Wicked

 

Synopsis:  Adaptation of the musical Wicked, a fairy tale about witches from The Wizard of Oz.

So, you know the story, right? The musical Wicked, is based on Gregory Maguire’s book which imagines a storyline involving characters from L. Frank Baum’s book The Wizard of Oz.

The plot centers on Glinda and Elphaba becoming friends at school and the crisis that separated them. It became a Broadway blockbuster that elevated the careers of Kristin Chenoweth as the good witch, Glinda, and Idina Menzel as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba.  Its showstopper is “Defying Gravity” belted out by Ms. Menzel with as much perfection as she exhibited singing “Let It Go” from Frozen.

I wasn’t enthusiastic about the movie Wicked. My reasons are as follows…

1) I liked it on Broadway, but I didn’t see a ‘need’ to make it into a movie; I’m not a huge musical fan. But those who are, seem to fall into two camps. First camp: They can’t wait to see the silver screen version, especially with the original stars. Not going to happen, unless the original leads are movie stars. Second camp: They consider the material sacrosanct and belonging only onstage.

2)  Sooo sick of the hundred years long advertising campaign. The advertising campaign is rumored to have cost as much as the movie itself; about $150 M. There have been 400 corporate tie-ins with the likes of Lego, Crocs and H&M. Starbucks even offered Glinda’s Pink Potion and Elphaba’s Cold Brew.

Shortly before the premiere, stars Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Elphaba) were everywhere. Ari supportively held onto Cynthia’s pinkie finger when she got teary talking about the movie experience. In another appearance, an interviewer jabbered to the two stars about people ‘holding space’ for the movie. Enough!

3) The money grab of splitting the show into two movies. If Into the Woods could fit into one movie, so should Wicked. In general, a book shouldn’t be made into two movies either. Although, I admit that Peter Jackson did a bang-up job with The Lord of the Rings. And getting an extra movie out of the Harry Potter series was a blessing to all of the HP fandom. 

Nonetheless… the movie is really good. Director Jon M. Chu hits his marks, while production designer Nathan Crowley, and art direction and set crews deck-out the Land of Oz in a riot of fantasy shapes and colors. Equal commendations for the costume design by Paul Tazewell and makeup team. We see every shade of pink on Glinda. And Elphaba’s green skin manages to look natural.

So, Elphaba is green and magical. Glinda is Gulinda (until she changes her name late in the story), a glitzy social butterfly. They are roommates at Shiz University. They do not like each other. They sing about this.

Elphaba is the underdog, but she’s gifted. Glinda is at the top of the social heap, but she can’t become teacher’s pet, as she aspires to, because she’s not talented. 

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are talented singers, so Broadway aficionados should–might be satisfied with the casting. The story’s buildup to “Defying Gravity” gives Ms. Erivo a good dramatic platform. And even though Michelle  Yeoh (Madame Morrible) doesn’t have a great singing voice, her acting is a welcome complement to any movie.

Besides the future witches’ evolving relationship, Wicked includes a meaningful subplot about discrimination. Not against green skinned persons, but against animals; specifically talking animals. The powers that be are rounding up animals into cages. 

Shiz University’s animal professors are being ousted. Dr. Dillamond, a goat, and an excellent professor, is under increasing political pressure. He remains dignified and looks cute wearing glasses.

Wicked the movie has added dialog that actually works, especially for Shiz student and possible love interest, Fiyero. Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) is really appealing in the role. I have to admit that I was glad that we don’t see too much of Ethan Slater (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Boq, who has a crush on Glinda. Why? you might ask. I’ll tell you; so sick of hearing about SpongeBob’s romance with Arianna Grande. Our time is better spent with an amusing Bowen Yang as fellow student Pfannee.

 So, in spite of not even being sure I wanted to see Wicked the movie, I have to say that the cast and crew have made an engaging and entertaining movie. In short, it’s no Cats the movie. I might even see the next part of the movie. Especially is they promise to have Cynthia Erivo sing “Defying Gravity” again.

P.S.  The silencing of voices theme made me think of what’s happening in the U.S. at some public universities. Conservative agendas are threatening scholarship. For example, New College, a former public honors college in the Florida public university system has been shredded.  Governor DeSantis didn’t like that students were not backing his right-wing policies, so he ousted the Board of Trustees, fired the college President and set about remodeling the college on a private college in Michigan, conservative Christian Hillsdale College. The student body was opposed to the interference. Grade point averages and test scores of entering students have gone down since the overhaul. More than a third of the faculty have resigned, rather than have their curricula determined by right wing political idealogues. There is now an emphasis on spending on new athletic teams and recruiting players. Read more here.

Movie Loon’s Movie Review Shortcut:

Grade:  A-

Cut to the Chase:  Fine entertainment, even if you are not a Broadway fan. But if you think musicals are stupid, skip it.

Humor Highlight: One of the students tells the professor to stop harping on the past and teach history.