AMARAH GHORI
Asst. Opinion Editor & DEI Chair
For fans of the Broadway show, the thought of a new “Wicked” adaptation brings on feelings of excitement, joy and a new sense of hope for the portrayals of the iconic characters, Elphaba and Glinda.
Wicked is an unforgettable story of two witches from two different worlds.
Under the direction of Jon M. Chu, who is also the director of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights,” the show was given quite the revamp for the big screen.
How well does it actually capture the heart of the original musical that became a cultural phenomenon in the early 2000s?
“Wicked” graced the stage for the first time in 2003, with music and lyrics composed and written by Stephen Schwartz.
The original musical starred actresses Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and Idina Menzel as Elphaba.
Among many other roles, Idina Menzel is perhaps most famous for going on to voice Elsa in the “Frozen” movies.
The Broadway musical was nominated for 10 Tony awards and ended up winning three of them in 2004 for Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design and Best Actress for Menzel.
The show is based on the original book by Gregory Maguire.
This book takes place before “The Wizard of Oz,” and it explores the early lives of young Elphaba, who would eventually become the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda and how their lives became intertwined.
At its core, “Wicked” is more than a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.”
The story is about the value of friendship, knowing who you are and standing up for what you believe in, even when it seems the world is against you.
This takeaway from “Wicked” resonates with a lot of people around the world, and it’s why the original show became such a phenomenon.
The film reimagines the land of Oz and life within Shiz University, which the characters attend.
This is shown in the movie’s expansive sets. The sets shown in the movie were constructed practically, and the well-known tulip field was fully planted for the movie and not made with CGI. Even the Emerald City has a sparkling new look to it and fans are able to really take in everything they’re given.
Although the movie remains true to the plot of the original, there are newly added layers of detail within the journey of Elphaba’s life as the outcast and Glinda’s rise to fame.
We also see Glinda in a new light in this movie.
With Ariana Grande portraying Glinda, she gives the character a very calculated persona, which is quite different from Kristin Chenoweth’s portrayal of Glinda in the original Broadway show.
With Cynthia Erivo taking the torch from Idina Menzel as Elphaba, she gives the character a passionate personality, one that adds immense depth to the movie and the feelings surrounding it.
Erivo and Grande have chemistry that is electric, with their voices blending together smoothly in different iconic songs sung together in the movie.
Their most notable vocal performance was in “Defying Gravity,” where the vulnerability heard in their voices was breathtaking.
Erivo particularly captures the defiance well in this performance and her iconic riff at the end of the song has been on repeat for me.
Grande’s performance in “Popular,” takes the character to another level.
There were previous worries from many “Wicked” fans that Ariana Grande would sound too “pop” in this song and that they wouldn’t be able to disconnect her popstar self from the role of Glinda.
I believe that she did an excellent job doing this character justice and giving the character a new layer.
Without saying too much, other notable mentions would be Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible.
These A-list actors gave these characters great, new personalities.
What truly sets this adaptation apart is how it bridges the gap between the intimacy of the show and the magnificence of seeing a movie in theaters.
The movie really went above and beyond to honor the original show, while also reimagining it in innovative ways for the big screen.
If you’re debating whether or not to go see this movie, go see it — it will be the best two hours and 40 minutes of your life.
I could have sat in that theatre for another five hours if it meant I got to see act two of the movie after being on the edge of my seat after the end of act one.
If you’ve never seen the show, or you’ve been a loyal fan, this movie has something for everyone.
My final rating: 5/5 stars!