Director Jon M Chu’s musical adaptation features two incredible central performances and songs to die for. Here’s our Wicked review.
Before we get into the review itself, let’s address the elephant in the room. Yes, Jon M Chu’s Wicked is 160 minutes long and only covers half of the stage show despite being 20 minutes longer. Did it need to do this? I’m relatively confident in saying that at the end of the movie, you’ll come to the same conclusion as I: it absolutely did.
Wicked begins where The Wizard Of Oz ends. The Wicked Witch of the West is dead and all is well in Munchkinland. One of the Munchkins asks Glinda The Good (Ariana Grande) if it’s true that she and the witch were once friends, prompting Glinda to tell their story.
If you’re familiar with the stage musical, you’ll know what’s coming. Chu rarely veers away from the story, but his film goes into more detail and adds more nuance. This isn’t to say that the stage version lacks these; cinema is just a different medium and a different approach is needed. The changes pay off magnificently and Wicked is a mesmerising, enchanting film that more than justifies its existence and approach.
Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, the illegitimate child of Munchkinland’s Governor, who’s sent to Shiz University to care for her paraplegic sister Nessarose. Elphaba immediately clashes with Glinda – still going by the name Galinda – but the two ultimately become friends and discover a dark secret at the heart of the land of Oz involving the mysterious Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).
Chu paints his film with candy colours and invests in the sheer charm of the whole thing. He’s aided by some compelling performances, especially Erivo and Grande. If there was any worry about Grande’s acting abilities, those soon fade. Not only does she have the voice for Glinda, but she also has impeccable comedic timing. It’s a refreshing, egoless performance and Grande fully commits to being adorably foolish without turning the character into a complete caricature.
But Erivo is the star of the show. Her turn as Elpahaba is soulful and sincere, and that’s before we get to her incredible vocals. The actress skilfully navigates Elphaba’s emotional journey as she finds freedom in embracing the villainy that others have thrust on her. The musical’s best known song, ‘Defying Gravity’, is a notoriously taxing song to perform, but Erivo’s handling of it exceeds all expectations. I advise bringing tissues.
Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero feels perhaps the least developed of the supporting characters: he comes across as nothing more than a pretty party boy despite Bailey’s best efforts. The problem lies within the script, not in Bailey, who’s a perfectly charming and capable musical theatre performer. Similarly, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible doesn’t get to tap into the same prickly attitude that she unleashed in Chu’s Crazy Rich Asians.
A musical’s true measure lies in its song and dance numbers. Choreographer Christopher Scott creates inventive, funky choreographies to songs like ‘Dancing Through Life’ and ‘No One Mourns The Wicked’. If anything, ‘Defying Gravity’ slightly steals the thunder from the other songs. It’s the emotional climax of the entire production, an exhilarating song about breaking free of the expectations of others.
As he already proved with In The Heights, Chu directs the spectacle and musical numbers of Wicked with confidence and the picture practically leaps out of the screen. This is a musical adaptation done right; it takes what makes the stage version so iconic and long-lasting and adjusts it in all the right ways for the screen.
Wicked Part One sets the stage for next year’s Part Two, which promises to be a much darker affair. This writer has had some past issues with villains being turned into heroes, but I found Elphaba’s story irresistible and spellbinding.
Wicked is in cinemas from the 22nd November.
