It’s tough to imagine a motion picture with more pressure on it to perform than ‘Wicked’. A big screen adaptation of the Broadway darling, ‘Wicked’…which itself is associated with the beloved land of Oz, a story that generations have been in love with for close to 100 years….well, to be blunt, expectations for this one were as grand as the Wizard himself.
The good news? If any film were to ever match the hype that accompanies it, ‘Wicked’ is it.
That’s not to say director Jon M. Chu (‘In The Heights’) hits very mark perfectly with this musical, but what he has helmed will stand as a cultural phenomenon, a movie gigantic in scope that stays in step with its equally elaborate stage show. And for those not overly familiar with the tale OR the music…by the end of this, you’ll be as big a fan as those who have dished out big bucks, sometimes repeatedly, to see it all live.
The twist in the age old narrative with ‘Wicked’ is that Galinda (here, portrayed by Ariana Grande-Butera), known famously as the good witch, isn’t necessarily as good as perceived, while Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a.k.a. the wicked witch of the west, isn’t near as bad as once thought. Or, at the very least, circumstances led her to a, shall we say, mean streak.
There are enough munchkins, winged monkeys and dance numbers to keep everyone happy, and Jeff Goldblum is as delightfully eccentric as you’d expect in playing the Wizard. But make no mistake, the shining star with this one is the music – quite simply, it’s jaw dropping effective and the prime catalyst for how intimate and emotional this story can get.
Put it all together, and ‘Wicked’ is one of the best pictures of 2024. But perhaps even more impressive….it lives up to the hype.