Wicked

Everyone deserves a chance to fly!

When I turned up at the cinema to watch this film, I wasn’t sure what this movie was about. I’ve never seen the stage play, due to COVID, but I was a fan of a few songs from the soundtrack. Also being a fan of both The Wizard of Oz and Kristin Chenoweth, I knew I had to see it.

This movie was practically perfect!

The film is about Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West from Oz, played by Cynthia Erivo, and how she is treated regarding the fact she’s green. We start off in Munchkin Land, where Glinda, Ariana Grande, announces to the munchkins that the Wicked Witch of the West has been killed by Dorothy to much applause and cheer. But then she is asked if she used to be friends with Elphaba, and Glinda says yes. We head back in time to find out if Elphaba is truly wicked or if wickedness was thrust upon her.

When I first learned of the casting, I was a tad worried, but upon watching, I realised that there could be no cast better. Ariana is perfectly Glinda-ish, and Cynthia brings Elphaba to life. They pay homage to the original stage-play while making the characters their own. Adding the charming nature of Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and the wonderfully mysterious ways of Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, this film couldn’t fail.

The film is beautifully colourful and wonderfully shot. Each frame is excellently crafted to make the project the best it can be. Oz, which we know was both CGI and practical sets, is a marvel to look at.

If I had one gripe with this film at all, and it didn’t really affect my enjoyment all too much, it would be that it was a tad hard to understand what Ariana Grande was saying while singing in an operatic style. Anyone who doesn’t know the songs might have had a hard time making out the lyrics. But she is still the perfect Glinda.

My favourite part of the whole film is undoubtedly Defying Gravity. Not only is the sequence beautifully stunning, but Cynthia’s voice sent shivers down my whole body.

I would recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good time. I can’t wait to watch it again, and I’ll own the DVD if/when it is released.

Grade A