Why do we still go to theatres? Why drive out to watch something you can stream off your phone just a few weeks later? Ask any cinephile or Letterboxd user, and they’d more than likely respond with the obvious and simple answer: “the experience” of seeing a film in a theatre. But I’ve seen plenty of movies at home and had a great “experience.” However, sometimes a film comes around that demands to be seen on the big screen and delivers on that demand. Thank the Supreme it did because I’m not sure what I would do if Wicked (Part 1) fell flat. While Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the immensely popular Broadway play may have its faults, it proves to be more than a lifeless remake through its gorgeous below-the-line work, stellar cast, and spectacular set pieces.
Before we get too deep into this, there’s a big sequel-sized elephant in the room that must be addressed. This film only covers act one of the original stageplay, and it would be irresponsible if I didn’t mention that before going any further. However, unlike another recently adapted franchise (sorry Dune), this first half does come to a rather satisfying conclusion, open to further exploration later. That being said, this satisfying conclusion is exclusively for our two lead characters. The rest of the cast’s character arcs and other plotlines are left in mid-air waiting patiently to be resolved a year from now, which would be disappointing if you didn’t just sit through Defying Gravity.
Speaking of the rest of the cast, while the individual performances range from pretty solid to jaw-dropping, most of the side characters have very little to do in this half of Wicked. For example, Jeff Goldblum might have 4 minutes of screen time in total and thus doesn’t shine as much as other stars. Ethan Slater as Boq and Marissa Bode as Nessarose both suffer the same fate as Goldblum, but at least they get to be involved in the musical numbers every now and again. Unfortunately, even Michelle Yeoh falls into this trap with her performance as Madame Morrible, whose name happens to be her most interesting quality. There is one actor who manages to break this mold and that’s Bowen Yang who not only gets the assignment but excels being the ultimate lackey and bounce board for the real superstars. Yang’s performances really showcases his ability to work in a large ensemble where he’s always visible yet never hogging the spotlight, not that that was any room to begin with.
I can’t go any further into this review without bringing up the biggest surprise for me which was the extremely talented Jonathan Bailey who steals the show the moment he arrives on a talking horse. Playing the role of the whimsical party prince Flyero, Bailey is an electric triple threat being able to sing, dance, and act in circles around every performer around him. Everyone except for two very important players, Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, and Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda.
These two performances are dynamite and truly push this adaption to a whole new level. In the Pink Corner, we have Grande who brings her patented lighthearted bubblegum pop vibe that’s pretty standard for her if you’ve seen her work before. While not completely groundbreaking, Grande certainly nails the character of Glinda in all her popular pink glory. Opposite of her in the Green Corner is Erivo who from the jump is throwing heater after heater with each scene she’s in. Erivo is a maverick, being both a stellar actor and a show-stopping vocalist, like her performance in The Wizard And I received a huge reaction in my screening with people cheering and clapping. These two up-and-coming witches feel perfectly parallel to one another and create an extremely entertaining dynamic that’s all too familiar to anyone who’s seen any rom-com or read any Enemies to Friends/lovers fan-fiction. While I’d love to say that this is a balanced two-hander, Erivo is changing the game while Grande is more or less playing the game as intended. Don’t get it twisted, Grande is spectacular, but all I could think about when leaving my screening was how excited I was to see more Erivo in part 2.
The cinematography of Wicked certainly is a mixed bag of beautifully choreographed dance numbers and bizarre visual choices that felt more like amateur mistakes than creative flair. If you’ve seen any of the trailers, you’re already aware of the film’s odd lack of color making it feel more akin to a Marvel movie than a film set in the magical technicolor world of Oz. It’s such a bummer too, because the costume and set design are so wonderfully whimsical and would really pop off the screen if they weren’t being washed out. Even with that handicap, Wicked’s world is so fun to look at, with its extravagant sets and stylish costumes, even if they sometimes look a little gray.
One thing that isn’t lacking any color or expression has to be the musical numbers. Once No One Mourns The Wicked started, I knew we were in great hands, but it did not prepare me for the delightful highs yet to come. As I said earlier, The Wizard and I got literal applause in my theater, and I felt like I was the one defying gravity during the final stretch of the film. Along with the music, the dance choreography is top-notch with characters using their elaborate built sets to climb, dangle, and jump off. It was honestly impressive how energetic the musical numbers felt, with my personal standout being Dancing Through Life with its revolving, circular library shelves and Bailey showing off how he’s possibly the most talented performer in the film.
Is Wicked (part 1) the best film of the year? Maybe…? It certainly has its share of small problems from the poor color correction and some plot threads being left to dry for a year. BUT, Wicked is filled top to bottom with so much style and energy that it evokes the feeling of seeing a live musical. From the performances to beautifully crafted sets and costumes, Wicked is certainly one of the most entertaining films of the year that should be enjoyed in a theatre with a full house.
4 out of 5 stars.
Wicked tells the musical origin story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), who would one day be known as the Wicked Witch of The West, as she studies at Shiz University, a college set in the magical world of Oz, alongside her Galinda (Arianna Grande) who would later be known as Glinda The Good Witch of the North. What follows is a classic tale of enemies to friends, filled with magic and music, that sets to tell how Elphabe would come to be known as Wicked. The film is directed by Jon M. Chu, and co-stars Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Bowen Yang, and released on November 11th.
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