the case with Wicked, the big-screen version of the highly acclaimed and successful Broadway musical. I’m not necessarily talking about the character of the Wicked Witch of the West, but rather the execution, which I know has such a devout following.
This could’ve easily been an epic disaster on the level of Cats, but thanks to its masterful direction by Jon M. Chu and an electric cast, it soars high, and its broomstick rarely falter.
For the uninitiated, Wicked is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, which was then adapted into its Broadway setting by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. The story serves as a prequel to the Wizard of Oz and shows the point of view of events from the perspective of the Wicked Witch herself.
She’s played by Cynthia Erivo in a magnetic performance as Elphaba Thropp, who was born green and rejected by her parents because of that. When she becomes an adult, she attends Shiz University in Oz and befriends Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande), who later becomes the Good Witch of the North.
Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible, the Dean of Sorcery who takes an immediate liking to Elphaba and wants her under her wing. Morrible has zero faith in Galinda and offers her a forced sympathy at times due to her friendship with Elphaba.
There are a bizarre number of characters we meet who get surprising doses of screen time and character development, such as Dr. Dillamond (Peter Dinklage), a talking goat who is also a professor. He’s concerned because animals are losing their rights in Oz.
Soon, Elphaba receives a letter from the Wizard himself (Jeff Goldblum) after hearing about her magical abilities. He invites Elphaba to the Emerald City, and she invites her friend Galinda to come with her.
Given the movie’s ambitious material, I expected Wicked to feature too many characters, which it does, and too many plot threads (again, it does). Thankfully, the structure of the screenplay by Holzman and Dana Fox is not completely superfluous and gives us just enough to figure out who is doing what with whom.
The musical numbers are well-directed and glossy and help advance the story. The showstopper is “Defying Gravity,” which plays during the climax. Erivo demonstrates her vocal range in other numbers, such as “I’m Not That Girl.” Anyone else in the role would not have given the level of gravity (no pun intended) that this character requires.
Ariana Grande and Michelle Yeoh are also equally effective in their roles. Grande portrays Galinda as simultaneously narcissistic and bubbly, with a sly sense of humor in many of her scenes. Yeoh is very stoic, but not so much to the point where she’s uninteresting. Her character has a level of complexity bubbling below the surface.
The movie is visually gorgeous and a triumph of production design, costumes, and visual effects that are reminiscent of the 1939 classic. It’s also brimming with cinematography by Alice Brooks that makes it look bright and borderline immaculate.
From a technical and musical perspective, Wicked shines despite its 160-minute runtime. The storylines do meander once in a while, and some characters might seem a little overstuffed, but then again, it is a massive undertaking, and we should know that going in.
Wicked: Part 1 will no doubt satisfy fans of the Broadway musical and might make converts want to walk down their own Yellow Brick Road and become fans. Who knows?
The film gives a nice nod to actresses Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, who originated the roles of Galinda and Elphaba on Broadway. Note: The movie ends with “To Be Continued.” Part 2 is currently scheduled to be released next November.
Grade: A-
(Rated PG for some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.)
