Rating: 5/5 Falcons
As the resident “theater kid” of The Falcon, I’ve made it my duty to write an honest and educated review of the best film of 2024: “Wicked.” This brilliant film is based on the Broadway musical by the same name, which follows the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” The novel is a revisionist take on both the L. Frank Baum novel and film adaptation, “The Wizard of Oz,” telling the narrative of the villain, the “Wicked Witch of the West,” in both.
Both the musical and film follow two witches: Glinda and Elphaba. Glinda, played by Ariana Grande, is popular and a good witch in training, while Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, is scorned by her classmates because of her naturally green skin and uncontrollable magical abilities. After several disputes, Glinda and Elphaba start an unlikely friendship, embarking on an adventure to meet the Wizard of Oz.
I first saw the musical at age 5 in 2014. The Broadway National tour came to the San Jose Center for Performing Arts and my mom wanted to attend the show with me after seeing it a few years prior. Due to my childlike recollection, however, I remember only the general plot and that I listened to the soundtrack afterward. My mom loved the show so much that we enjoyed it twice more — once in San Francisco and another time on the West End in London, England.
I anticipated disappointment before watching the film
Before watching the film, my hopes were very low. After the “Mean Girls” musical to movie musical adaptation was a disappointing failure, I expected the same for “Wicked.”
I knew Erivo, best known for starring in the Broadway revival of “The Color Purple,” had the vocal skills to accurately and beautifully sing the songs, but I was skeptical of pop music star and childhood actress Grande. Grande is most famous for her mainstream songs with shattering high notes and protagonist roles in Nickelodeon TV shows “Victorious” and “Sam & Cat.” I didn’t think she would be able to sing similarly to the original Glinda, Kristen Chenoweth.
I watched the new “Wicked” film for the first time a week after its release on Nov. 21. Before I’d even stepped foot into the cinema, I witnessed the film’s popularity skyrocket. Influencers were raving about its choreography and songs, many of which went viral. Even interviews given by the stars drew widespread acclaim.
While I already knew the plot, I avoided as many spoilers as possible. Going into the film, I was worried it was being overhyped and that I would face disappointment.
Defying expectations
I watched the film with my friend Saachi, a fellow musical theater kid. Our immediate reaction to the movie was that it was excellent but extremely long, lasting about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Yet, reflecting on the musical a couple of days after watching the film, I realized I was captivated by its magic. I watched every interview of the stars and have been listening to the film’s soundtrack everyday since.
Erivo and Grande, the latter far contrary to my expectations, were amazing. Erivo’s portrayal of Elphaba built audience sympathy for the character by showcasing how vulnerable she is, an aspect less emphasized in the stage musical. Her singing was also phenomenal, blended beautifully with Grande’s. According to interviews, Grande took acting and voice lessons to make her voice sound more operatic, a quality clear in the film. She did an incredible job of playing the role and was effectively comedic with her facial expressions and gestures during songs such as “Popular.”
One of my favorite numbers was “The Wizard and I,” since Erivo has such a phenomenal voice. However, I disagreed with Michelle Yeoh’s casting as headmistress Madame Morrible. She embodied the character well, but her singing sounded more like dialogue during “The Wizard and I.”
Another notable number was “Dancing Through Life,” since as a “Bridgerton” fan, I was overjoyed watching Jonathan Bailey, playing Prince Fiyero, sing, dance and execute his own stunts in the choreographed scene.
“Something has changed within me” after watching “Wicked” as a teenager
Rewatching the storyline about five years later, my last screening unveiled several details I hadn’t noticed as a kid. For those that somehow don’t know the plot of “Wicked,” note there are spoilers ahead.
For instance, I never realized how rude the students were to Elphaba especially during my favorite scene: the Ozdust ballroom. Elphaba arrives at the ballroom to join her classmates for a dance, wearing an “ugly,” stereotypical witch hat — mockingly gifted to her by Glinda, who is currently feuding with Elphaba. The students laugh at Elphaba, who stands in the center of the dance floor and begins interpretive dancing in an act of defiance, which only prompts the students to taunt her more.
Glinda, touched by Elphaba’s recent act of kindness toward her, feels guilty and joins Elphaba. She follows Elphaba’s movements, and the other students begin to second-guess their mockery. Soon, the entire ballroom begins recreating Elphaba’s interpretive dance. While it sounds ridiculous, the scene is actually very applicable to real life, since it conveys Elphaba’s relatable, initial feeling of isolation.
Another realization I had is that Glinda, while energetic and dubbed a “good” witch, is a terrible friend. She bullies Elphaba from the story’s inception, and, even once they become friends, does not support Elphaba in her decisions. When Elphaba tries to fight for animal rights and defy the Wizard, Glinda tells her to give up and listen to the Wizard.
I also noticed a lot of foreshadowing to the second act in the lyrics. For example, in the second act Elphaba is the Wicked Witch of the West and ultimately “dies” by melting when Dorothy pours a bucket of water on her. The movie alludes to this ending in one lyric Elphaba sings in “The Wizard and I”: “I’d be so happy I could melt.” Elphaba also swears that “ someday there’ll be a celebration throughout Oz that’s all to do with me.” This references when Elphaba is seemingly killed by Dorothy, and the citizens of Oz celebrate her death in the song “No One Mourns the Wicked.”
The song “Dancing Through Life” also features ample foreshadowing. This song is sung by Fiyero, the prince who at this moment is flirting with Glinda but later falls in love with Elphaba. During this moment, he sings the lyrics: “Life’s more painless for the brainless.” This is a reference to the second act where Elphaba accidentally turns Fiyero into a scarecrow when she protects him with a spell. He, as a scarecrow, then meets Dorothy and accompanies her to meet the Wizard to regain his brain.
“Wicked” is popular
“Wicked” is now the first adaptation of a Broadway musical in 46 years to surpass “Grease” at the domestic box office. It earned $262 million in 10 days, which translates to it drawing 22 million moviegoers in just over a week.
A significant contributor in the film’s success, I believe, was its social media presence.
One clip in particular that went viral was in an interview with “Out,” where the interviewer, Tracy E. Gilchrist, told Erivo that people are “taking the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and really holding space with that.” Erivo got emotional and Grande held onto Erivo’s nail. It quickly became a meme.
Another viral clip on the internet was choreography from the song, “What Is This Feeling?” This musical number highlights the feud between Elphaba and Glinda when they are forced to be roommates at Shiz.
I have watched a lot of videos on Instagram of people teasing Erivo and Grande for their emotional vulnerability during interviews, but after watching the film, I don’t think they are being dramatic.
If you have ever been to the closing night of a high school musical with a five-show run, you know that there are tears. People have to remember that these actresses are theater kids and, of course, are going to be emotional. They’ve worked on this movie since 2021 and are finally able to watch all of their hard work and effort receive recognition. “Wicked: Part Two,” which covers the second act, will be released next November. I know for sure I will be sitting in the front row of the theater for opening night.
I rate this film 5 out of 5 Falcons.
