“Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good” is a musical fantasy film that is based on the 2003 musical of the same name. Set in the Land of Oz, prior to the events of the “Wizard of Oz”, the “Wicked” films focus on the unique friendship between Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, The Good Witch, and explores the question “are people born wicked or is wickedness thrust upon them?” as both Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship is put to the test when they find out something terrible is happening behind the scenes and Oz may not be what it seems.
I always knew how big of a phenomenon “Wicked” was on Broadway since it has been around since 2003. I was lucky enough to watch the Broadway show right before seeing the first “Wicked” film (my wife would not let me watch the film until I went to the Broadway show). And that is the reason why I wanted to combine both films as one since they broke up the full Broadway show into two. The Broadway show became a worldwide phenomenon so it is no surprise that the “Wicked” films have also taken the world by storm with such a widely talented cast, stunning visuals, and songs that you will not stop singing and will put on repeat for weeks. Although the “Wicked” films does a faithful adaptation of the Broadway show, I was hoping they would add more content to justify the 4 hour runtime. Let’s get into it.
The films’ greatest strength is utilizing the music of the Broadway show but it is almost essential to cast the right actors that have amazing chemistry as Elphaba and Glinda while having the vocal talent to create the songs as their own while respecting the insane rendition from the original Broadway actresses, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. Jon M. Chu and his casting team succeeded in casting Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Cynthia and Ariana’s chemistry with one another as Galinda and Elphaba was entrancing to watch on the screen. On film, it is much easier to see the emotions of the actors and performances they portray because there is allotted time that allows moments to marinate as well as the background music to amplify these moments that Broadway shows would not be able to do. “What Is This Feeling?” was spectacular.
Other notable castings are, of course, People’s Sexiest Man Alive, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and Ethan Slater as Boq. Although they do not have as many songs to sing compared to Elphaba and Glinda, the quality over quantity is apparent in their roles and they were exceptional. I will not spoil anything but Ethan Slater shows that he has some immense range from Part 1 to Part 2. Now since we are in the talks of casting, it pains me to say this, but the biggest miscast is Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. I understand that Madame Morrible does not have a lot of songs but when adapting a Broadway musical, I feel that it is imperative to have an actress that can belt out notes to keep the audience engaged in the film. Especially if there are rumors of Hannah Waddingham and Sherly Lee Ralph auditioning for Madame Morrible, this feels like a gut punch. I am a huge Michelle Yeoh fan and love seeing her enthusiasm with this role (MM upside down, WICKED WITCH!) but it is with a heavy heart that I must admit she was greatly miscast.
Jon M. Chu and his VFX team did an incredible job of fleshing out the Land of OZ and making it grander while keeping the charm of the 1939 film. It felt so fantastical and visually appealing to see on the big screen as well as the backgrounds contrasting to match the intense moments of the film. Specifically I have to point out “March of the Witch Hunters” and the coordination of the musical tone of that scene.
Although the film series introduced two brand new spectacular songs for both Elphaba and Glinda to have, I was hoping they would also include the fate of some characters such as Boq, Madam Morrible, and the Wizard. Additionally, there has been some unfair criticism about how the second act of the film is not as good as the first. I disagree with this idea since “Wicked: For Good” is not really a standalone sequel but the conclusion of the first film. Regardless, for anyone that enjoyed the Broadway show, this film series was a faithful adaptation with the leads delivering stellar performances that will keep you engaged from Part I to Part II. I recommend doing a double feature if you have the chance and time!
