Well, it’s finally here. The long-awaited Wicked film has arrived in theaters, exceeding all expectations with its absolute fabulousness.
The Jon Chu-directed film adaptation is a masterpiece. The sets, the costumes, the musical numbers, and the performances are all spectacular. The film immediately captivates you and submerges you into the world of Oz, making the nearly three-hour-long film feel average length. The story’s pacing is excellent – I never felt antsy while watching it.
Visually, the film is dazzling with its incredible colors and shapes reflected in the sets and costumes. The talent of the hair and makeup artists also comes through in the film, reflected in the entire cast, from the protagonists to the background talent. The details are immaculate.
But it’s the performances that shine the brightest in Wicked: Part 1. The expectations for this film were high, but the performances were far beyond what I could have imagined. Cynthia Erivo, as Elphaba, is perfection. At this point, I could not imagine anyone else in that role. The sensitivity and warmth with which she plays the “Wicked Witch” is memorable and one that probably puts her on the fast track to several award nominations. Her co-star Ariana Grande also blows it out of the park as Glinda. I wasn’t familiar with her previous acting work, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but she gave one of the best performances of Glinda I’ve seen. She nails the complicated nature of the well-intentioned but self-absorbed “Good Witch.” As for the musical numbers, well, they’re top-notch.
Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Peter Dinklage as the voice behind Dr. Dillamond round out the top cast, and they are all fantastic in the film.
Wicked: Part 1 lives up to the hype. It is every theater kid’s dream. This film will be one to watch during award season, as I expect it will be nominated in several categories (as it should). This one should not be missed.
You can catch Wicked: Part 1 in theaters now.
