The Filmscape Reverie

By: Maria Cieslarczyk

Wicked was willfully wonderful. Is it obvious which song from this Broadway show-inspired film was my favorite? (Hint: it’s in the article title).

Aside from my desperate attempt at a musical pun, my enjoyment of the movie is multi-layered. Although the film was dazzling, my overall score is a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I understand that my analysis may be a bit harsh (especially for die-hard musical fans).

So, let’s hop onto our imaginary broomsticks and get right into it!

Universal Pictures’ Wicked (2024, directed by Jon M. Chu) is a screen adaptation of the successful Broadway musical. It explores the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, as she befriends Glinda, a popular fellow student, and encounters the Wizard of Oz.

Rated 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, the cast and crew did a fabulous job bringing the stage story onto the big screen. On that note, I applaud the diversity and representation in this film. The cast is studded with big-names like Ariana Grande as Glinda, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero, and more. I loved the Asian-American representation, with the iconic Michelle Yeoh playing Madame Morrible, and SNL’s ever-talented Bowen Yang playing Shiz Academy student Pfannee. Marissa Bode, an LA-based disabled actress, made her feature film debut as Elphaba’s sister Nessarose, whose character uses a wheel-chair.

From a thespian perspective, my favorite number was the opening “No One Mourns the Wicked” as well as Ariana Grande’s rendition of “Popular.” It was so catchy that I tried to mimic her vocals and sing it for karaoke during a Thanksgiving party (apologies to everyone in attendance). Seriously, Ariana Grande’s transformation into the Good Witch has only fueled my desire to deck out entirely in pink. Cynthia Erivo’s passionate performance of “Defying Gravity” will haunt me until the end of my days. OK, maybe not that dramatic, but the scene was nearly 20 minutes long and I could not look away.

Color grading is something I’ve always found interesting to analyze. What do the shades and hues mean, and what do they foreshadow? Wicked was excellent in this regard – the film itself was bright and beautiful. A feast for the eyes. Vivid shades, great special effects, and high-budget cinematography all morphed together as the audience traveled from Muchkinland to Shiz Academy (think a college-style Hogwarts but located in Oz!) to Emerald City itself.

Now for the cons…candidly, the film is only Act I of the musical. There is a sequel scheduled to release in 2025 for Act II. At 2 hours, 40 minutes in length, there were several scenes (and songs) that should’ve been cut down. Although engaging, I found my focus beginning to wander several times, especially during several scenes featuring Glinda and Ephalba’s experiences at Shiz.

Personally, I much prefer the classic plot of The Wizard of Oz to Wicked, which is why I’m also knocking the score down a point. Although the story is exciting and filled with character development, there were plot-holes and character interactions I wish were more deeply explored. According to TikTok, it helps to visualize the events of Wicked as a sort of ‘fan-fiction’ to The Wizard of Oz (I mean, Dorothy will be featured in Act II only briefly!) The 1938 film was a masterpiece in and of itself…a never-done-before classic for its time period (not to mention all the sacrifices and haunting lore behind the filming of it). The plot is more structured and has a clear catharsis and end-goal.

WICKEDLY speaking, I’m steadfast in my 3.5/5 rating. Go see it for yourself and decide, witches!