REVIEW: Wicked: Part One (2024)

Movie Reviews

Wicked: Part One is an adaptation of the first act of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s 2003 stage musical, which is, for its part, based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Maguire’s novel is a revisionist take on Frank L. Baum’s Oz books and, of course, The Wizard of Oz (1939). I don’t remember The Wizard of Oz that well, but I didn’t like it as a kid; I’ve never really wanted to re-watch it, and I never read any of the books. I knew what Wicked was from the internet, but I never heard the soundtrack and didn’t have access to see it live. So, in short, I wasn’t interested in Wicked (2024). The hype surrounding this movie pushed me even further away; it reminded me of Barbie, so I was prepared for similar disgust and a sense of being disrespected as a member of the audience. However, I ended up seeing it because my sister needed someone to go with. How is Wicked? Grab your broomsticks, and let’s find out! 

Wicked: Part One finds Glinda in the wake of the Wicked Witch’s death at the end of The Wizard of Oz. She descends on the citizens of Oz as they celebrate the Witch’s death, and they ask her some questions, most notably whether she and the Witch were friends. This meeting serves as a framing device, with Glinda describing her days at Shiz University with the Witch, Elphaba Thropp. This includes Elphaba’s tragic backstory, the two Witches turning from enemies to besties, and Elphaba eventually turning on The Wizard of Oz while Glinda stands with him. More to come next year in Wicked: Part Two…

So, I did not want to see this movie, and once I knew I was going to, I didn’t want to like it. I’m tired of fairy tales (and other similar stories) being rewritten, and while I think Wicked popularized it, the trope of making the villain into a hero feels tired to me. And as I already said, I’ve never been a fan of The Wizard of Oz or any of its associated properties. So why is Wicked so good? Jon M. Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians) is more comfortable with the material than many modern live-action musical directors, allowing the story’s whimsical aspects to shine rather than hiding them (The Phantom of the Opera) or going off-the-rails silly (Cats). I loved In the Heights, though I never hear anyone talk about it, so I guess I’m the only one. Chu displays versatility here, in that he can do something grounded like In the Heights or one of the most fantastical live-action musicals you’ll see in Wicked. 

The performances from leads, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, are, unfortunately, great. Erivo hasn’t been the most gracious to fans, and I’ve disliked Grande for as long as I can remember. But they’re both fantastic in this, especially the singing, particularly Erivo. My sister was worried about Erivo stepping into Idina Menzel’s shoes, and I can’t speak to that, but she can sing the material, and she kills it. I’m sure fans of the original Broadway cast (or any particular cast) will prefer that version. But for someone with relatively little frame of reference, I’m taking the movie only for what it is. There was a lot of buzz around Ariana Grande, who always wanted to play Glinda as a kid and auditioned for both parts, and I have to admit it shines through. She’s great. Jonathan Bailey is a scene-stealer as Prince Fiyero. “Dancing Through Life” is extremely catchy, and the dance number is perfectly executed. This song is supposed to show how dumb and shallow he is, so I felt silly for enjoying it so much. I didn’t feel invested in any of his relationships because I don’t feel we know his character well. I wonder if this will change in Wicked: Part Two, if he’s always like this, or if it’s the movie’s fault as an adaptation. Bailey is great with the material he has, regardless. Jeff Goldblum is himself as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, so take that as you will. Michelle Yeoh plays one of the girls’ teachers, Madame Morrible. Her scenes with Elphaba are effective, but not the movie’s best parts. Ethan Slater plays Boq and leaves no impression at all. 

Part of the fun of Wicked is figuring out which characters end up as characters from The Wizard of Oz, besides the obvious, like Glinda. I’m surprised how invested I got in this facet of the story. There are more Easter eggs for fans, such as the movie’s vintage-style title card and the presence of both silver and ruby slippers. In the books, the shoes were silver, but they’re red in the classic movie to show off the magic of Technicolor. The visuals in this movie are to die for, probably the second biggest reason to see it after the performances. The Emerald City, Shiz University, and basically every location is gorgeous. Millions of tulips were planted for this movie. The costumes are wonderful. And, of course, the soundtrack is pretty good. “Defying Gravity” is everyone’s favorite, and yeah, it’s great. Erivo’s high note at the end of this song will likely settle any doubts about whether she can play the part, although she’s good the whole time. This is what it looks like when a musical casts actors who can actually sing, a near-unheard-of occurrence these days. “Dancing Through Life” is my other favorite, and “The Wizard and I” is good, too. It has a good hook and lets the audience in on Elphaba’s dreams and self-doubt. 

However, I don’t think Wicked: Part One is perfect. This movie gets a lot right that most modern live-action musicals get wrong, but the pacing could have been better. I don’t see why Wicked: Part One couldn’t be 15-30 minutes shorter, especially since it’s only Act 1 of the musical. Much of this bloat could be accounted for by cutting out scenes that take place in the middle of “Popular” and, most especially, “Defying Gravity.” From what I gather, these are the show’s two most iconic songs. I can only imagine that Chu or someone at Universal wanted to stretch out these show-stoppers, but it actually kills all momentum, especially in “Defying Gravity.” This is the end of the movie and Elphaba’s big moment, but she and Glinda stop singing every two seconds because something happens or someone is chasing them. Do y’all know how musicals work? The songs are an expression of the characters’ thoughts and feelings, not literal singing in the story. Glinda and Elphaba aren’t actually busting out in song in-universe, so having them get interrupted so they have to start and stop makes no sense. This is the difference between diegetic (in-universe) and non-diegetic (for the audience’s benefit only) music, and it’s a major pet peeve of mine.

If I really nitpick, I also don’t like the rock sound in a few of the songs. This is baked-in from the musical, so it’s not the movie’s fault, but it doesn’t fit. This isn’t Rent; it’s a fairy tale set in a magical land. Take out the electric guitar, please. The Emerald City portion of the movie felt rushed to me, but again, I haven’t seen the musical. Just as a movie, this is a big source of the story’s conflict, and it felt rushed through. Finally, I don’t understand why we should care about Glinda and her friendship with Elphaba. It’s clear in her very first scene that she’s shallow, selfish, and not very intelligent. This is another problem with the musical itself, so I’m not exactly blaming the movie, but it is a problem for me. I can buy into Elphaba’s motivations and relationships, but Glinda is just like a blank slate with a pretty pink scarf wrapped around it. Ariana Grande is great in the role; this just is the role, and I don’t get it in the context of their friendship break-up being this huge, Shakespearian tragedy. “Curse your sudden yet inevitable betrayal,” or something.

Wicked: Part One is really, really good. The songs and production are just outstanding and leagues ahead of most live-action musicals from the past decade or so. The acting, costumes, and visuals are to die for. I have problems with the film and what I know of the source material, but this was a very fun, good time at the movies.

Let us know what you thought of Wicked: Part One in the comments!

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