One of my first articles for The Hoot was my thoughts on the casting for the upcoming, at the time, “Wicked” movie. I wrote that article back in 2021. Now, here we are three years later, and the “Wicked” movie has finally arrived. At least, the first part has arrived. We will not get to see part two until late 2025. Based on the hit broadway musical, the first film covers the events of the first act of the musical, where the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch are off at college and get to know each other through some fun songs. I had first learned these witches’ stories when I saw the musical on Broadway when I was eight years old (so about 13 years ago). I honestly don’t remember much from seeing this musical, I just remember not liking it that much and I think I was a bit bored. I don’t know why I felt that way, all I know is that I did. Nevertheless, I still went out to see this movie with an open mind. I had a feeling I would like it more as a 21 year old compared to how I viewed it as an eight year old. For the most part, I would say that prediction was correct, as I thought it was a nice film. However, I would not say it blew me away and left me in awe. It was a nice movie, but it was kind of just what I expected it to be, which can be okay sometimes. That is better than a failure. Released in theaters on Nov. 22, “Wicked” tells a fantastical tale that will get people to want to sing along (even though they shouldn’t), but I just wish it could capture me more.

This prequel to the “Wizard of Oz” centers around Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a woman in Oz who was born with completely green skin, which led to her having a difficult childhood, ridiculed by her peers and shunned by her father. In addition, along with her green skin, Elphaba also has magical powers that allow her to move various objects. As a young adult, she escorts her paraplegic younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) to Shiz University, where Nessarose will be a student. While there, Elphaba’s emotions get the best of her and she causes a magical catastrophe in front of the Shiz student body. Dean of Sorcery Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) takes notice of Elphaba’s powers and recruits her to start school at Shiz as well so that Madame Morrible can train her. Along with this recruitment, the dean decides that Elphaba will live with Galinda (Ariana Grande) during her time at school. Galinda is pretty, popular, charismatic, and always stands out with her bright pink clothes. In other words, she is Elphaba’s opposite. At first, the two girls do not get along at all, but over time, they start to strike up an unlikely friendship. Elphaba may also have a friend in Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), who is dating Galinda. Meanwhile, Oz is a world of talking animals, but these animals are becoming more discriminated against by the day, as they are unfairly blamed for all of the problems in society. Specifically, Elphaba and Galinda’s history professor Dr. Dillamond (Peter Dinklage), who is a goat, is being pushed out of the school and is being silenced, which Elphaba believes is unfair. She will do everything that she can to make sure everyone is treated equally, including trying to visit the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). However, not sticking to the status quo may come at a price, one that may turn this awkward girl into a pariah.

When it comes to parts like Elphaba and Galinda, parts that are so iconic in the musical theatre world, there is a high bar for their portrayers. As I said before, this casting was announced three years ago, so people were waiting with baited breath to see how Erivo and Grande would do. Fortunately, they each knocked it out of the park. Between the two of them, I would like to single out Grande for her performance. I felt he really embodied her character and was able to provide some of the film’s best comedic moments. Specifically, her performance of the song “Popular” was able to both display Grande’s high-caliber singing skills and also her spirited acting abilities. In addition, Grade provided a lot of depth to a role that may look goofy at first glance. Her portrayal was one that I wanted to keep watching. That being said, Erivo also delivered a top-notch performance in this film. Her highlights came in the form of showtopping displays of her vocal talent, particularly in songs like “The Wizard and I” and “Defying Gravity,” the latter containing the famous high note that has made the song the most well-known of the musical. When Erivo hits a note, she certainly does not phone it in; she gives it her all in ways that almost seem impossible. She also turns in a wonderful acting performance, one that really causes the audience to feel sympathy for her throughout the film, with that emotion never wavering. I have to give the edge to Grande over Erivo in terms of memorable performance, as Grande’s was more enthralling and magnetic, with a bigger display of her comedic and dramatic talent. Nevertheless, both women were definitely well-casted. I also feel the need to single out Bailey for his performance, as he was one that definitely stuck with me. As soon as he is singing the forever catchy “Dancing Through Life” with a voice as smooth as butter and dancing with moves that mesmerize you with every step, it becomes clear that you will have no choice but to keep your eye on Fiyero, and on Bailey. The actor has chemistry with everyone that he interacts with, which goes well with his bad boy with a heart of gold character. He can charm the pants off anyone, but he is also able to show compassion and serious emotions in certain moments, allowing audiences to peel back that rough exterior. Bailey has had quite the rise in recent years, and this role indicates that the only next steps for him will be up. There are also plenty of other fun performances in this film, like Goldblum’s sly Wizard portrayal or Ethan Slater acting as the goofy Boq, but I feel that if there are any performances I have to note, it is the three main ones; as mentioned before, as they show why this film is about them.

