With box office flops like “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Cats,” stage-to-screen musical adaptations have had a lot of failures, leaving audiences who are familiar with the source material feeling hesitant when it comes to these kinds of films. Even when these films do reach success, many of them become overshadowed by one common audience critique: “It was good, but it wasn’t the musical.” However, with stellar performances and a global box office total of $164 million, “Wicked” does not suffer from either of these problems.
Simply put, “Wicked” is a prequel and retelling of “The Wizard of Oz” and portrays the story of how Elphaba and Glinda became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good respectively, but it is so much more than that. “Wicked” serves as a social commentary about institutional racism and the struggle to fight against societal norms in the name of justice. Although it is a retelling of a children’s story, “Wicked” contains difficult truths that resonate deeply with audiences of all ages, exploring themes of prejudice and the complexity of moral choices. The film challenges viewers to question familiar narratives and explore the complexities behind labels like “good” and “wicked.”
It is difficult to live up to the legacy of Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway, respectively. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande both honored their roles, while making them their own. Not to mention, all of their vocals were performed live. While it can be tempting for films like these to cast big name actors regardless of their singing abilities, I applaud the director for not being willing to sacrifice the vocal quality of these beloved characters. Erivo’s experience on Broadway and Grande’s roots in musical theatre help to preserve the musical theatre style of “Wicked.” Their artistic choices also brought new and refreshing elements to the story without sacrificing the integrity of the film.
If I wanted to point out every stellar performance in this movie, it would take the rest of this article, so I’ll just say that nearly every performance was absolutely fantastic, especially given that most of them did their own stunts. The one exception to this is Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. Yeoh is not a singer, thus, her performance in “The Wizard and I” was lackluster at best. Yeoh sought to bring a more nuanced approach to the normally larger than life Madame Morrible, but in her attempt to give a nuanced spin on the character, she fell flat. While she did not give a bad acting performance per se, this character faded to the background next to the other stellar actors and actresses.
In addition to most of the actors doing their own stunts, the production team also built most of the sets rather than relying on CGI. The production team planted nine million tulips, built the Wizard’s giant animatronic head and even created a real bubble that surrounded Glinda during her entrance. This created a lot of interesting imagery and added an element of realism to their dynamic sets.
That said, while the world of Oz is very colorful, the visuals in the film are very desaturated. According to ScreenRant, Director Jon M. Chu did this intentionally, both to make Oz seem more real and to showcase the Wizard’s own lack of magic and intention of suppressing magic. There is more color contrast as the film goes on, and I am interested to see how they will utilize color in “Wicked: Part Two”. While I can appreciate an artistic choice, the desaturation of color, especially in the opening scene, was almost distracting. For me, it initially took away from the warm magical feeling that typically accompanies the opening scene of “Wicked.” Cinema is all about making bold choices, but this was one choice that fell a little flat.
“Wicked” is a film that tackles deep societal issues in a way that is thought-provoking while remaining lovable and fun to watch. From its impressive performances to its thoughtful storytelling, the film manages to breathe new life into the beloved musical while honoring its roots. The production team’s commitment to practical effects along with the actors doing their own stunts and live singing sets it apart from other stage-to-screen adaptations. While not perfect, “Wicked” succeeds in balancing its social commentary with the whimsical charm of Oz, offering both a nostalgic nod to the original Broadway production and a fresh perspective for a new audience. The few missteps are minor compared to the film’s overall success.
As fans eagerly await the release of part two, it’s clear that “Wicked” has set a high standard for what’s to come. With its powerful performances, engaging narrative and visually striking production, “Wicked” is not only a triumph for fans of the original musical but also a shining example of how stage-to-screen adaptations can be done right. “Wicked” has single-handedly raised the bar for stage-to-screen adaptations to come.
I echo the words of Glinda when I say that because of this film “I have been changed for good,” and long-time fans of the show along with newcomers to the story are sure to be changed for good as well.
