The long-anticipated “Wicked” hit theaters on Nov. 22 and has already broken box office records. The Universal Pictures film has already grossed over $200 million in America and is competing to become one of the highest-grossing films of this year.
Director Jon M. Chu, also known for “Crazy Rich Asians,” brings magic to theatrical screens with an all-star cast including pop artist Ariana Grande (“Sam&Cat”) and Cynthia Erivo (“The Color Purple”). The film had a run time of 2 hours and 40 minutes, but the story is captivating enough that it doesn’t feel that long.
The film follows Elphaba, played by Erivo, a young woman who faces challenges due to being born with green skin, and her friendship with a much more popular Glinda, played by Grande. They spark an unlikely friendship between each other, and ultimately meet difficulties after an encounter with the Wizard of Oz.
Going into the film knowing nothing about the novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” or the original Broadway play, “Wicked,” the sense of magic the film gives was delightful. Industrial Light & Magic, known for the original “Star Wars”, and Framestore, known for “The Dark Knight,” provided the film’s visual effects, and throughout the entire movie I was continuously impressed by the vast amount of work that went into creating the world of Oz. All the major locations in the film were real life immersive sets, and not CGI. The opening scene was created by planting 9 million real tulips. Even the train in the film was fully functional and walkable for the actors.
With all the attention leading up the film, the storyline fell short of expectations. Due to it being a “part one,” a lot of the movie felt like an introduction to characters and plot filler. It isn’t until the last 40 minutes of the film that it feels like the plot is actually moving forward, and by then, it’s the end of the movie.
The plot line between Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship was one of the highlights of the film. The two go through an ‘enemies-to-friends’ pipeline, developing a beautiful and endearing relationship.
The actors nailed their performances. They landed both emotional sequences and comedic breaks. The chemistry between the entire cast was palpable and they all matched each other in a complementary way.
Fans of musical productions would enjoy “Wicked”. The soundtrack consisted of 11 different songs, all composed by Stephen Schwartz, who worked on the original “Wicked” play in 2003. Erivo herself said she and Grande sang a lot of the pieces live during filming. While it’s obvious at many points that the music is pre-recorded, it doesn’t take away from the sheer talent of the cast.
The film was beautiful in its entirety. The visual aspects of the movie make it a show-stopper for me. While the plot felt slow, the incredible acting makes up for it. It’s worth watching more than once and the anticipation of part two will keep fans on the edge of wanting more.