*Spoilers, beware!*
Instagram feeds and TikTok accounts have been flooded with streams of green and pink for the last three months. The marketing team for the new movie adaptation of Broadway’s ‘Wicked’ has been working on overdrive to hype up the masses and rally the troops to secure cinema tickets.
Going into the theater, I had high expectations. Even though I had never seen the original Broadway production before, I somehow managed to memorize the lyrics to ‘Popular’ and attempt actress Idina Menzel’s iconic ‘Defying Gravity’ note just by virtue of scrolling mindlessly on social media.
‘Wicked’ flew into the scene with the 2003 original Broadway production loosely based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel, dedicated to the backstory of Galinda and Elphaba’s relationship as schoolmates. Galinda is the Good Witch of the North and Elphaba is the Wicked Witch of the West, which was first seen in the 1935 classic, ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ The story itself sets the record straight about Elphaba, which gives her a more humane side and showcases Galinda’s naïve but innocent heart.
‘Wicked’ opens up with Galinda, portrayed by Ariana Grande, floating down to MunchkinLand in her majestic pink bubble to confirm the rumors of the Wicked Witch of the West’s death. She is draped in a pearly blush gown accompanied by her dramatic, yet iconic tiara.
This flash-forward propels us into the very first song, ‘No One Mourns the Wicked’. Grande’s whistle register and her operatic tones shine through, not only in this piece but throughout the movie. Being a fan of Grande’s pop-forward, RnB-laced discography made me a bit nervous about how she would be able to perform musical theater numbers of this magnitude. But due to her background in musician theatre, she did not disappoint. Galinda’s voice was quirky, charismatic and yet still airy without sacrificing presence.
After we are introduced to Elphaba’s troubled and uncomfortable childhood, we see all of the main characters rounded up together for the orientation of Shiz University. Director Jon M. Chu immediately frames Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivio, as the outcast being picked on because of her green skin. This is where my first cry of the two-hour and 40-minute run-time came in. Cynthia Erivio belts out her solo song ‘The Wizard and I’ where she yearns for acceptance and to prove her worth.
Elphaba’s character was brilliantly depicted. Cynthia Erivio was able to fully embody her uniqueness and outsider personality with the delivery of shy yet witty lines. Many can relate to feeling out of place or judged for something different about them. Elphaba captured every movie-goer’s heart at that moment. Suddenly, her notable ‘wicked’ title didn’t make sense to those who only know her from Dorothy’s story.
‘What is This Feeling’ was one of the most fun musical numbers I had ever seen on screen. The choreography was effortlessly silly, yet energetic and mesmerizing at the same time. The playful tension between Elphaba and Galinda was palpable. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivio’s voices in this number laced together nicely without lying flat and unimpressive. However, what really shook my seat was the ensemble’s voices. They erupted into a choir of power to fill an entire cinema and, thus, carried the entire musical piece until the very end.
Vocal prowess was also highlighted in ‘Defying Gravity’, the movie’s final hoorah. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. Between the insane flying monkeys, Emerald City’s unreal landscape, the brilliantly balanced cinematography, and Cynthia’s untouched belt register as she skyrockets into her verses, I was practically gripping the armrests in pure shock. Tears were pouring down my cheeks as it was beyond what I could even imagine for an ending scene to a movie musical. From an emotional standpoint, it delivered what it was gearing up to for months.
‘Wicked’ was brilliantly fearless and captivating without seeming rowdy or out-of-touch. Cynthia Erivio and Ariana Grande-Butera’s performances exceeded the expectations of how iconic characters should be portrayed. There was pure passion and love, making it one of the most exciting movies this year. The fact that this was only part one out of two, means that everyone will surely be lining up eagerly at the box office in advance to witness Oz’s secrets unfold once again.