r/movies • u/ICumCoffee will you Wonka my Willy? • Nov 19 '24
Review 'Wicked' - Review Thread
'Wicked' - Review Thread
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (117 Reviews) - 8.1/10 Average Rating - Certified Fresh
- Critics Consensus: Defying gravity with its magical pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Wicked's sheer bravura and charm make for an irresistible invitation to Oz.
- PopcornMeter: 99% (2500+ Verified Rating)
Metacritic: 73 (44 Reviews)
Reviews:
Chu clearly designed “Wicked” to be experienced the old-fashioned way: on the biggest screen you can find, among a crowd of giddy theatergoers (inevitably singing along in some screenings). Unlike several recent tuners, which tried to hide their musical dimension from audiences, “Wicked” embraces its identity the way Elphaba does her emerald skin. Turns out such confidence makes all the difference in how they’re perceived.
Grande and Erivo give Stephen Schwartz’s songs — comedy numbers, introspective ballads, power anthems — effortless spontaneity. They help us buy into the intrinsic musical conceit that these characters are bursting into song to express feelings too large for spoken words, not just mouthing lyrics and trilling melodies that someone spent weeks cleaning up in a studio.
Chu has made a movie musical (the best since Chicago), even if it ends with its own “intermission” , that manages to stand on its own as a fully satisfying screen entertainment, and also serves as a delicious invitation to an upcoming second half I quite frankly can’t wait to see.
Jon M. Chu’s Massive Musical Adaptation Defies Gravity (and Logic) to Spin a Tale Mostly for Established Fans. Ariana Grande is an absolute scream and Cynthia Erivo's voice is unparalleled, but expanding out the Broadway musical into two (very long) parts doesn't offer the opportunity for depth we were promised.
The story’s playful, subversive reinterpretation of 'The Wizard of Oz' as a work of propaganda, designed to obfuscate the true story of how political dissidents and minority groups are demonized by fascist con artists who trade in theatricality instead of competence, is fully developed and still (to our collective dismay) incredibly salient.
Wicked is a well-oiled machine in the hands of Jon M. Chu. This film adaptation epitomizes what modern movie musicals can and should be, embracing its source material while cleverly translating it to screen. Tear-jerking performances by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo make the movie, playing to their individual strengths to bring to life the rapport between Glinda and Elphaba, who’ll go on to become the good and wicked witches of Wizard of Oz fame. If as many people love this film as much as I did, Wicked will undoubtedly immortalize the Grande and Erivo in movie musical history.
It’s arguable if Wicked could ever be a meaningfully persuasive prequel for the characters in The Wizard of Oz as we actually see them in the 1939 film, as this would involve cancelling their powerfully timeless, mythological aura, and instead substituting the more banal idea of human development. But this is the joke, and this is the story, and what an enjoyable spectacle it is.
It might have been lighter on its feet if the editors had cut a subplot about magical talking animals, which doesn't add anything except several minutes of running time. And they could have cut Elphaba's sister, who is given perplexingly little to do. That way, the film could have been packed the whole musical into one fast-moving, satisfying entertainment. As it is, I have a strong suspicion that Wicked will work much better as the first part of a double bill, with Wicked Part 2 being shown after an interval. But we'll have to wait another year to know for sure.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande showcase phenomenal vocal ability in this adaptation of the blockbuster musical, but they’re let down by a film that is aggressively overlit and shot like a TV advert.
Utterly exhausting and hopelessly miscast. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo don’t come close to defying gravity in this bloated, beige screen adaptation of the Wizard of Oz prequel.
A great deal of expectation and pressure had been placed on Wicked, with fans waiting decades for it to reach the screen. This makes what Chu has achieved an even greater feat, turning one of the world's most popular musicals into a cinematic phenomenon. And while Wicked is only one half of this story, it never feels incomplete. As part two will take this story to some weird, wonderful, and heartbreaking places, I cannot wait to see what he and his team accomplish. But at this rate? I don't think anything can bring them down.
Chu amps up the colour and spectacle to extraordinary, almost overwhelming heights, but the real magic comes from Erivo and Grande as the frenemies at the story’s heart.