This film, which covers the first act of the Broadway musical, is two hours and forty minutes long. The entire stage musical is two hours and forty five minutes long. The extra time was not really used to add new plotlines, but instead give more background and details to the existing plot. That is what ended up helping the movie. The audience got to really know these characters and learn more about some of their motivations. The flashbacks of Elphaba’s life and the expansion of scenes in Emerald City were some notable additions that I found to be quite helpful in terms of the storytelling. That being said, I still found the story of the film itself to be a bit weak. Even though I understand how Elphaba trying to protect the animals is supposed to be an allegory for the problems in our society, I just could not find myself getting invested in that plot. Even though it serves as some of Elphaba’s main motivations in the second half of the film, it just did not feel that exciting or interesting to me. I felt that Elphaba and Galinda’s friendship was the most interesting part of the film, and that was the part that I felt did not get enough attention. For all of the additions made to this film, I still felt that Elphaba and Galinda’s friendship was not explored enough. They start out as enemies, and then after one conversation, the film tells us they are best friends. However, I felt that I did not see enough scenes where that was actually the case. I would have liked some more friendship moments that may not have served the main plot, but would have helped give the main friendship some more substance. Nevertheless, I will say that I thought the ending was done well. It left off on a good cliffhanger that will get people excited about the next movie, but it also felt tight and complete so that people will be able to live with this movie for now. I also want to recognize the songs in this movie. There were no new songs in this movie and none of the already-written songs were not changed significantly, so I knew what to expect, but that does not change the fact that the songs are what make “Wicked” special. I would not say that every song was memorable, but the ones that did were absolutely spectacular. The songs that stood out to me were “Dancing Through Life,” “Popular,” “Defying Gravity” and “No One Mourns the Wicked.” These were the songs that either helped drive the plot along or gave wonderful introductions/descriptions of important characters, while also being quite catchy and ended up stuck in my head hours later. Without the songs, I may not have even cared about this movie that much. I liked bits and pieces from the story, but I believe that the overall product was so-so, and it was really missing certain elements that could have fully pulled me in.

Since this film takes place in the magical world of Oz, there needed to be some eye-catching and majestic aesthetic. After all “The Wizard of Oz” was able to make the land look special and that film came out over eighty years ago. Considering the power of 2024 special effects, the only option was for this film to go big. For the most part, I would say the film succeeded with the goal. The whole film had a magical essence with an intricate world that felt so much bigger than the Oz previously represented on screen. From the intricate buildings to the vast library to the wide open fields to the glowing ballroom, everything felt majestic. The highlight was Emerald City, which was able to present itself as even more awe-inspiring than the rest of Oz, which is not an easy task. A wonderland was created in Emerald City, and it was easy to see why people fantasized about going there. “Wicked” also had some stellar costumes, particularly with Galinda’s pink ensemble, Fiyero’s princely attire and Madame Morrible’s regal outfits. These people were clearly not ordinary members of society. In addition, there were also special effects that lived up to the hype. Elphaba’s flying abilities and the CGI animals were certainly not cheaply done. Those were the types of elements that demonstrate how a film adaptation can build upon and improve a stage play. Some of these elements may look nice on stage, but a built out universe and various magical elements created with the power of editing show why the big screen can be special. My main gripe in terms of aesthetics was the coloring. There were some fun and bright colors, such as Galinda’s pink, but I felt like the colors should have been sharper and more electric. These colors on screen were too bland and pale, and they did not grab focus the way they should have. The colors of a majestic place like Oz should pop, to show just how different this world is from our own. The coloring of “wicked” was pretty, but the shades and hues felt like they were from our world. Nevertheless, coloring being my biggest aesthetic complaint should demonstrate that the movie nailed aesthetics for the most part. While the story being told was not totally interesting, my eyes had a pleasant time and I probably would have had just as good of a time with the film muted (other than the parts with the songs, of course.)

Waiting a year for the next movie will likely be pretty difficult for many people. Even though I have mixed feelings about the movie, I am still curious about what will happen next. Naturally, the plot of the second act can be read on the Broadway musical’s Wikipedia page, but the curiosity comes from how that act will be adapted onto the screen. The second act is notoriously weaker than the first, but that might change with more time given to the story. Considering the success of this film, the second film has a lot to live up to. I do have to admit that it was impressive that this film was able to live up to people’s expectations. People have been trying to make this movie for over twenty years, and once actual filming started, people had no idea if the film could do those 20 years of justice. Now, the movie is looking to be a real Oscar contender in multiple categories. If anything, even though I may not have been a big fan of this movie, I am glad it is giving legitimacy towards movie musicals. They are too often swept under the rug and seen as childish, and now people are seeing them as legitimate pieces of art. I would say the thanks should go towards director Jon M. Chu, who helped bring the musical to life on screen. He is owed this respect considering his other musical movie adaptation, the 2022 film “In The Heights,” unfairly flew under the radar. I definitely liked “In The Heights” more than “Wicked,” but I am okay with the latter being a consolation prize, for the sake of the musical genre. At the end of the day, my unfavorable opinion towards “Wicked” may just come down to the fact that I am not that into fantastical stories, as I prefer films that are more grounded (hence my appreciation of the “In the Heights” movie). Of course, that will not stop me from wanting to watch Jonathan Bailey sing “Dancing Through Life” over and over again, because I am only human. I can not argue against the movie being well-made, because it certainly was, so I will say that it is simply not for me. While there are many movies that I dislike where I don’t understand what people like about them, I can understand why people like “Wicked.” So, if you like stories filled with fantastical beings in a magical world, or you like an enemies to friends tale between total opposites, watch “Wicked” today.