No one mourns the wicked. Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz originally debuted on Broadway in 2003. It starred leads Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel and left a mark on theatre history that could not be ignored. Wicked told the tale of Elphaba, also known as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, otherwise Glinda the Good, before they gained their respective titles. Wicked quickly became a phenomenon, and continues to run to this day. Last year director Jon Chu, who has created films such as Crazy Rich Asians and In The Heights, decided to take on another iconic adaptation and create a film version of the musical. Wicked is a tale of friendship, love, and magic, but it also contains important political messages that can’t be ignored.
The movie adaptation stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. While there was originally some controversy regarding casting, it can’t be denied that these two embody their roles perfectly. For Grande specifically, Glinda has been a dream role of hers for years, and her joy at being there is palpable. The two work together very well, and are absolutely balanced on screen. Both are very impressive actors, and do their jobs flawlessly.
You can’t make a movie musical without singing and dancing. The original songs in Wicked were written by Stephen Schwartz, and they remain iconic to this day. While the original cast recording still stands, Grande and Erivo’s take on the songs holds its own. The movie recording contains key changes and added notes, showcasing the vocal abilities of the leads. The film also contains added dance breaks, showing off the choreography of renowned choreographer Christopher Scott, who has worked on over 30 movies including Lemonade Mouth and Mary Poppins Returns. Every actor is also a skilled dancer and singer, and the movie’s musical numbers bring you into the world of the witches.
The movie is a true adaptation of the Broadway musical, with only minor changes to represent things that aren’t as easy as they are on a stage. The sets are more impressive and in depth, and to achieve this look Chu used as little green screen as possible, going as far as planting nine million tulips for one scene and building a real forest on set. The only other major changes are added scenes, including flashbacks of Elphaba being bullied as a child and Elphaba’s personal magic lessons with her teacher, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). These scenes add to the enchantment of the movie, and add significantly to the understanding of Elphaba’s character.
The film also does its best to pay homage to the creators by employing the use of cameos. Songwriter Stephen Schwartz appears during the song One Short Day, and book writer and screenwriter Winnie Holzman has a line during Wiz-O-Mania. Most significantly the original actresses for the witches, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, appear as leading members of the Emerald City Players. This scene gives credit to the original musical, and was kept under wraps until the movie was released.
At surface level, Wicked can be taken for a silly story about friendship and magic, but its underlying story has major significance in the world we live in today. At its core, Wicked is a story about a girl who’s treated differently because of the color of her skin, a group of innocent people painted as villains by a mysterious leader, and a supposed all-powerful leader who turns out to be a liar and a fake. Originally, Wicked was a commentary on Bush-era politics, but its main statements still remain relevant today.
Wicked has been iconic for decades, and Chu’s take withstands the test of time, especially with the extra additions. The movie also serves as a political commentary on the state of the world, and offers an important perspective on life. While some will say it is “just a movie”, Wicked gives us lessons that are significant to our day to day lives, especially given the state of our world today.