“Wicked” Review
With box office flops like “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Cats,” stage-to-screen musical adaptations have had a lot of failures, leaving audiences who are familiar with the source material feeling hesitant when it comes to these kinds of films. Even when these films do reach success, many of them become overshadowed by one common audience critique: “It was good, but it wasn’t the musical.” However, with stellar performances and a global box office total of $164 million, “Wicked” does not suffer from either of these problems.
Simply put, “Wicked” is a prequel and retelling of “The Wizard of Oz” and portrays the story of how Elphaba and Glinda became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good respectively, but it is so much more than that. “Wicked” serves as a social commentary about institutional racism and the struggle to fight against societal norms in the name of justice. Although it is a retelling of a children’s story, “Wicked” contains difficult truths that resonate deeply with audiences of all ages, exploring themes of prejudice and the complexity of moral choices. The film challenges viewers to question familiar narratives and explore the complexities behind labels like “good” and “wicked.”
It is difficult to live up to the legacy of Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway, respectively. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande both honored their roles, while making them their own. Not to mention, all of their vocals were performed live. While it can be tempting for films like these to cast big name actors regardless of their singing abilities, I applaud the director for not being willing to sacrifice the vocal quality of these beloved characters. Erivo’s experience on Broadway and Grande’s roots in musical theatre help to preserve the musical theatre style of “Wicked.” Their artistic choices also brought new and refreshing elements to the story without sacrificing the integrity of the film.
If I wanted to point out every stellar performance in this movie, it would take the rest of this article, so I’ll just say that nearly every performance was absolutely fantastic, especially given that most of them did their own stunts. The one exception to this is Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. Yeoh is not a singer, thus, her performance in “The Wizard and I” was lackluster at best. Yeoh sought to bring a more nuanced approach to the normally larger than life Madame Morrible, but in her attempt to give a nuanced spin on the character, she fell flat. While she did not give a bad acting performance per se, this character faded to the background next to the other stellar actors and actresses.
In addition to most of the actors doing their own stunts, the production team also built most of the sets rather than relying on CGI. The production team planted nine million tulips, built the Wizard’s giant animatronic head and even created a real bubble that surrounded Glinda during her entrance. This created a lot of interesting imagery and added an element of realism to their dynamic sets.
That said, while the world of Oz is very colorful, the visuals in the film are very desaturated. According to ScreenRant, Director Jon M. Chu did this intentionally, both to make Oz seem more real and to showcase the Wizard’s own lack of magic and intention of suppressing magic. There is more color contrast as the film goes on, and I am interested to see how they will utilize color in “Wicked: Part Two”. While I can appreciate an artistic choice, the desaturation of color, especially in the opening scene, was almost distracting. For me, it initially took away from the warm magical feeling that typically accompanies the opening scene of “Wicked.” Cinema is all about making bold choices, but this was one choice that fell a little flat.
Ruling without the majority
“Wicked” is a film that tackles deep societal issues in a way that is thought-provoking while remaining lovable and fun to watch. From its impressive performances to its thoughtful storytelling, the film manages to breathe new life into the beloved musical while honoring its roots. The production team’s commitment to practical effects along with the actors doing their own stunts and live singing sets it apart from other stage-to-screen adaptations. While not perfect, “Wicked” succeeds in balancing its social commentary with the whimsical charm of Oz, offering both a nostalgic nod to the original Broadway production and a fresh perspective for a new audience. The few missteps are minor compared to the film’s overall success.
As fans eagerly await the release of part two, it’s clear that “Wicked” has set a high standard for what’s to come. With its powerful performances, engaging narrative and visually striking production, “Wicked” is not only a triumph for fans of the original musical but also a shining example of how stage-to-screen adaptations can be done right. “Wicked” has single-handedly raised the bar for stage-to-screen adaptations to come.
I echo the words of Glinda when I say that because of this film “I have been changed for good,” and long-time fans of the show along with newcomers to the story are sure to be changed for good as well.