Director John Chu has done it again when it comes to making an amazing film out of a musical. Much like his previous work In the Heights, Wicked is the long-anticipated adaptation of a Broadway play, and it can easily be considered one of the best stage-to-film musicals of all time. From the songs to the acting to the visuals, Wicked delivers an amazing spectacle that’s fun for the whole family.
The best aspects of the film are the two main leads: Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s Glinda. Their history as accomplished singers boosts the film’s musical numbers and it’s fun to watch their relationship progress throughout their story from enemies to friends. The emotion conveyed through Erivo’s acting fully portrays her character’s tragedy, as seen in the drastic difference between her first and last numbers (“The Wizard and I” and “Defying Gravity,” respectively). Elphaba’s character progresses through the film, and with it, her musical numbers become more powerful.
Grande carries the film’s comedy through, with every joke (surprisingly) landing. Her rare dramatic moments shined, giving depth to her otherwise stereotypically “valley girl” character. Her best song was the iconic “Popular,” doing the original justice while putting her own unique spin on it. Nathaniel Vasquez ‘25 stated, “I appreciated Ariana Grande in the movie. Her acting surprised me and she had a really good voice.”
Outside the main two performances, supporting actors Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum shined. The visuals were also amazing, such as the CG animals, set design of Shiz University and Emerald City. “The film had magnificent visuals and I felt like I was there,” exclaimed Will Rehder ‘25.
Though the sound mixing was uneven at moments, a majority of the musical numbers were a delight to the ears, such as “Dancing Through Life,” accompanied by bodacious choreography.
Besides the aforementioned sound mixing, there weren’t that many notable flaws in the movie outside the trailers giving away too much and the horrendous marketing campaign. Within the film itself, some scenes such as the ending sequence drag on a little too long, while some musical numbers feel crammed too close together. A tighter runtime could have fixed the film’s pacing.
Wicked was a fantastic adventure from beginning to end that is easily accessible to the average viewer. They casted the perfect actors and chose the right director for the job. Every person behind the scenes deserves their kudos for contributing to one of the best films of the year.
Hopefully, Part 2 is as good as the first and improves upon its minor flaws in an otherwise fantastic film.
