With scenes of Glinda’s book choreography in “What is This Feeling?” and Elphaba’s high note in “Defying Gravity” resurfacing online, “Wicked” did not fail to delight audiences with its fun performances and storytelling.
“Wicked,” the long-awaited film adaptation of the best-selling novel by Gregor Maguire and hit Broadway musical of the same name, is a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) that delves into the friendship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda the Good Witch of the South (Ariana Grande), and Elphaba’s eventual transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West.
The movie picks up from the ending of “The Wizard of Oz” when the Wicked Witch of the West dies and Glinda makes her return to Munchkinland, a region in the Land of Oz. Glinda reveals that she was once friends with the witch, and from there, the movie transitions back in time to reveal the witch’s upbringing.
There was tension between Elphaba and Glinda at first, but once they warmed up to each other, their friendship was really heartwarming to see. Overall, the most memorable scene to me was the moment when Glinda took Elphaba’s lead in dancing at the school ball. I thought this scene beautifully captured the moment they turned from enemies to friends and it was moving to see Elphaba feel accepted for the first time in her life through Glinda’s kindness.
Heading into the theater, I had no prior knowledge of the story. I only bought tickets on a whim after seeing all the advertisements and having been a fan of Ariana Grande—and I’m glad I did.
There were aesthetically pleasing visuals at every part that made the movie feel even more magical. Scenery like the castle-esque structure of Shiz University, the grand and lively Emerald City and the forests, lush with greenery. The world building was done really well and made me feel fully immersed into another world.
Knowing it was a musical, I initially thought it would be just song after song but to my surprise, the movie was paced well with breaths between each performance. These performances were also of high quality and well executed by the cast members. My favorite performances were “No One Mourns the Wicked” and “Defying Gravity.” The former featured a triumphant, grand orchestral instrumental accompanied by Grande’s heavenly vocals that I found satisfying to listen to. In the latter, Grande and Erivo’s vocals blended really nicely and Erivo’s emotional voice perfectly captured the bittersweet moment when Elphaba parted with Glinda.
Most importantly, “Wicked” reflects the harsh way society treats people differently based on outward appearances. We see this through Elphaba for her green skin and Dr. Dillamond (Peter Dinklage) for being a goat. The struggles these individuals face are shown and it is conveyed how important it is for us to look beyond the surface and show kindness. Another key lesson I found is the value of choosing your own path. By parting ways with Oz, Elphaba maintained her commitment to her personal values and fight for animal rights, despite it having been at the cost of her friendship with Glinda. Similarly, Glinda steered away from her desire to appear perfect and took a step in growing closer to Elphaba, allowing her to discover the comfort in being herself. Through following their own path, Elphaba and Glinda become better versions of themselves.
With all this in mind, “Wicked” deserves a 4 out of 5 stars rating. I enjoyed watching the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda and am now curious to learn more about how Elphaba became evil, since the movie cuts off at the first act of the musical. Walking into the theater as a fan of Ariana Grande, I walked out with a newfound appreciation for the “Wicked” franchise.
