In Wicked, secretly known as Wicked: Part One, director Jon M. Chu adapts the first act of the highly popular musical and somehow manages to make it just as long as the entire damn play. Nonetheless, powered by great acting and enchanting musical numbers, Wicked: Part One is a charming spectacle that will satisfy existing fans and win over a few new ones.
But let’s not pretend this Wicked film adaptation is the Second Coming of Dorothy.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star as Elphaba (to be known as the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (to be good as the Good Witch of the South) respectively, and both are bewitching. Erivo is excellent, though it’s Grande who arguably steals the show with a high-pitched, humorous, and naively narcissistic turn as the popular and hot girl at school. Yes, Glinda somewhat overshadows Elphaba here–perhaps unintentionally, but it sometimes feels as though Elphaba gets lost in her own movie.
It doesn’t really matter much, though, because there are plenty of high-grade musical numbers that help gloss over the film’s flaws. If you’re there for the glamor and songs, and you very well may be, Wicked: Part One delivers the goods. Chu brings the story to life with energy and gusto, even if the creativity may be lacking (more on that in a moment). Erivo and Grande have fantastic voices, and they are joined by a strong supporting cast who fill out this lively production.
If you look behind the Wizard’s curtain, however, things aren’t all rosy in the land of Oz.
At two hours and forty minutes, Wicked: Part One feels bloated–especially for a movie with a plot that only begins to emerge with 20 minutes left, and one that ends on a cliffhanger just as things are starting to get good. In an alternative world, this movie is an hour shorter and still entertaining as hell.
Length aside, one odd aspect of this Wicked movie is that the land of Oz is… rather uninteresting. The Munchkins look like normal-height humans. The students attend Boring Hogwarts, where nothing magical or entertaining actually happens. Yes, there are a few talking animals, but Oz feels strangely bland and unoriginal, lacking the sense of awe and grandeur The Wizard of Oz still evokes today. If you’re going to add over an hour of bloat and spend $300+ million on the two-part production, you’d think Chu would have invested more heavily in the creative details.
I went into this movie sort of, slightly hoping, that between the studio’s deceptive efforts to hide the “Part One” angle and the film’s runtime, it would end up being a broomwreck. That isn’t the case at all. Wicked: Part One is an enjoyable musical, even if not enough happens for way too long before abruptly accelerating to a sudden, unfinished ending. Even still, Wicked is a blast a lot of the time, and for that everyone involved should be commended.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.