Wicked – REVIEW

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Wicked


Alright, here we are. We’re basically at the finish line, but I’ve now seen every single nominee for Best Picture at the Oscars this year (I’m ranking all 10 of them tomorrow before the ceremony starts). The last of them, as you can see, is Wicked. The beloved musical took a very long time to hit the silver screen, with an official announcement of a movie coming all the way back in 2012. Admittedly, I wanted to watch this much sooner, but I was in the middle of my final semester in college. Them’s the breaks, but I got it at home and was able to get through the just-under three hour runtime at my own leisure. At this point, I’d usually go into what Wicked is, but come on, I don’t think I really have to. It’s Wicked. That being said, I should mention that this is the first part of a two-parter, with the second act, titled For Good, set to release this Thanksgiving. I mention that because I think this was a game-changing decision that really benefited the movie. The director, Jon M. Chu, specifically said that he didn’t want to cut any of the songs or plot points and that both acts were filmed with this in mind. Stuff from the musical and Winnie Holzman’s novel that didn’t even make the cut in the original Broadway musical are present here, and it really helps flesh out the worldbuilding here. Also, worldbuilding!! I’m a sucker for slightly altering a phrase to make the world we’re seeing feel lived in. Like, “graditution.” Or “moodified.” My spell check is hating those words, but you could probably put together what they mean, and in the dialogue, they all slot in shockingly well. The story itself may be a little basic, especially if you’ve seen the original musical, but I didn’t mind because pretty much all of the performances were wonderful. I’ve liked Cynthia Erivo in other movies I’ve seen her in like Bad Times at the El Royale and Widows, but her Elphaba is just incredible. I know that it’s the big song from Wicked, but watching “Defying Gravity” on my screen was just breathtaking. It had me standing up and pumping my fist in the air. I could sit here and go through the entire cast if I wanted to, but the real MVP here is Ariana Grande. It’s not too often that we get a great comedic performance on this level. Not a good one, a *great* one. Even as someone who’s been a fan of hers for years, I’m stunned at how great she is as Galinda. If there’s any justice, she’d surprise-win the Oscar this weekend for Best Supporting Actress. At this point, I just really have to hope that Wicked, a musical that very famously falls apart in the second act, can come over that second-act hump. If it does, we’re gonna have to start some conversations about Wicked not only being an all-timer of a Broadway musical but a musical movie.


Ryan’s Grade: A-