Boston.com Today
Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning.
‘Wicked’ review: A movie musical that defies expectations (and gravity)
"Wicked" will simultaneously satisfy fans of the Broadway musical and be immediately accessible to those experiencing it for the first time.
The first thing to know about “Wicked,” director Jon M. Chu’s movie adaptation of Stephen Schwartz’s wildly successful musical, is that the stage production’s soul remains firmly intact.
Despite a $150 million budget and the (theoretical) ability to bury a beloved stage production in CGI goop, “Wicked” foregrounds all of the key elements — the songs, the choreography, the exuberant spirit — that made the musical a smash hit in 2003.
The result is a movie that will both satisfy fans of the musical and be immediately accessible to those experiencing “Wicked” for the first time.
‘Wicked’ review: Kevin discusses “Glicked” on Boston Globe Today
For the uninitiated, the story of “Wicked,” a revisionist spinoff of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz” written almost a century later, begins with the death of the Wicked Witch of the West.
Advertisement:
As Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande) floats down in her bubble to greet the people of Oz, she begins to answer questions about the witch, who she says — to audible gasps — used to be a friend.
The movie then flashes back to show us the birth of Elphaba, a child of infidelity born bright green. The object of much scorn from society and resentment from her father, Elphaba is prone to angry outbursts, which is when her rare magical powers surface.
Years pass, and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) brings her sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) to enroll at Shiz University, a haven for the wealthy children of Oz. It’s a school where talking animals teach history, sorcerers tutor gifted students, and books are stored on ornate shelving systems that resemble giant rotating hamster wheels. (It’s probably no coincidence that “Wicked” arrived on stage while the world was in the midst of a decades-long love affair with the “Harry Potter” books and movies.)
It’s at Shiz that Chu, who previously directed the movie musical adaptation of “In the Heights,” lets “Wicked” play to its strengths. The costuming of Shiz students, in their prep school gray, is immaculate. The choreography, as the students spontaneously break into song and dance at the drop of a hat, is infectious. And small CGI additions, like a flock of hummingbirds ringing the school’s bells, add whimsical color that wouldn’t have been possible on stage.
Advertisement:
Elphaba doesn’t plan to enroll, especially after a confrontation that causes her to lose control of her powers. But a professor (Michelle Yeoh) recognizes her abilities and convinces her to stay, putting her up in a room occupied by Glinda.
Glinda is the stereotypical rich boarding school girl who has never been told no, and Elphaba moving in severely cramps her style. Elphaba, who has spent her whole life being laughed at, tends to lash out before anyone even has a chance to put her down. But as the movie progresses, the two begin finding ways to soften each other’s worst tendencies. Glinda becomes less solipsistic, while Elphaba accepts guidance on how to be popular without losing herself in the process.
Grande, who began her child acting career on Broadway before moving to Nickelodeon and pop music stardom, is perfectly cast as Glinda. An alchemical blend of theater kid and queen bee, Grande gets to jump from Machiavellian scheming in one scene to showing off her five-octave range in another.
Erivo, who is one Oscar shy of an EGOT, has a similarly impressive set of pipes. Her performance of “Defying Gravity,” the final number of Act I in the play, is bound to bring the house down. The supporting cast, from Jeff Goldblum playing an appropriately eccentric wizard to Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live”) playing a catty member of Glinda’s entourage, offer plenty of laughs.
Advertisement:
The only worry walking out of “Wicked” is how Chu and co. will follow it up. “Wicked Part Two” (coming in 2025) will rely on new songs and extended scenes to pad the story of the second act, which in the musical is much shorter than Act I. But that’s a problem for later. As it stands, “Wicked” is a ton of fun.
At a cultural moment where any commercially successful original work of art is seen as potential IP to be quickly repackaged and resold into every other medium, “Wicked” is the rare adaptation that both honors its forbearer and justifies its own existence.
Rating: ***1/2 stars (out of 4)
“Wicked” arrives in theaters Nov. 22.
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com