The Broadway musical Wicked has delighted fans around the world for over 20 years. How popular the story of the witches Elphaba and Glinda actually is can be seen in the over 5 billion (!) dollars that the stage play has since grossed worldwide. So it was only a matter of time before this global success was adapted for the big screen. And that time has now come.
After Wicked has already had a record start in numerous countries and received several Golden Globes nominations, the first part of the two-part musical adaptation has now been officially shown in German cinemas (in 3 versions) since December 12, 2024. But will the fantasy epic starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo live up to high expectations? The short answer is: yes!
That’s what the fantasy spectacle Wicked is all about
Wicked is set in the magical world of Oz, a few years before the story from the fantasy classic The Wizard of Oz, and before a certain Dorothy from Kansas skips down the yellow brick road in the shoes of a dead witch. Based on the musical of the same name, which in turn is based on a novel by Gregory Maguire, we now follow the backstory of a young magician (Cynthia Erivo), whose fate is to one day spread fear and terror as the Wicked Witch of the West – and with being melted to death by a bucket of water.
After the film begins with the happy news of the death of the evil witch (and thus at the end of The Wizard of Oz), the wise witch Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) remembers her first encounter and friendship with the later villain Oz, who once bore the name Elphaba.
Because of her green skin color, Elphaba Thropp has been an outsider since birthwhich doesn’t change at Glizz University, where the grumpy girl, who dresses primarily in black, has to share a room with, of all people, the superficial Galinda. The fact that she prefers to shake her blonde hair in the wind and let her classmates celebrate her as a do-gooder rather than seriously stand up for others is a thorn in Elphaba’s side. However, over time, their initial enmity turns into an incomparable friendship.
Wicked is a 160 minute dream for musical fans
Yes, Wicked is long – and in principle even twice as long as the stage original, as only the first half was filmed here. But Not a single one of the 160 minutes is characterized by boredombecause the film is like Ariana Grande’s Glinda and is an unbridled bundle of energy that only temporarily runs out of steam shortly before the grand finale.
I’ve been a fan of the musical ever since I first gazed at the iconic Broadway poster of Wicked in New York’s Times Square 19 years ago. My fears were correspondingly great that this film adaptation, like so many others before it, would weaken its original with too many changes. And fortunately that didn’t happen.
Wicked is one of the best musical adaptations ever. Because director Jon M. Chu adapts the Broadway play with the greatest reverence, almost unchanged, true to the work and even makes it a little better with sensible additions. Fans of musicals will get their money’s worth.
On the one hand, the exuberant musical sequences (some even around 15 minutes long) are incredibly energetically choreographed and staged. But the real highlight are the vocal (and partly filmed live) performances of the main actors including Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey, who impressively capture the music composed by Stephen Schwartz on the screen and in our ears.
If you don’t like musicals, Wicked is also a fantastic fantasy film
If you basically don’t know what to do with musicals, you should still give Wicked a chance. Because apart from the shrill and dazzling choreographies and catchy tunes, Wicked is also a fantastic fantasy escapismwhich takes you into a detailed and exciting world.
Right from the overture we get a little taste of the world of Oz with its different places and landscapes, as a swarm of flying monkeys glides over the gloomy Kiamo Ko castle and the camera leads along the yellow brick path, past the Emerald City and into the colorful Munchkinland .
What is particularly impressive are the many enormous and, above all, built backdrops, in which there is something to discover at every corner. Even if some CGI enhancement and lighting deficiencies not quite as oztastic look, the amazement at the practical sets that are filled with life outweighs this.
Even if Wicked doesn’t completely reinvent the fantasy wheel, the film (like the original musical) inspires with a heartwarming story about friendship, false prejudices and the courage to speak out against injustice in the world and stand up for others.
The story becomes even more complex through a dark underbelly, even though the young witches behind the protective school walls of Glizz University have to realize that fascism is slowly but surely spreading in Oz and that talking animals are being systematically persecuted. For now, this is only a small part of the plot, which only comes into greater focus in the much darker second part of the Wicked saga.
Is Wicked worth it? Half a film, but full of fantasy enjoyment
Even though Wicked only shows half of the story for the time being and numerous plot elements are not concluded at the end of the 160 minutes, the film still offers a stand-alone and full-bodied cinematic experience full of wonder, laughter and the odd tear.
Actually, you can’t help but be carried away by the actors’ joy in playing. Above all, Ariana Grande, who completely immerses herself in her Glinda role and makes you forget the pop star behind the shrill pink. The electrifying chemistry between her and Cynthia “Elphi” Erivo permeates every scene – as does the gender-bending sex appeal of the outrageously charming Jonathan Bailey as Winkie Prince Fiyero.
And that was my long answer as to why you definitely shouldn’t miss Wicked.