Movie Review: Wicked - Part One (2024)

A musical adaptation that successfully defies gravity.

Preface

Wicked: Part One is the newest musical-to-movie adaptation and is about as good of an adaptation of this first half of the story as you can get even if there are flaws it has on a technical level that hold it back from being spectacular.

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Telling HALF of the whole story

Starting off with the screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, I’d say that it does a good enough job in bringing the musical’s first half to life respectfully while also making changes to make the movie feel like a truly cinematic experience. Sure not EVERY change was necessarily needed and resulted in the film’s pacing feeling clunky at times (ex. Boq’s character felt pointless), but I am pretty certain that they will make more sense on a rewatch and will be fixed when Part 2 comes out. The writing also does a solid job in capturing the essence of the story from a character perspective as it showcases the friendship between Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) & Glinda (played by Ariana Grande) while also detailing the downfall of said friendship and illustrating what causes Elphaba’s path towards evil. This makes for a journey in which Elphaba tries to find her place in the world that is packed with heart, humor, and many memorable characters along the way. Plus, even though this is only the first half of the story, the film does a great job in feeling conclusive in its own right while also leaving you with a cliffhanger that generates your gleeful anticipation for what’s to come from the second half. This all makes for a screenplay that understands the source material it is adapting while also being able to morph into its own creation for the big screen.

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Good To Be Back In Shiz AND Oz

From a directing and technical standpoint, this film soars on so many levels even if there are some quibbles I have with it in these regards. I guess to get them out of the way, some of the visuals look dull in terms of lighting & color which is especially disappointing given how beautiful the lands of both Shiz & Oz usually look. Thankfully though, this film’s cinematography (by D.P. Alice Brooks) & color palette do look decent enough to say that the movie worked well enough on these fronts. Brooks’ camerawork and shot compositions matched with Jon M. Chu’s direction, in particular, make the musical numbers (as well as the choreography within them) come to life with immense vibrancy. The editing by Myron Kerstein also brings a striking quality to these musical numbers while also allowing for every character-driven moment (whether dramatically or comedically) to feel as significant as they did in the original musical even if the film’s overall pacing lags in areas. The production design and costumes are outstanding work that bring the worlds of Shiz & Oz life in ways that are elaborate and filled with a ton to be in awe of on a visual level because of the overall scope and splendor of these elements. The soundtrack is also excellent and features many strong renditions of iconic songs that are extremely well sung by the entire cast. Ariana Grande’s version of Popular deserves an especially massive shoutout because of how brilliantly she captures the spirit of Chenoweth’s performance while also being its own thing. In general, Jon M. Chu’s direction works in the same way that it worked for his film adaptation for In The Heights: bringing a ton of flair and exuberance to a well-regarded musical with many superb songs even if the color scheme could have been more vibrant.

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A Wickedly Great Cast

Speaking of Grande, I will take this time to transition towards my thoughts on the cast, with her being my pick for the MVP of the entire cast. As I mentioned earlier, she does a phenomenal job in embodying Glinda’s bubbly personality while also bringing a down-to-earth sense of warmth to her during the final stretch of the film. Everything about the performance work from a musical, comedic, and dramatic perspective and I cannot imagine anybody else portraying this character in the same way that she does. She also shares amazing chemistry with Cynthia Erivo, who I found to be pretty impressive in her portrayal of Elphaba even if there were times in which I thought her acting was a tiny bit wooden at times. For the most part though, she does a rock solid job in being the heart of the story while also showcasing her usually fantastic singing chops. Another performance that stood out to me a lot was Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, who brings a ton of charisma and suaveness to a highly lovable character while also giving a wonderful rendition of Dancing Through Life in the middle act of the film. Other strong players in the cast include Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage, Jeff Goldblum, and Marissa Bode.

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Conclusion

In spite of the very few issues that I had with this film, I was highly satisfied with Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of Wicked: Part One. It is a very strong, entertaining adaptation of one of the most celebrated musicals ever made and one that will equally win the hearts of newcomers AND fans alike. Be ready to return to both Shiz AND OZ and leave the theater wanting more (in a good way).

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Wicked. - Part One will be out in theaters on November 22nd!

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