“Wicked: Part 1,” directed by Jon M. Chu, is one of the most critically acclaimed musical movies ever produced in the history of film-making as we know it. The film “Wicked” originally came from the book, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of West by Gregory Maguire which was published in 1995, and was adapted into a Broadway musical in 2003, starring Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Galinda. “Wicked: Part 1,” stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda.
The film opens with the events occurring after “The Wizard of Oz,” where the munchkins and Galinda the Good Witch are celebrating the death of The Wicked Witch of the West with the opening number, “No One Mourns The Wicked.” This number introduces viewers to the musical and ties the storyline of Wicked strongly to its origins, “The Wizard of Oz.” After the first number, however, the perspective shifts and the viewers learn about the Wicked Witch of West’s past and how her upbringing wasn’t a happy one and how her real name is Elphaba. The rest of the movie follows Elphaba’s experience at Shiz university, her discovering where her powers can take her, an unlikely friendship that blossomed between her and Galinda, and how her actions and hopes for the future of Oz reflect the opposite of wickedness.
Cynthia Erivo’s portrayal of Elphaba in the film is astounding and blows watchers away because of her immaculate singing, her ability to command, and dominate a scene. Elphaba is a complex character, with many layers of depth, and Cynthia Erivo is able to capture them all in the duration of the film. There are no doubts in my mind that she will be able to capture that same feeling for Part 2. Ariana Grande’ depiction of Galinda is a special one. It is obvious how much she put into this role to make it her own and how she was born to be Galinda. Ariana Grande’s usage of witty banter, quirky behaviors, and a typical popular girl attitude allow her character development to be recognized and her dynamics with Cynthia Erivo to shine even brighter.
This film is truly one-of-a-kind because of the incredible work all the actors put in to make the end result what it was. Jon M. Chu is no stranger to movie musicals, having directed “In the Heights” in 2021 and it is safe to say he knows what he is doing. His ability to perfectly captivate an audience and express a scene allows for the movie to be as successful and tear-wrenching as it is. Songs like “Popular,” “What is this Feeling?” “Defying Gravity” amazes audiences with the live vocals, the emotions, and choreography in the scene to help orchestrate the significance of the songs in the progression of the plot line.
Wicked Part: 1 released in the theaters on November 22nd, 2024 and is already the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical, having generated a grand total of $465.5 million and making the movie budget back in the opening weekend.
Of the movies I’ve seen in 2024, Wicked by far is my favorite! The visuals, the music, the symbolism in scenes, and the actors’ breath-taking talent to portray and emotion all tie into the absolute artistry and beauty of this movie and make it the masterpiece it is.
