By now, the green-and-pink craze of Wicked has expanded beyond Oz and reached almost every corner of our tangible, real world. The beloved Broadway musical has been adapted for the big screen and stars none other than Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, who’ve embarked on an overly cheesy and sentimental press tour (they cry in almost every interview). Directed by Jon M. Chu (mostly known for her movie Crazy Rich Asians), Wicked is the first film of a two-part series where we meet Ozians before Dorothy follows the yellow brick road. The hype is real, but we wonder: is it worth it?
Thought as a family movie, Wicked sometimes may be a bit too childish in its tone and treatment, but it’s still highly enjoyable. It’s camp, funny, and blissful. The production behind it is impressive, from the colossal settings to the intricate costumes, to the makeup and, of course, the songs and choreographies. It is one of the most anticipated releases of the year, and judging by the social media craze, Universal Studios can be happy with the result. Many fans and critics are also pointing out that both Cynthia and Ariana might get an Oscar nomination for their roles, which doesn’t sound that far off. With that build-up, we had to join the global conversation and tell you our thoughts.
Wicked starts with Glinda cheerfully announcing to people in Oz that the Wicked Witch of the West has been finally defeated, and people don’t need to worry about her anymore — hence, the first musical number starts, with villagers celebrating the occasion in their lovely little town, surrounded by an impressive field of tulips. When Glinda is asked if she ever knew Elphaba (the wicked witch), she remembers her early college years, where she actually was her roommate, confident and, in a strange way, friend. And that’s where it all starts.
In this movie, we get to dive deep into the psyche, past, and struggles of the main character, Elphaba, someone who’s always been portrayed as the villain and somehow hated by the audience. But just like Maleficent, for example, starring Angelina Jolie, we see that people aren’t as bad as they seem, and that they’ve also had their fair share of problems. Elphaba wasn’t loved by her own parents, always had to help her crippled young sister, was bullied for having green skin, and had to hide a huge secret her whole life — her magic powers. So anyone who’s ever felt left apart or like they didn’t belong can easily relate to her.
On the other side, Glinda, which starts the film as Galinda but changes it in a performative act to support an expelled professor (a goat who’s unfairly imprisoned — but more on that later), is known to most people as The Good Witch. But in Wicked, we discover that she’s actually a classist, rich spoiled kid who’s always gotten her way around everything she’s ever wanted: getting the best education, bootlicking friends, and tons and tons of clothes, makeup and accessories. Doesn’t sound as good now, does it?
Well, the unlikely pair end up sharing a room (which was first intended to be a private suite for Glinda) as Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) wants Elphaba to be a part of Shiz University after discovering that she’s a powerful sorceress. Glinda is so jealous she can’t stand it, but as the film goes on, and especially after Elphaba does an incredibly nice gesture for her, she grows fond of the green-skinned student and becomes her friend. Even if it starts out of pity, they end up being good friends. In the movie, this relationship always feels artificial, like it isn’t made to work; Cynthia and Ariana’s chemistry is really good, that’s true, and they play their roles brilliantly. However, the characters always seem to have a wall between them that doesn’t allow them to fully connect.
Another thing that gets into them is, yes, you’ve guessed it, a boy. Played by Jonathan Bailey, Fiyero joins Shiz University after being expelled from another college. Being rich, handsome, and popular, he instantly matches with Glinda (in one of the most emblematic, fun scenes of the movie, which takes place in the library). However, he gets more interested in Elphaba after they rescue an animal and free it in the woods, which creates a tension between them and arises questions in the viewer: will Elphaba betray her newfound friend for a guy? Even in Oz the motto should be ‘fries before guys’. However, someone who’s been rejected her entire life can’t be blamed for feeling some butterflies after a hottie lays eyes on her. Also, how strong is the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda?
This question is resolved after they arrive in Emerald City, where they meet the infamous Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). There’s also a lovely, heartwarming nod to the original Broadway musical when Idina Menzel (the OG Elphaba) and Kristin Chenoweth (the OG Galinda) make a surprise appearance when they sing about the history of the founding of the the city. It’s cute, referential, and also acknowledges the decades that Wicked has been playing in one of the most renowned places in the world for musical theatre, so it’s a great decision by the director.
When Elphaba and Glinda meet the Wizard, they quickly discover he’s more of an impostor trying to take advantage of the main character’s unique powers. Then, she runs away as she’s declared a public enemy of Oz, thus creating the myth of the Wicked Witch of the West that we all grew up with. The friends and roommates friendship is put to the test — and it fails. It isn’t surprising because, as said before, their relationship wasn’t cemented on strong pillars to begin with, but it’s sad nonetheless. They can’t escape their fate — one for her popularity and tradition in following the norm, and the other for being the forever outcast and misfit.
We’ve mentioned that this is just the first of two movies. There is a sort of mystery in the air we haven’t spoken about: people in Oz are growing hateful towards animals, who used to coexist perfectly with them and even teach at prestigious institutions. Now they’re being jailed and revoked of their rights. This conflict is treated very scarcely, and it doesn’t generate much interest. And that’s one of Wicked’s main problems: people will of course run to the theatres when the second part is released, but it isn’t because you leave the movie wondering what’s coming next but because they love the story so much.
