The much-anticipated film adaptation of the 2003 musical “Wicked” officially released in theaters this Friday, and it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.
The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, is definitely more put together than the disastrous 2021 adaptation of “Dear Evan Hansen” and 2019’s “Cats,” but it commits the same sins as its peers — a star-studded cast horrendously older than the college students they’re meant to portray, overused CGI animation and an abundance of fan service.
Also, the film only depicts the musical’s first act, with a follow-up, “Wicked Part Two,” set to release around this time next year.
The compromise for faithfulness to the source material was a nearly three-hour runtime and a sequel. The result is delayed gratification that ultimately cheapens the experience.
For the uninitiated, “Wicked” is a prequel to the iconic novel and film “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” that follows Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba Thropp, who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, throughout their tumultuous college friendship at Oz’s Shiz University.
Elphaba, a lifelong outcast due to her unusually green skin (unusual even for the fantastical world of Oz), faces an uphill battle against stigma and the social ills of Oz hidden behind the glimmering facade of the Emerald City.
Elphaba’s rival, Glinda, taps into hard-won compassion, and the two become best friends in spite of their differing personalities and world views.
To the film’s credit, the decade-plus of ideation and rigorous casting for this adaptation shows the amount of care put into its production and yielded some very good performances.
Ariana Grande shows off an incredible vocal range, including a whistle register, despite limited stage experience from over a decade ago.
Her pop star aura gels well with Glinda’s spunky, pick-me-diva persona, but Grande’s presence in the film is still somewhat distracting. The thought of “That’s Ariana Grande” clings to her performance throughout.
Michelle Yeoh’s performance as Shiz’s headmistress Madame Morrible has a similar feel. Yeoh is a seasoned actor in her own right, but it feels like her casting in this movie was done more for recognition than for her skill.
By far the most impactful performance was Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, cementing herself as the ideal successor to Idina Menzel’s original 2003 performance.
Erivo is a powerhouse singer and a heartfelt actor. She channels Elphaba’s strengths, insecurities and her ultimate desire to be seen as good with expert emotional resonance and authenticity.
It’s no wonder why the “Wicked” press tour has been so emotional for both Erivo and Grande, who solidified their own close bond through that of their characters.
Disappointingly, the recording production of “Defying Gravity” made its iconic ending sound artificial, dulling its would-be powerful impact.
Though its presentation was imperfect, “Wicked” told a strikingly familiar story, even to musical theater outsiders.
“Wicked” asks us how we, as humans, judge each other’s morality — by our individual actions or by what we’ve been told to think and expect by someone whose authority we put blind faith in.
The musical “Wicked” came out during a time quite similar to ours. The Iraq War and the “War on terror” were in full swing, seemingly motivated by the tragedy of 9/11, but whose true purpose was questioned by many who were then blackballed.
The glimmering glory of Oz falls apart for Elphaba when she realizes the truth. Her rejection of it is what turns her “wicked.”
We are told to ignore the cracks in our system’s facade for the sake of our comfort, but what will be the ultimate cost once it finally breaks?
If only this very real story wasn’t hidden behind a cash-grab franchise showing us the same tired tricks.
