Watching the opening scenes of Jon M. Chu’s ‘Wicked’ is quite extraordinary. There’s a feeling that you are experiencing a part of cinematic history. From the very first moments – the magic is there, unfolding before you. And it stays throughout. The film, the first of a two-part adaptation of the stage musical ‘Wicked’, tells the backstory of the Witches of Oz, a prequel as it were, to the 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’. ‘Wicked’ – first adapted into a musical in 2003, is the story of the forging of a most unlikely friendship: Glinda, the Good Witch of the East, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s the story of the melding of these two forces into something that changes the characters, and us, for good; and the film tells the story in a way that honours all that has gone before it.
From the earliest years of her career, Ariana Grande has idolised ‘Wicked’ and has been on record as saying that she would give anything for a role in the musical. What a personal triumph it must have been for her to land the role of Glinda. It’s a role she was obviously destined to play – for Ariana Grande is Glinda incarnate. Her nuances, her voice, her naivety – her take on this character lands perfectly. She not only understands Glinda’s complexity, but expresses it exquisitely.
Is Glinda as perfect and good as we see her in the opening scenes? Why, yes – but no. She literally bursts her own bubble, as then, as the story unfolds, we begin to understand who she truly is. It’s the complexity of the main characters in this movie that touches us the most. Ariana as Glinda, and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the outwardly strong green-skinned freak – who Glinda understands is all too human and feels too much – are both perfectly cast and share an onscreen chemistry that adds an extra depth to the film. The Wizard is brilliantly portrayed by Jeff Goldblum, dry, sarcastic and perfectly odd. Jonathan Bailey as the (literal) let-me-sweep-you-off-your-feet Fiyero sets hearts aflutter, while supporting cast such as Michelle Yeoh (Shiz University’s Madame Morrible) ; Ethan Slater (Munchinland’s Boq); and Marissa Bode (wheelchair bound Nessarose, sister of Elphaba), also shine.
And then there’s the songs – and the singers. The soundtrack is based on the Broadway musical, and while it stays true to the original, it is opened up for some slight modifications and rearrangements in line with the characters performances. And this works! It feels right for the movie that it’s not a ‘cut and paste’ from the musical. I was actually not aware until after I’d left the cinema that both Ariana Grande and Cyntha Erivo sang their tracks ‘live’ as their performances were being filmed. This really does add an authenticity that takes their performances to a whole other level. I love that they did it this way.
Watching ‘Wicked’ gave me a sense of grandeur akin to ‘Gone With The Wind’ – it is truly an epic film. The casting, the costumes, the cinematography, the choreography, the performances, the soundtrack, the sets – all are extraordinary and wonderfully aligned. There are touches of modernity – a camp nod here, a modern twist there – but the movie keeps the essence of Oz as it was conceived and written for the musical, and there is a true sense of ‘Old Hollywood’ in how this has all been transferred to the big screen. Every detail is intermingled into the creation of a magnificent whole, that not only tells us the story, but wholeheartedly takes the audience along with it. And for a film that’s over two and a half hours long, that’s a pretty impressive feat!
‘Wicked’ is pink and green and everything inbetween. It tackles themes like injustice, prejudice, and inequality in ways that make us look within ourselves; but most importantly of all, it reminds us of the power each of us has within – not only to love ourselves, but each other – for good.
And as for Ariana? What a privilege to have watched her grow from her TV debut in the teen hit ‘Victorious’, to pop superstardom, through to her performance in this absolutely extraordinary film. This truly is her graduation to greatness, her golden moment. Forget the Grammys – an Academy Award awaits. We’re calling it.
[Linda Memphis, November 2024]
© 2024 Linda Memphis
