WICKED: PART I

Director
Jon M Chu

Starring
Cynthia Erivo
Ariana Grande-Butera
Jonathan Bailey
Michelle Yeoh
Jeff Goldblum

Set before the events of The Wizard Of Oz, Wicked tells the story of how Glinda the Good Witch [Grande-Butera] and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West [Erivo] both attended the same school. More than that they were rivals turned unlikely friends. One destined to exploit her privilege and excel in every way, meet and marry the most eligible bachelor, and live a comfortable if ignorant life. The other, born with green skin and abnormal powers, has no real aspiration but wants little more than to protect her younger sister, Nessarose (portrayed by Marissa Bode). This is, however, completely upended when Elphaba reveals her magic powers and catches the attention of university professor Madame Morrible [Yeoh] – who begins exclusive tutoring, to harness Elphaba’s powers and grant her an audience with the illustrious Wizard of Oz [Goldblum]; much to Glinda’s chagrin.

From the outset, Wicked has a handful of fundamental elements working in its favour and against its success. Namely that it’s a prequel and an adaptation. In terms of the former, a prequel suffers from a known conclusion. We are all-too-familiar with the story of The Wizard Of Oz and subsequently, the only way it can put a unique spin on the situation, is to subvert expectations. I.e. this isn’t the story you think you know. And that’s one of the reasons the book and musical were both monumentally successful. Which brings us to the latter. This is an adaptation which has been in the works for decades and is tackling two cultural legacy forces: that of the original movie, as well as the subsequent life the musical took on. In other words, that’s a lot of fanbase to appease and assuage; all of whom are incredibly versed in the ins-and-outs of this narrative.

Thankfully, what could have devolved into a straightforward, clinical transfer of the stage production, is instead a remarkably creative, kinetically directed spectacle, that brings life to the songs and uses the medium to circumvent the limitations of the theatre. Granted, there is plenty of CGI that viewers and critics may find a little smothering, but for a film that could have been 100% green screens, there’s a healthy quality to the production design. The myriad props, sets, costumes, etc are all meticulously crafted and brought to the screen in glorious detail. All of which breathes life into this fictional place in a way that something like 2013’s Oz The Great And Powerful failed to. And, of course, we can’t ignore the movie’s exceptional sound design – as you’d expect from a blockbuster musical.

One would assume that outside the central cast, the supporting performances would be universally theatre. Filled with big, bombastic gurning and flamboyance designed to fill a room, rather than the fine-drawn dramatics that a cinema camera requires. But from the bottom up, the cast establishes a baseline of grounded credulity. Yes, this whole world is over-the-top and camp but that’s true throughout and after the opening few numbers, you’re simply drawn into this universe. And one of the key architects of that connection, is the film’s perfectly cast leads. Erivo and Grande-Butera are frankly magnificent and have legitimately fantastic chemistry. Sincere, fragile, funny, human – they both bring a much needed subtlety to their respective characters, that you don’t get on the stage. Having seen the musical, the friendship aspect of Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship felt somewhat asymmetrical and quietly manipulative. But with a few tweaks and some scene expansion, the film offers a more intimate vibe from the pair, and therefore their connection feels more earned and honest.

Speaking of scene expansion, one aspect of criticism you’re likely going to encounter is that the movie is far too long. Coming in at two hours and forty minutes, it’s a beast. Especially as this first instalment is longer than the entirety of the stage source material. However, I think this is an oversight. Much like Dune, it was absolutely the right decision to split this narrative in two; mirroring the stage production’s half-time crescendo piece with Defying Gravity. And, in truth, Wicked: Part I is paced incredibly well, with the time absolutely flying by. To the degree that all the added complexity and room to breathe, makes it oddly better than the stage production. In fact, the only real looming critiques you could find, boil down to “well I don’t like musicals” and “the story is too obvious and blunt.” Both of which are simply inherent core aspects of the genre and this movie isn’t going to try and dull those elements to appease the masses. It has set its heading and strides defiantly. This is a bold, confident, beautifully constructed musical, the likes of which we don’t often see in cinemas – and for those who enjoy that type of feature, Wicked: Part I is going to be not only a standout release but a lasting, if not transformative, experience.

Release Date:
22 November 2024

The Scene To Look Out For:
The addition of Elphaba’s childhood adds much needed emotional gravitas to proceedings, and the arrival in the Emerald City is as dazzling and overwhelming as one would hope. But the truth is, the single scene which draws on the creative direction, flourishes of comedy, and highlights the abundant charm of the two leads is Popular. This is the narrative turning point, the section of the story where both Glinda and Elphaba become friends and the former sings boisterously about how she will take the latter under her wing and show her the way to become popular. And it’s executed wonderfully, pulling on every lever it can to sell the emotional core of their connection, as well as providing plenty of laugh-out moments.

Notable Characters:
To reiterate my earlier point, Erivo and Grande-Butera are a phenomenal pairing and carry this film effortlessly. So instead I want to highlight someone in the periphery. In this case, Jonathan Bailey as the confident, swaggering young prince, Fiyero Tigelaar. A veteran of stage and screen, Bailey is superb and such a marvellous choice to inject life into what could be a fairly one-dimensional character.

Highlighted Quote:
“Magic is merely the mind’s attempt to wrap itself around the impossible.”

In A Few Words:
“A triumphant first half, packed with emotional range and prowess that will delight its target audience.”

Total Score: 5/5

Linked Reviews

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL LES MISERABLES WIDOWS