November 20, 2024
FILM: WICKED
DIRECTED BY: JON M. CHU
STARRING: CYNTHIA ERIVO, ARIANA GRANDE, JONATHAN BAILEY
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
My own history with the land of Oz goes back several decades. As a kid, I waited patiently for each yearly television showing of 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. One year I was devastated to miss the twister scene because we arrived home late from bringing my sister to college. It would be another year before I could see that again… (Thanks Judy!) In the early 2000s, I was excited to see the prequel Broadway production of Wicked which followed the early life of Glinda the good witch and Elphaba, the wicked witch from the film. I thought the show was fine. I was perhaps a bit underwhelmed and promptly forgot most of the details associated with the story.
Now comes Wicked – the movie based on that production. Oh, and this is only part one! The second part, which essentially covers the second act of the Broadway show, is scheduled to be released next year. For now, we get the deep back story on the two characters leading up to the infamous Defying Gravity production number that many will remember as a highlight from the show. (Since it played for years in Chicago, the commercial for Wicked appeared incessantly on local channels making it hard to forget what the original Elphaba looked and sounded like.)
So, going into the big new film adaptation I was somewhat apprehensive but a little bit excited about diving back into the land of Oz. (I actually really liked the forgotten Sam Raimi 2013 film, Oz the Great and Powerful starring James Franco.) It’s hard not to feel a little thrill at being back in Oz. The opening scenes of Wicked refer back to the original film, taking place just after the Wicked Witch has been “liquefied” by Dorothy (whom we don’t see.) Instead, there is a major celebration in Munchkinland with Glinda appearing to reassure the residents that the evil is now gone. I found these early scenes to be a bit flat in execution though. Munchkinland looks smaller and oddly faker than what appeared in the 1939 MGM film. It just looks more artificial than perhaps it should. Noticeable though is the much more racially diverse munchkins who are also not portrayed by dwarfs. One shouts out that they heard Glinda and Elphaba were once friends, thus leading to the flashback story of how they came to not only know each other but develop their bewitching powers.
Elphaba is played by Cynthia Erivo, who sports green makeup throughout the entire film. Glinda is portrayed by Ariana Grande, who’s voice is not quite as high as Billie Burke’s in The Wizard of Oz but she inhabits the innocence of the original character. I found Grande as Glinda to be somewhat amusing but also a bit annoying after several scenes. She’s given witty lines but comes across as a bitchy, stuck up mean girl. Our allegiance really lies with Elphaba as she is ridiculed for her green skin but is also a sympathetic character with her disabled sister and her seemingly telekinetic powers.
It’s clear that Elphaba stands out like a sore thumb as her entire community is dressed in blue while she maintains dark colors and of course that green skin. Glinda is forever associated with the color pink, making her this year’s Barbie. Both girls become roommates and rivals as they begin attending a sorcery seminar run by a speaking goat.
Then handsome Fiyero arrives, played by Jonathan Bailey, who immediately attracts Glinda. Elphaba, the outcast, doesn’t really have any interest in Fiyero as she is dedicated to developing her powers, thanks to the interest of Madame Morrible, played by Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh and her admiration for her talking goat professor.
These early scenes get a bit tiresome and most of the songs, while not over-done, aren’t particularly memorable (except of course for Popular.) This changes a bit with Fiyero’s big and very well-staged dance number but then slows down with an overly long hand and arm number which rightfully establishes a bond between Glinda and Elphaba.
My general feeling is that the first half of this first half of the Wicked story gets bogged down a bit with the teenaged angst involving the primary characters. When the film really begins to hit its high points is during the second half when Elphaba and Glinda make their way to Emerald City to see the Great and Powerful Oz, played by Jeff Goldblum. This last half of the film is quite intense and very effectively directed and paced. Eventually, we get to the powerful Defying Gravity number which is a full-blown climax of epic proportions. I thought it was very creatively staged, leading to an ending which takes us even closer to the drama associated with The Wizard of Oz.
While Ariana Grande is getting a lot of attention for her performance of Glinda here, it is Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba who deserves more of the praise. She has to react to a variety of comical and dramatic moments and does so without any excess. She beautifully inhabits the complex character and is given a significant arc during the film. Of course, her voice is also a major contributor to her success in the role. She’s got power and emotion to match everything done by Idina Menzel in the stage production. It’s a great performance from beginning to end. (Menzel and original co-star Kristin Chenoweth also make a welcome cameo in the film.)
I left the film looking forward to seeing Part 2 and wanting to delve more into everything associated with Oz. Wicked offers that kind of enthusiasm and will likely be a major hit this holiday season.
Wicked opens theatrically this week.
