Movie Review: Wicked

Throwing lots of money at a movie doesn’t guarantee that the end result will be good, or even watchable. If anything, we’ve seen time and time again that the opposite is often true. But sometimes, when the filmmakers know how best to utilize their budget and all of the pieces come together just right, the results can be truly magical. I am happy to say that director Jon M. Chu’s Wicked is one of those movies, an unforgettable Hollywood epic.

Opening on the people of Oz celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) arrives to confirm the news while trying to hide her conflicted feelings about it. When a townsperson asks if there is truth to the rumors that the two were friends she confirms it and begins to tell the story of how they met.

Unloved by her father, Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), who was born green, arrives at Shiz University with her paraplegic (and not green) sister Nessa (Marissa Bode) to help her settle in. After an incident in the university’s courtyard reveals her latent magical powers to the student body, the Dean of Sorcery Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) invites her to also enroll and offers private tutelage. Elphaba has long yearned to be treated as someone of value and so eagerly accepts. Trying to get in good with Morrible herself, Glinda inadvertently volunteers some space in her private suite and the two are made roommates.

Popular and peppy, but with a slight cruel streak, Glinda does not take too kindly to the quiet, studious, and weird Elphaba. Used to being treating cruelly by society, Elphaba is hardly Glinda’s biggest fan either. But over time they begin to see each other differently and wind up growing close. As word of Elphaba’s powers reach the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) in Emerald City however, events are set in motion that will test the women’s bond.

Based on the hit Broadway musical, which in turn is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, this is spectacle of the highest order, featuring lavish production design, impressive dance numbers, memorable songs, and thrilling special effects. Everyone involved has poured their all into Wicked and it shows. Chu has previously shown that he knows how to film a musical with In the Heights and he proves to be the perfect choice to helm this even bigger effort, wisely bringing along his frequent cinematographer Alice Brooks who makes sure everything is clearly captured and stunningly shot.

The entire cast is fully invested in the material and prove more than adept with Stephen Schwartz’s infectious songs. Jonathan Bailey is an absolute delight as the charismatic love interest Prince Fiyero, but this movie truly belongs to the two leads. That Ariana Grande can sing is hardly news, but I doubt many knew she could sing this well. That she also proves adept at acting, exuding the right amount of snobbish charm and deep empathy proves to be even more of a revelation. And Cynthia Erivo (also quite a great singer) is Oscar-worthy as Elphaba, a woman whose lifetime of mistreatment has filled her with such sadness that it’s all she can do to keep others from seeing it. It’s a truly powerful performance and it will truly resonate with anyone who’s ever been made to feel like they were “less than” simply for existing.

That the film even manages to fit in some commentary about the dangers of fascism only makes it more resonant, but more than anything this is a deeply sad story, about a girl who only wants to be loved and do some good in the world, but who is destined to be destroyed by a society that refuses to understand her. It’s nothing short of miraculous that such powerful themes can be contained in a movie that’s also incredibly fun. Full of color and life, this is a joy to experience on the big screen, and one of the best movies of the year. I’d preorder my tickets to Part 2 right now if I could, but for now I’ll settle for singing Wicked‘s praises. ★★★★★