AS someone who has never seen the stage show and felt put off by this movie’s relentless marketing, I had little-to-no expectations for Wicked Part I.
But watching the movie, I was spellbound by the spectacular and dazzling nature of it all and, when the end credits rolled, I knew I will be seated for Part II next year.
Wicked is a live-action film adaptation of the second-highest-grossing Broadway show of all time of the same name.
Directed by Jon M Chu, the movie is flashy and grand, revelling in the fabulousness of being a musical.
The two-part adaptation will follow the first and second act of the musical, which can serve as a prequel to the Wizard of Oz.
Like the musical, the movie adaptation follows the two main characters, Glinda and Elphaba in their early years before becoming ‘the good witch’ and ‘the wicked witch of the west’.
Set up as polar opposites of each other, Elphaba and Glinda find themselves assigned as roommates at Shiz University.
We watch the two navigating their differences, exploring themes of bullying, discrimination, and good versus evil.
I think a movie musical is carried by performances from the cast, and while Wicked‘s main cast did just that, the two leads played by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were exceptional in portraying their characters with nuance.
Erivo’s powerful but smooth vocals manage to portray the sadness and loneliness that hides underneath Eplhaba’s hope and determination.
And despite being sceptical of Grande’s casting as Glinda, her comedic performance and extensive vocal range hit the mark in bringing character’s self-absorbed and energetic personality to life.
I would advise audience members to “hold space” for Defying Gravity as Erivo belts out the iconic song with her own twist.
Jonathan Bailey also entertained as the suave and fiery Fiero, and other huge names in the cast, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, are surprisingly well-cast for their roles.
You can feel the passion and love for the source material when watching this movie not only in the cast’s carefully considered performances, but also the visuals, which makes the movie a spectacle worth watching on the big screen.
The elaborately designed sets of Shiz University and Emarald City makes the world of Oz more immersive, and the colour palette of pink and green explored with the two leads’ outfits served to add to characters’ personalities while making the movie more eye-catching.
It felt like everyone involved in making this movie was passionate about what they were making, and splitting the adaptation into two movies might benefit Wicked‘s reception more than just financially.
For fans of the musical, Wicked is a must-watch.
And for those who claim musicals are not for them, I would still recommend giving the movie a shot – with a warning that the catchy songs may get stuck in your head.
Wicked Part I is a magical experience that not only defied gravity, but also defied my expectations.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
