'Wicked' Makes It Cool To Like Musicals Again | Review

The Magic of True Star Power, Courtesy of Cynthia and Ariana

There are few movie-making challenges greater than making a successful modern movie musical.

More than a half-century removed from Hollywood’s Golden Age of Gene Kelly, Doris Day, Fred Astaire, and Dorothy herself, Judy Garland, truly great musicals of recent years are few and far between. The audience is more cynical than it used to be. It’s tougher now for the average viewer to buy in to a character earnestly breaking out into song amid brightly colored sets and an ensemble of professional background dancers. Just look at recent musicals like the new Mean Girls, Wonka, or The Color Purple which hid their musical elements from marketing materials entirely. It’s in large part the reason why many modern Broadway shows lean more into pop and hip-hop or alternate story-telling styles than the traditional tones and structure of musical theatre.

But here’s where Wicked comes in.

Based loosely on a book by Gregory Maguire that’s based loosely on L. Frank Baum’s famed children’s tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked debuted on Broadway in the early 2000s to rave reviews, numerous Tonys, and thunderous applause that continues to this day. And with seriously good reason. But this legacy, beloved by the theatre community and tourist audiences alike, left director John Chu with a serious uphill battle.

To successively do justice to this long anticipated film adaptation, Chu needed to successfully land 3 separate concepts 1) Casting performers who can act, sing, and embody the iconic images of Glinda and Elphaba, 2) Create a world that is both a familiar fantasy and original setting, and 3) do justice to music that has been memorized by devoted fans for multiple decades.

Let’s start with the strongest element; casting. It’s well-known that many talented people tested for both of the lead roles and it is clearly with good reason that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were ultimately chosen. It shows on screen that both were devoted to these roles and each other, nailing every note live, looking past the fantasy of it all to draw real emotion allowing the audience to fully buy into the musical elements with ease.

Grande’s comedic performance and soaring high notes made what could be a silly caricature feel grounded and substantial. Oscar-nominated Erivo is comparatively lesser-known than Grande but anyone who has seen her perform “I’m Here” from The Color Purple on Broadway (a performance which won her a much-deserved Tony Award) won’t be surprised by her ability to extract feeling in even the smallest line and carry the leading role effortlessly. From the moment their voices join together in “What is this Feeling?” it’s clear they were the ones destined for these roles all along.

Rounded out by Jonathan Bailey as a perfectly charming Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as the horrible Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard himself, a huge kudos should be given to this casting department for a masterclass in balancing name recognition with true, unadulterated talent.

Now for what can be argued is the weakest element; the setting. Much like other fantasy properties (i.e., Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or even the 1939 Wizard of Oz), Chu had to create a world that doesn’t have much comparison to the one we live in and in trying to pay homage to the MGM musical, he slightly missed the mark. While the sets certainly feel unique and he should get plenty of credit for utilizing practical effects rather than CGI, many of the sets (Shiz University in particular) feel cheap and plaster rather than cinematic. It’s noticeable that the story’s physical backdrop lives on sound stages rather than a fantasy world we’re meant to immerse ourselves in. The performances, writing, and music largely distract from these flaws but it pulls from truly beautiful moments like Erivo’s “The Wizard and I” when you’re distracted by an obviously, brand-new staircase that’s meant to be aged stonework. This could have been rounded out by more real-world filming locations that would look less like live-action Disney remakes.

Finally, arguably the most important element of any musical, the music itself. Chu’s decision to directly involve the original composer Stephen Schwartz pays off big time with soaring melodies that remind you of the sweeping overtures of classic movie musicals. New arrangements and musical additions were adapted to sync with Grande and Erivo’s vocals while staying true to the original music. With small changes to “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” both performers are able to make these numbers their own for maximum audience impact.

It’s impossible to respond to every internet critique but to summarize; yes, dividing into 2 movies makes perfect sense; no, Jonathan Bailey is not a convincing 18-year-old but who cares, he’s cute; and I personally think the coloring is lovely but if you want your movies to look yellow far be it from me to silence you. This film’s political storyline also feels particularly prescient (as evidenced by the stranger sitting next to me in the theatre who had audible reactions to each plot point) and I am fascinated to see how Act II/Part II will keep up the energy of the first film while adding a much darker tone.

Whatever you think of Wicked Part I, it is now officially a box office success and murmurs of a musical renaissance abound. Before we rush in to make big budget versions of every successful stage musical (lest we all forget Cats), let’s look at what made this film and many classics work; excellent source material, beautiful music, and star power that is genuinely worthy of its name.

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‘Wicked’ is now playing in theaters nationwide. Rated PG for some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.

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