After an emotionally charged press tour and 12 years in production, the movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical “Wicked” has been released in theaters. If you’ve been anywhere on the internet in the past couple weeks, I’m sure you were already aware.
The aforementioned press tour has inspired a number of viral trends, from “holding space” to holding pinky fingers. The movie is seemingly inescapable in my corner of the Instagram algorithm, and I was somewhat annoyed at first. Then I saw the movie with my sister (fellow retired theater kid) on Thanksgiving.
From the opening number, “Wicked” grabs attention. “No One Mourns the Wicked” is one of the few ensemble numbers in the show, establishing G(a)linda as a vocally demanding role from the first measures. Ariana Grande, who attracted criticism after her casting in 2021, proved herself vocally in the early minutes of the film.
The set design also stands out early, in the Munchkinland set and the millions of tulips planted surrounding it. One of the limits of a stage production is the stage itself, and the space constrictions. “Wicked” uses the space it was given off the stage to build stunning practical sets, using limited computer generated imagery, or CGI. Practical set design is a staple in theatre, and I was pleased to see it translate into the film.
While Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Grande’s Glinda were both stunning, it was the supporting cast who made the film. Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero was actually the reason I bought a ticket in the first place. Since rising to fame in Netflix’s “Bridgerton,” Bailey has been signing on to projects left and right. While most of Fiyero’s character arc is in Act II of the show, Bailey set up Fiyero’s journey perfectly.
Bowen Yang, who you might have recognized from “Saturday Night Live,” stole the show for me as Pfannee. The Munchkinland snob trailed Glinda throughout her time at Shiz University, usually with a snide comment. Yang’s character was gender-swapped for the film, originally a woman in the 2003 musical.
While the two-decade-old story is still relevant, it’s Yang’s dialogue that brings it into modern times. Specifically, “I don’t see color,” when referring to Elphaba’s green skin.
While I wouldn’t say that Michelle Yeoh’s casting as Madame Morrible was a mistake, I also wouldn’t say it was a home run. The only real issue is that Yeoh isn’t a singer. In a cast with mediocre vocalists, this wouldn’t be as obvious as it was in “Wicked.”
“Wicked” runs two hours and 40 minutes, longer than the entire stage musical despite only depicting the first act. I had concerns initially on the movie dragging on and drawing out scenes, as did many others familiar with the source material. However, nothing felt too out of place. Some songs ran longer than originally written, but it was never glaringly obvious.
Boasting visually stunning shots along with a beautiful soundtrack, “Wicked” has set itself into the movie-musical hall of fame, right next to 2007’s “Hairspray.” Managing to adapt anything without offending die-hard fans of the source material is a rare feat, and I commend director Jon M. Chu for achieving it.
Now we just have to wait a year for part two.