Wicked Boasts Charm and Pure Spectacle Amidst Its Truncated Story
Image Courtesy of Universal Pictures
By Luis Zonenberg
Tis the season for Oscar-baiting and family fun with plenty of titles to choose from. With immense hype surrounding this Broadway stage adaptation, Wicked or Wicked: Part One, has been advertised non-stop since its first trailer debuted at Super Bowl LVIII. Now that it has finally arrived, I can safely say that audiences will have a blast defying gravity as they watch it in theaters.
This adaptation centers on Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande) reminiscing on her past friendship with Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), who grows up to become the Wicked Witch of the West. We see their adventures unfold from when they first meet at school to when they practice magic before Oz himself in the Emerald City. However, not everything is as it seems as a sinister conspiracy unfolds that might tear their friendship apart.
Sadly, that’s about as far as the story goes as it abruptly stops just when the main gears start turning in Oz’s grand machine. Most of the running time is devoted to their relationship and to briefly establishing other characters for the sequel. It really feels like half the story is told with a good chunk being built up with no immediate payoff, but I will hold it in reserve until the sequel comes out for now.
The cast in general greatly impressed me, especially with the star-studded pairing of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. They had great chemistry together and featured great emotional performances outside of the musical numbers. The supporting cast also added much more charm and levity to the film as well, with Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz as absolute standouts.
The overall visual aesthetic of the movie was spectacular to look at with the costumes and set design as real highlights. Similarly to Oz: the Great and Powerful, this one truly recaptured the magical look and feel of the original film. The sets and costumes were so lush and featured a vibrant color palette that made it true eye candy for me to indulge in throughout.
Speaking of which, the VFX was also blended in rather seamlessly as well. What truly helped blend them together was the combination of practical sets and a few CGI animals. The minimal use of CGI was reserved for the more fantastical elements of the film, used mostly on various creatures and contraptions far too complicated to replicate practically.
Whether you’re a casual moviegoer or a fan of the Broadway play or even of the original Wizard of Oz film, I think you will find this one to be very engaging in its own way. The movie is purely catered to families of all ages, with jokes and magic for both children and adults to enjoy. Powered by a wonderful cast and a gorgeous visual style, Wicked: Part One sets the stage for audiences to defy gravity come next fall for Part Two.
Wicked is playing in theaters now.
Rating: ★★★★☆