FILM: WICKED
DIRECTED BY: JON M. CHU
STARRING: CYNTHIA ERIVO, ARIANA GRANDE, JONATHAN BAILEY
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
My own history with the land of Oz goes back several decades. As a kid, I waited patiently for each yearly television showing of 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. One year I was devastated to miss the twister scene because we arrived home late from bringing my sister to college. It would be another year before I could see that again… (Thanks Judy!) In the early 2000s, I was excited to see the prequel Broadway production of Wicked which followed the early life of Glinda the good witch and Elphaba, the wicked witch from the film. I thought the show was fine. I was perhaps a bit underwhelmed and promptly forgot most of the details associated with the story.
Now comes Wicked – the movie based on that production. Oh, and this is only part one! The second part, which essentially covers the second act of the Broadway show, is scheduled to be released next year. For now, we get the deep back story on the two characters leading up to the infamous Defying Gravity production number that many will remember as a highlight from the show. (Since it played for years in Chicago, the commercial for Wicked appeared incessantly on local channels making it hard to forget what the original Elphaba looked and sounded like.)
So, going into the big new film adaptation I was somewhat apprehensive but a little bit excited about diving back into the land of Oz. (I actually really liked the forgotten Sam Raimi 2013 film, Oz the Great and Powerful starring James Franco.) It’s hard not to feel a little thrill at being back in Oz. The opening scenes of Wicked refer back to the original film, taking place just after the Wicked Witch has been “liquefied” by Dorothy (whom we don’t see.) Instead, there is a major celebration in Munchkinland with Glinda appearing to reassure the residents that the evil is now gone. I found these early scenes to be a bit flat in execution though. Munchkinland looks smaller and oddly faker than what appeared in the 1939 MGM film. It just looks more artificial than perhaps it should. Noticeable though is the much more racially diverse munchkins who are also not portrayed by dwarfs. One shouts out that they heard Glinda and Elphaba were once friends, thus leading to the flashback story of how they came to not only know each other but develop their bewitching powers.
Elphaba is played by Cynthia Erivo, who sports green makeup throughout the entire film. Glinda is portrayed by Ariana Grande, who’s voice is not quite as high as Billie Burke’s in The Wizard of Oz but she inhabits the innocence of the original character. I found Grande as Glinda to be somewhat amusing but also a bit annoying after several scenes. She’s given witty lines but comes across as a bitchy, stuck up mean girl. Our allegiance really lies with Elphaba as she is ridiculed for her green skin but is also a sympathetic character with her disabled sister and her seemingly telekinetic powers.
It’s clear that Elphaba stands out like a sore thumb as her entire community is dressed in blue while she maintains dark colors and of course that green skin. Glinda is forever associated with the color pink, making her this year’s Barbie. Both girls become roommates and rivals as they begin attending a sorcery seminar run by a speaking goat.
Then handsome Fiyero arrives, played by Jonathan Bailey, who immediately attracts Glinda. Elphaba, the outcast, doesn’t really have any interest in Fiyero as she is dedicated to developing her powers, thanks to the interest of Madame Morrible, played by Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh and her admiration for her talking goat professor.
These early scenes get a bit tiresome and most of the songs, while not over-done, aren’t particularly memorable (except of course for Popular.) This changes a bit with Fiyero’s big and very well-staged dance number but then slows down with an overly long hand and arm number which rightfully establishes a bond between Glinda and Elphaba.
My general feeling is that the first half of this first half of the Wicked story gets bogged down a bit with the teenaged angst involving the primary characters. When the film really begins to hit its high points is during the second half when Elphaba and Glinda make their way to Emerald City to see the Great and Powerful Oz, played by Jeff Goldblum. This last half of the film is quite intense and very effectively directed and paced. Eventually, we get to the powerful Defying Gravity number which is a full-blown climax of epic proportions. I thought it was very creatively staged, leading to an ending which takes us even closer to the drama associated with The Wizard of Oz.
While Ariana Grande is getting a lot of attention for her performance of Glinda here, it is Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba who deserves more of the praise. She has to react to a variety of comical and dramatic moments and does so without any excess. She beautifully inhabits the complex character and is given a significant arc during the film. Of course, her voice is also a major contributor to her success in the role. She’s got power and emotion to match everything done by Idina Menzel in the stage production. It’s a great performance from beginning to end. (Menzel and original co-star Kristin Chenoweth also make a welcome cameo in the film.)
I left the film looking forward to seeing Part 2 and wanting to delve more into everything associated with Oz. Wicked offers that kind of enthusiasm and will likely be a major hit this holiday season.
Wicked opens theatrically this week.