Andrei Girard’s review published on Letterboxd:
I must confess, I was quite pessimistic about this film since it was first announced, and the trailers did not look promising at all. Needless to say, my expectations were low. After having watched the film, I can say I was pleasantly surprised for the most part. I am aware that this is a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical Wicked by Schwartz and Holzman, told from the perspective of Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, aka the Good Witch of the South, and features the songs from the original Broadway production, written and composed by Schwartz himself. Even though, this was clearly made for fans of the Broadway musical, who already have a strong connection to these songs and characters, I think most musical lovers will enjoy this despite the excessive runtime as it is a somewhat well-crafted story with well-performed musical numbers, great production values and some compelling characters to follow through. There's definitely a lot to like in this film, and I can see why many people are falling head over heels for this film.
As someone who never really cared for this Broadway production or found any of its songs particularly captivating, Wicked felt quite an ordinary experience to me. I just didn't feel there was anything truly outstanding about this story, or that it added anything new or deep-seated. I felt that the additional runtime, extending the first part of the film to nearly three hours, was unnecessary as they didn't expand on its characters that much. The original musical doesn't even run three hours in length, and this film takes the same time to tell just half the story. Not that I was bored, but it definitely didn't need to be as long as it is if they were not going to add any depth to the story. If you're not a fan of the Broadway production, this film isn't likely to win you over, as it is a very faithful rendition of the musical.
I appreciate its well-intentioned message, but story-wise, this felt as trite and superficial as the original musical or a Disney Channel live-action movie. In addition, some of the creative choices made occasionally work against it. The film has plenty of colourful, beautifully detailed practical sets, but the backlighting makes everything look washed out, especially in the Emerald City, which is a shame considering how much work and detail went into the production of this film. Not only that, but some of the CGI is subpar at best. Despite my criticism, I had some fun watching this film at the cinema with such an engrossed audience. I was surprised at how nicely paced it is that I didn't even feel the length, and I found it genuinely funny and charming, even if I wasn't a fan of every single song.
Wicked deserves some praise for its lavish production, including its marvellous set pieces and gorgeous costumes, and committed performances from its cast, who truly give it all to sustain the film. Ariana Grande as Glinda, who would've thought this could work? Not only she once again proves how incredibly gifted her voice is, but also that she can actually act as she steals every scene. For some reason, I had no faith in her, but she proved me wrong and deserves all the praise she's got for her performance. Jonathan Bailey is surprisingly another highlight of the film, as he infuses his character with so much charisma that's simply irresistible. Cynthia Erivo is excellent as well, especially when it comes to showcase Elphaba's more vulnerable side, and her voice is simply beautiful. I was quite compelled by this trio of phenomenal performances, and what keeps the film moving is the central relationship between Elphaba and Glinda, and their contrasting personalities. I have my issues with the writing, direction and some of the production choices, but I can't say it is a bad film by any means.
