Wicked is a musical that I’ve wanted to see for some time so I really couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see the movie. I grew up on the Oz books and there isn’t anyone of my generation who hasn’t seen The Wizard of Oz. But as I’ve gotten older and understood more about the complexities of the world, I found the story of Wicked sounded compelling, the story of the Wicked Witch because ultimately evil isn’t just evil, there’s always a reason. After watching the film version of Wicked, I found the story magical and enthralling, powerful and emotional, the music fantastic and the acting of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande amazing, full of depth and complexity.

Wicked: Part 1 is an epic musical fantasy directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. It is an adaptation of the stage musical which in turn is loosely based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire. Set in the Land of Oz, before Dorothy Gale’s arrival, the film follows green skinned Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) as she and her sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), enter Shiz University. Elphaba finds herself roommates with Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande), a popular young woman who wants to learn magic. Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), who teaches magic, takes Elphaba on as a pupil when she realizes Elphaba is naturally gifted. But she’s the only one who appears to be on Elphaba’s side as the rest of the college, including Glinda, treat her as an outcast. Elphaba soon finds out that all is not well in Oz as she becomes friends with her professor Doctor Dillamond (Peter Dinklage), a goat. Dillamond tells her that animals are disappearing and losing their ability to speak. Along the way, she makes a new friend, Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey).  Elphaba also yearns to meet the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) so he can help her with her color.  As Elphaba becomes friends with Glinda and her wishes come true, she must make a choice between doing as others want or embracing her power and helping others. The film also stars Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, and Bronwyn James as ShenShen.

What makes Wicked so magical is the seamless combination between the musical numbers and the story. Each song and performance is exhilarating, advances the story but also is incredibly performed. Both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have powerful and compelling voices, both of which are amazing. Neither outshines the other, as they are both incredible performers but each song is enhanced by their performances. The chorus is equally talented and adds to the performances of the main singers. Jonathan Bailey has a performance too and while his story is not the focal point of the film, his singing is amazing as well. Part of the wonder is that all of the performers manage to bring together dancing, singing and acting to tell a complex and emotional story, keeping the audience enthralled. In addition to the main stars, we are also treated to a performance by Idina Menzel and Kristen Chernoweth, a nod to their roles in the Broadway production and a stunning musical number.

The story is powerful, especially in the themes it explores. Elphaba is disliked, not because of who she is but what she looks like. Even when she does something right, others point out how emotional or extra she is, even when she is trying to show how caring she is. Glinda’s growth is intriguing. She starts out as the typical privileged young woman who can’t see others’ emotional pain. But she slowly sees underneath Elphaba’s facade of uncaring to see how much pain she’s in. The complexity of their relationship is rich in details. I especially found it interesting that even when Glinda cares about Elphaba, she is still self absorbed and focused on how she is affected by events. I also love how Elphaba embraces her power, choosing to help others over safety.

The visuals are stunning. Elphaba’s makeup and dress are distinct from Glinda’s. Both the outfits and the stunning graphics help keep the audience focused on the story, absorbed in the music. The design of Shiz as well as the Emerald City are stunning. The effects of the magic are intense and breathtaking. The world is beautiful as we see different aspects of Oz, each element gorgeous from the woods surrounding Shiz to the poppy fields outside Emerald City, the artistic choices make the world feel authentic and real.

The performances, particularly of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are what truly help this movie shine. Cynthia Erivo gives a dynamic portrayal of Elphaba, one that gives us the complexity behind the character and illustrates her warmth and caring, especially toward her sister but also towards those that are discriminated against. Her chemistry with Ariana Grande is perfect, demonstrating how different they both are from each other. Ariana Grande does a brilliant job of portraying Galinda, later called Glinda, as a privileged young woman who is self centered but learns to see beyond herself as she becomes friends with Elphaba. Both performances are complex and emotional. Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero is charming and suave, but also conflicted. As an actor, Jonathan Bailey achieves a fine balance, demonstrating depth underneath a shallow surface. Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum are incredible in their roles as the guiding forces for Oz. Peter Dinklage as Doctor Dillamond, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose give emotional performances. Bowen Yang as Pfannee and Bronwyn James as ShenShen are perfect as friends to Glinda.

If you love epic musicals and the Wizard of Oz, even if you haven’t seen the Broadway performance of Wicked, I highly recommend this movie. Despite the length of the film, coming in at 2 hours and 41 minutes, I found no flaws in the story or the performances. In fact, despite the length of time, I wasn’t fidgeting or counting the minutes. I was completely absorbed by the story, the performances and the music. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are stunning in this film and the rest of the cast are breathtaking. Wicked is magical.

Rating: 5 out of 5 flying monkeys

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