When it’s all about the spectacle of big, splashy production numbers, this prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” is thrilling, whether we’re in Munchkinland, the Emerald City or the campus of Shiz University, where a young Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch of the North first cross paths. As we’ve seen from the director’s previous films including “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights,” Chu is uniquely adept at presenting an enormous song-and-dance extravaganza without getting lost in it. His sense of pacing and perspective draw us in and center us within the swirling fantasy.
It helps greatly that he has deeply talented stars in Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande: magnetic multi-hyphenates who can meet every physical and emotional challenge of these iconic characters. It might seem like a difficult task to follow in the footsteps of Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, but Erivo and Grande bring their own unique vocal power and dramatic interpretation to the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. In one beautiful, wordless dance sequence where they forge their unlikely bond, which is moving in its understatement, you can really feel the friendship between these opposites. That’s the foundation of this story, so it’s crucial that we know their connection is true for its destruction to be meaningful.
The manner in which Chu incorporates the film's heavier themes of authoritarianism, based on a script by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox and the novel by Gregory Maguire, is significantly less successful. Yes, they are baked into the story: We know from watching 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” countless times that the wizard is a con artist who rules by fear. His deception is essentially a smoke and mirrors scheme. All of that is included in the source material for the stage production of "Wicked," for which Stephen Schwartz composed the music and lyrics while Holzman wrote the book. The film's tone oscillates awkwardly between cheerful wonder and dark oppression. This is a world in which minorities are hunted, placed in cages and prevented from speaking, where a charismatic leader (a playfully evil Jeff Goldblum) persecutes a woman of color. It is not subtle, and it feels all-too relevant to our times, despite originating decades ago. Additionally, it saps the epic tale's vitality.
Even though the movie is 2 hours and 40 minutes long, this is only the first part: "Wicked" ends where the stage show has an intermission, and the second part will be released in November 2025. It’s a lot to ask of an audience. Nonetheless, fans of the story and its characters will be delighted, and those unfamiliar with the musical but looking for a holiday movie escape will find plenty to enjoy here.
“Wicked” begins with Grande’s Glinda descending majestically into Munchkinland to inform her enthusiastic fans that the rumors are true: The witch really is dead. Then it flashes back to how she and the green-hued Elphaba (the Wicked Witch’s first name) became unlikely allies in college. Elphaba has always been bullied and ostracized because of the color of her skin; Glinda—or Galinda, as she’s known at this point—is a pretty, pampered mean girl who’s always gotten her way. (Bowen Yang, one of her faithful sycophants, is hilarious).
However, when they are forced to share a room, they are surprised to discover that they truly see each other in a way that no one else has ever seen before. Galinda’s makeover anthem “Popular”—one of the most popular songs from the show—is among the film’s highlights, and a great example of the technical prowess “Wicked” offers. Paul Tazewell's ("West Side Story") costume design and Nathan Crowley's (a longtime collaborator of Christopher Nolan) production design are exquisite throughout, but especially here. Alice Brooks’ cinematography is consistently wondrous, but her use of hot pink lighting as Galinda’s at the height of her power is really evocative.
Christopher Scott, Chu's regular choreographer, delivers once more with vibrant and original moves, especially in the complex "Dancing Through Life," which takes place in the school's rotating, multilevel library. “Bridgerton” star Jonathan Bailey gets a chance to show off his musical theater background here, and he’s terrifically charming as the glib Prince Fiyero, the object of both Elphaba and Galinda’s romantic interests. Michelle Yeoh plays the university's sorcery professor Madame Morrible with elegance and a touch of danger. Additionally, Peter Dinklage's performance as the resonant voice of Dr. Like the other talking animals in Oz, Dillamond, a goat instructor, is increasingly in danger. However, the film's emotional weight comes from the bond that exists between Erivo and Grande.
Erivo does do much with her eyes to convey Elphaba’s sadness and loneliness and, eventually, her hope and determination. There’s a directness about her screen presence that’s immediate and engaging, and of course she can sing the hell out of these demanding songs. Grande meets her note for note and once again displays her comic chops, but it’s the little choices that make her portrayal of the perfect Galinda feel human: a jerky perkiness that’s slightly dorky. The blonde tresses and array of pink dresses scream confidence, but deep down she’s a try-hard whose desire to be liked is her driving motivation.
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