Film Review- Wicked part one

 

I’ve seen Wicked twice on stage and both times been impressed by the way the show transcends its fantastical roots to deliver a narrative about friendship, prejudice and understanding within such an unlikely premise. It’s an unapologetic musical in the truest sense. This big screen version has done a great job in upgrading the limited production available on stage to give the tale a full cinematic experience. Yet this is far from empty spectacle; instead the proximity of the cameras and the editing brings us closer to these characters than we can ever see from the auditorium of a theatre. It reveals aspects of the narrative we might not have noticed from a distance. It also has live singing, recorded on set to give extra energy. Plus, it is hugely entertaining breezing through its two and a half hours with ease.

 

The story is one of the genius ideas any writer wishes they had had, exploring the history of the two Oz witches to reveal a less straightforward one than we might imagine. Essentially humanising the so- called Wicked Witch the narrative has her gradually scapegoated and forced to become the cackling character we know from the Wizard of Oz. Interlinked is the story of the Good Witch who is portrayed as self absorbed and somewhat shallow. Both end up the victims of events. Given the setting it doesn’t have to be realistic yet the story does address relatable issues. Debuting twenty- one years ago the stage version has become a modern classic to the point where it’s signature song `Defying Gravity` will be well known even to those who have never seen the show.

There are differences from the stage production, notably the issue of animals being banned being given more prominence (probably due to the film being able to use special effects to have realistic looking animals) and this chimes perfectly with Elphaba’s own feelings of exclusion which inspire her to try and change things.. There’s a souped up role for Fiyero and additional sequences at the university as well as a more spectacular extended introduction when news of the Wicked Witch’s death spreads thought Oz before we head into our flashback story.

Oz has never looked more Oz like than it does here with emerald towers and dance routines dominating its outward appearance- an introduction to the city is the backdrop for a mass choreography. There are nods to the Wizard of Oz film too so this definitely seems like the same place while asserting its own character.  Further inside we have the monkey soldiers, quite scary for younger viewers, and the cogs and control panels which allow the Wizard to convey his assumed power. There’s dance aplenty, busy, pacy routines that really use the screen. Director John Chu and cinematographer Alice Brooks bring Oz to life to well.

If almost everyone looks a little too old to even be at college, the Shiz University scenes come with a large slice of vibrant colour and, oddly, uniforms more befitting a primary school. There is a whiff of Hogwarts about the place, this is to say if the wizarding school was painted in primary colours. I love the rotating library, used to great effect in one of the routines, it’s a typical symbol of how whimsical imagery and imagination need to sometimes supplant logic in this story.

The casting is perfect; both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo inhabit these roles so strongly. The singing was never going to be an issue with these two and their differing voices actually melt together extremely well. Though we may think of Ariana Grande as primarily a pop singer, her early career did involve tv and stage acting and she was also in the 2021 political satire Don’t Look Up. As Glinda, she successfully conveys the vacuous self absorption of the character slowly evolving into gradual realisation of what her roommate is going through. Her voice takes flight showing a considerable range while she also demonstrates acute comedic timing.  Cynthia Erivo captures the loneliness and determination of Elphaba and her sense of right and wrong. Her performance throughout is serious and contained yet full of longing and determination bubbling under the surface. Both characters could easily be off putting in different ways but both the story and these performances make you believe every step of the journey they take together. Simply, they are dynamite. 

The film is surely going to be a big screen launchpad for Jonathan Bailey whose Fiyero is full of exuberance, the prince given more focus here than in the stage show. As soon as Jeff Goldblum appears from behind the massive face that is the public image of the Wizard, you think- well, who else would it be? Michelle Yeoh makes a suitably sneaky Madame Morrible while Ethan Slater and Merissa Bode, whose greater moments will likely come in part two, are a great Boq and Nessarose.

While the movie undoubtedly benefits from it’s scale some of the best moments are intimate. In particular one pivotal scene exemplifies the story when we see Elphaba turn up at a nightclub (yes Oz does have them), clearly feeling awkward and out of place to find herself openly laughed at. Whereupon she begins her own unusual dance and, taking pity on her despite what has happened earlier, Glinda starts to follow the same moves much to everyone’s shock. The focus though is on Elphaba’s face as she deals with this sudden turn of events finally finding some acceptance after a life of exclusion. It’s a lovely, lyrical scene even though there is no dialogue.

One thing which the film shares with the show is that it has three exceptional songs with a collection of others that don’t quite fire as strongly and are sometimes presented in a bitty fashion. There is no denying that the big screen versions of those three keynote songs are excellent. `Dancing Through Life ` is a riot, led by Jonathan Bailey and making its way around the university in a dazzling routine that makes full use of the winding set. `Popular` showcases just how well Ariana Grande does comedy, she performs it with wonderful slightness. `Defying Gravity`, which climaxes the film, gives Cynthia Erivo another amazing scene and you can see the conflicting emotions the song brings out from Elphaba. Her rendition of the song is a triumph as indeed is the way this scene is extended to climax the film in an inspiring way.  It’s a powerful way to close this first half of the story.

The pre publicity seemed almost apologetic about the fact that this is only half the story even though the running time is about the same as the entire show. In the stage version the second half does have a darker atmosphere yet also no big songs so here’s hoping someone has penned a showstopper for the second movie. In the meantime Wicked part one is a feast for musical fans and possibly many others. Its fun, imaginative, emotional and inspirational.  It whizzes by powered perhaps by magic and definitely two amazing central performances that really should feature when it comes to Oscar time.