The film is effective at capturing what made the original musical so beloved, and in turn, will belong to a new generation of kids — those kids who might then envision themselves cathartically singing “Popular” or “Defying Gravity” on stage, just as Ariana Grande had as a child.
The film works on an emotional level, and yet there are also well-delivered lessons about growing fascism that are tragically poignant in our American era. The set pieces are big and bold, and the dance numbers are creative and colorful. Grande is continually hilarious as the charmingly vapid Galinda, while Erivo is breathtakingly powerful as the so-called Wicked Witch. Both Grande and Erivo sound glorious through beautiful interpretations of modern musical classics like "Defying Gravity." It all coheres into one of the best silver screen adaptations of a musical in ages, and easily one of the year's best pictures.
For now, like Denis Villeneuve’s first Dune, this Wicked manages to end on a note of “to be continued” while still feeling like a complete story. If only its imagery had a little more magic!
Save for the tiniest of things, Wicked is a worthy screen adaptation of the musical, guaranteed to make viewers feel like they could defy gravity too.
Hollywood finally delivers a worthy successor to The Wizard of Oz with this musical adaptation, starring the superb Erivo as Elphaba and a startlingly good Ariana Grande as Glinda.
Wicked succeeds because of some unreproducible, lightning in a bottle convergences—of director, stars, craftspeople, and high-status material. But Wicked also makes a broader case for patience and careful thought, for grand ambition honed over the course of many years. In order to defy gravity, gravity must first be understood.
It joyfully expands on the source material with extended musical numbers and astute childhood flashbacks in a combination that will delight committed Ozians and newcomers alike.
Fueled by exquisite performances from Tony winner Erivo (“The Color Purple”), as Elphaba, or the Wicked Witch of the West, and Grammy winner Grande as Glinda the Good Witch, “Wicked” is the best movie musical in years, representing a rare instance when performances, visuals and songs are of equally high quality.
SYNOPSIS:
Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman because of her green skin, and Glinda, a popular girl, become friends at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. After an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads.
CAST:
- Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp
- Ariana Grande as Galinda Upland
- Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible
- Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar
- Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman
- Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp
- Peter Dinklage as the voice of Doctor Dillamond
DIRECTOR: Jon M. Chu
WRITTEN BY: Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox
RUNTIME: 2h40m
198
u/Nisi-Marie Nov 19 '24
Here is my review that I posted on the Broadway sub —
Just got home from the advanced screening.
Context: saw it in NYC with Idina, caught two tours through San Francisco, read the book looong before the musical was conceived.
Overall: 10/10
The good:
It was a candy buffet for the eyes- just beautiful. The costumes, sets, choreography.
The added length gave more time to deepen the bonds of their friendship and better illustrate the cruelty towards animals, adding so much emotional depth.
lots of little Easter eggs and homage to both the original movie and to the stage production
the original orchestration was preserved and elevated, rather than trying to make it something “new”. And it was gorgeous
was prepared to be utterly off put by Ariana - but consider me converted. She pulled it off well without coming across as a mimicry of Kristen. Yes, definitely pulled in pieces of it, but she also made it her own. However, it took me a bit to let go of the comparisons.
Cynthia was breathtaking. Given her drama queen antics of late, I was afraid it would ruin her role for me. But all of that is forgotten breath quickly - even her speaking voice is charismatic
Jonathan Bailey did a great job. I was afraid he was too old or wouldn’t be able to sing. He brought the ultimate swank and playboy energy.
so much comedy!
cameos! I won’t ruin them, I only knew of one. The theater ERUPTED at one point. (Yes, I was with my people)
songs where the delivery was different were still done tastefully and beautiful. I was afraid we would get some Mariah Carey trilling up and down the octaves.
The not so good
I don’t have much to say - there was no point where I felt thrust back into reality because something felt forced or missed
Michelle Yeoh really didn’t bring much, I think it could have been someone else.
yes, Jeff Goldblum is really not a singer.
you don’t get the same vocal power that we get to experience in live theater. As much as Defying Gravity was amazing - I wasn’t covered in goosebumps like I am when hearing it live and belted. Is that sound editing? Mixing? Dunno.
In summary
I found myself tearing up several times, leaning forward with mouth hanging open, and just overwhelmed with emotion. I was full crying at end, my throat completely choked up from emotion. I was utterly moved.