A Magical Adaptation That Nearly Hits the Mark
Darian Trabold, Editor-in-Chief
One of my most anticipated movies of 2024, “Wicked: Part One” has been released and while it lived up to my expectations, there were a few things I did not love. For context, I saw the Broadway version of “Wicked” and absolutely loved it. Despite having seen it almost ten years ago, I still remember tears rolling down my face during “Defying Gravity”. Overall, I thought it remained true to the story and I enjoyed it, but I did not like it as much as the Broadway version.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were amazing. They embodied the characters so well and their live singing was phenomenal. The acting was one of the highlights of the film for me. I thought Grande’s comedic acting shined. For such a stacked cast including Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, they truly delivered. They can give this cast their Oscars now.
Major spoiler ahead, so read at your own risk. The big surprise of the film, having the original Glinda (Kristen Chenoweth) and Elphaba (Idina Menzel) caused me to audibly gasp in the theater. It was special to see them in the film and the fact that they kept this a secret is incredible, but it made it all the more special because I did not see it coming.
I did see some discourse online regarding the coloring of the movie not being bright enough. I disagree with this and feel it was perfect: flashy while not being insincere. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the movie brings the world of Oz to life with breathtaking special effects and vibrant costumes that match the aesthetic of the source work.
For me, the first red flag was the length of the movie. Part One is longer than the Broadway musical. However, I think they did a great job with the additions to the film. It really brought the story to life the way only a movie could.
The part that turned this movie from five stars to four was “Defying Gravity’. They stretched a five-minute song to fifteen, which for me, just killed it. While it is important to build up the showstopping number, this was too much and honestly it ruined and otherwise perfect movie for me.
I think now, more than ever the message of this film is poignant. While it being a musical may be discouraging for some people, I urge you to go see it, it is truly incredible and exactly what we needed. While I was disappointed with some aspects of the film, the good does outweigh the bad for me. While Part Two is known for being less exciting than Part One, I will be sat when it releases a year from now.