Movie Review: WICKED: PART 1

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Staff Writer

Posted: November 22nd, 2024 / 01:39 AM

WICKED - PART 1 | ©2024 Universal Pictures

Rating: PG
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Dinklage (voice)
Writers: Winnie Holzman and Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox, based on the stage musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire
Director: Jon M. Chu
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: November 22, 2024

While it can’t hurt, it turns out that it’s not really necessary to be familiar with either L. Frank Baum’s 1900 fantasy classic THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, or its famous 1939 film musical adaptation, THE WIZARD OF OZ, to enjoy their conceptual great-grandchild, the new movie WICKED: PART 1.

WICKED: PART 1 is based on the stage musical WICKED, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, which has been playing on Broadway (and touring all over the planet) nonstop since it opened in 2003. This, in turn, is based on the 1995 novel WICKED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST by Gregory Maguire.

All the versions of WICKED flip the WIZARD OF OZ plot in terms of who’s good, who’s bad, and who’s an innocent dupe. For those who’ve read Maguire’s book, it should be noted that the stage and film musical adaptations are lighter in spirit and content than the novel (although a five-year-old boy at the press screening was observed climbing into his mother’s lap during the parts he found scary).

WICKED: PART 1 is set entirely within the land of Oz. We begin with news of the death of the Wicked Witch of the West, which has the whole of Oz rejoicing. Good witch Glinda (Arianna Grande-Butima) visits the witch’s birthplace of Munchkinland – where she’s asked if she and the Wicked Witch, born Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), used to be friends.

We know, though she doesn’t, that Elphaba Thropp is not really the biological daughter of Munchkin Governor Thropp (Andy Nyman), but rather the child of Mrs. Thropp (Courtney Mae Briggs) and a traveling salesman. (It’s unclear if we’re supposed to know the salesman’s identity, but the actor who plays him is instantly identifiable.)

Governor Thropp doesn’t know Elphaba isn’t his, but he’s so appalled by her green skin that he all but disowns her. However, he dotes on younger daughter Nessarose (Marissa Bode), who is plucky and paraplegic. When Nessarose is accepted into Shiz University, the finest school in all of Oz, the Governor insists (over Nessarose’s objections) that principled, loyal Elphaba stay as her sister’s protector.

However, besides green skin, Elphaba also possesses enormous natural magical talents, which don’t go unnoticed. It’s arranged for her to with the beautiful, popular and manipulative Galinda (as Glinda is first known).

The two young women loathe each other so much they have a song about it. How Elphaba and Glinda get from here to a quite different relationship with one another forms the affecting emotional spine of WICKED.

There’s also a whole lot of other things going on, including a five-way romantic tangle. The parallel to current political events are so timely that if future generations don’t do research, they’re probably going to think WICKED was made in response, rather than simply being prescient.

The screenplay is oddly credited as being by original stage book writer Holzman and Holzman & Dana Fox (presumably this means that much of Holzman’s original material was used in the final version, but that she also worked on the screen adaptation with Fox). The film adds lore from Baum’s original OZ books (he wrote fourteen in all), and some exposition that allows for some wonderful cameos.

Jon M. Chu directed, with a clear love of old-fashioned movie musicals. We can see where there’s going to be room to dance, rather than have it come out of more naturalistic surroundings. This is fine – a couple numbers in and we’re eagerly anticipating, rather than simply expecting, the delightful choreography.

Erivo and Grande-Butima both have glorious voices. They can’t hear the movie theatre audience, but frequent applause occurs nonetheless. Both of them display superb comic timing, and also powerful conviction and warmth.

Jeff Goldblum is such a perfect choice for the Wizard that it might have been written for him. Michelle Yeoh (who previously costarred in director Chu’s CRAZY RICH ASIANS) conveys absolute authority and intelligence as Shiz Professor Madame Morrible. Costume designer Paul Tazewell has also clothed Yeoh’s Morrible in a succession of spellbinding outfits that are showstoppers in their own right.

Bode is appealing as the innocent Nessarose. Jonathan Bailey is properly charming and suggests hidden depths as Shiz newcomer Prince Fiyero, and Ethan Slater exudes decency as young Munchkin student Boq. Peter Dinklage gives dignified melancholy to his voicing of Dr. Dillamond, a Shiz professor who is also a goat. (Chu is to be commended for using realistic VFX performances for most of the animals, except for horses, rather than putting real animals into what for them would be frightening situations.)

It’s hard to think of an aspect of WICKED that is not a pleasure, from the way it flows and soars, to its characters and performances, to what it has to say. It’s one thing to have heard the power ballad “Defying Gravity” before; it’s thrilling to hear and see Erivo perform it in dramatic context.

WICKED: PART 1 is splendid, among the most satisfying films of the past few years. Bring on Part 2!

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