Wicked is the 2024 screen adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. Starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, it is the story about the witches of Oz before the events of the 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’. The story is a brilliant allegory for discrimination, resilience and good vs. bad that resonates with many viewers. Some forewarning, it is a musical which a lot of people may not like, however that is exactly why this film is so captivating and truly magical.
The 2003 running Broadway musical is a continuing smash hit, even after a 21 year long run. For those who may not have watched the film or seen the musical it follows the story of Elphaba (aka the wicked witch of the west) attending Shiz University with her sister Nessa Rose where she encounters Glinda (Glinda the Good). It all sounds completely normal except… she’s green! Because of this Elphaba faced much adversity from the time she’s born all the way up until she found herself at Shiz. Throughout the musical she stays strong despite this and continues to shine with her powerful gift, which will eventually lead her to the Wizard of Oz. This story very movingly shows the bounds that discrimination may push people into ‘evil’, and continuously asks the question, ‘are people born wicked or do they have wickedness thrust upon them.’ In powerful songs such as ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘The Wizard and I’ Elphaba shows audiences she is much more than a wicked witch and is a person worthy of love, friendship, and success.
Speaking of the songs, they are at the forefront of what makes this film great. With a stacked cast of immensely talented singers it was not hard to have songs that move the audience just as the original musical did. Whether Ariana Grande was cheerfully singing ‘Popular’ or Cynthia Erivo was giving the final battle cry in ‘Defying Gravity’, we can see very clearly the creators of this film do not play about the singing or songs in Wicked. Even more astonishing, what some may not know about musical movie adaptations, is that most songs are prerecorded in a studio and the actors lip sync the songs on film. In Wicked however all songs were sung live on set, including the most challenging parts of the songs. It’s also important to note that the actors also did all of their stunts, making the Defying Gravity climax of the movie so great. Cynthia Erivo sang the song while wearing full body green paint, her costume, a corset, and a harness all while singing what is a lot of times considered one of the hardest musical songs to sing. This feat in the musical movie world is what makes Wicked the success that it is, knowing that these actors didn’t shy away from stunts or singing live like the musical is on Broadway further elevates the greatness that this movie is made of. Even if one is not accustomed to a knowledgeable theater background, anyone can appreciate the authenticity and talent that this movie holds.
This movie was a very emotional and special movie to me. I have been a fan of the original musical for almost half my life, and it was incredible to see such an accurate and well-loved adaptation of the musical. I appreciated the time and effort the creators put into making it what it is now. Though it drives me crazy that we must wait for another year for the second half (if you didn’t know this was just Wicked Part 1), I can enjoy what we have now and can patiently anticipate the ending of this story. I would seriously recommend to those who have not watched it, to do so as soon as possible. Even if you are not familiar with the original, I think it is a great story that does not need any prior knowledge to enjoy and resonate with. Going into finals season I think we can all ‘hold space’ for this great film and finish off the semester with a bang.
