One of the most highly anticipated movies has finally been released and the feedback has been pretty consistent: people are in love.
It’s always an uphill battle taking an already well-beloved story, whether it’s a book, comic or musical, and turning it into a movie adaptation. We’ve seen triumphs such as The Hunger Games movie series, and tragedies like the Percy Jackson movie.
It’s all about the fans. The initial trailer brought about mixed emotions, naturally with some people being critical because the expectation is perfection with such a world-building, enriching story like this one.
All I can say is, the theaters have been packed, everyone leaves raving about it, and I will be seeing it in theaters as many times as my wallet allows.
I have seen the original musical twice, and really fell in love with the characters, music and story. I think a lot of people can see themselves in Elphaba, someone who is a kind and amazing person who is still overlooked by everyone, who eventually defines herself based on what everyone else thinks of her. The way Cynthia Erivo portrayed her Elphaba was my favorite by far. She has such a powerful innocence in songs like “The Wizard and I” and “I’m Not That Girl”, her acting and voice makes her so likeable as a character that we all empathize with so much. She deserves all her flowers for this movie, and deserves to be so much more talked about compared to her other co stars. It’s incredible that she sang live most of the time, even when she was soaring in “Defying Gravity”!
I’ll briefly touch on Ariana Grande’s Galinda/Glinda portrayal because I am sure this is much well praised at this point. Yes, she nailed her. Her acting was phenomenal, her tone and timing for Glinda’s humor was impeccable, and her voice was beautiful.
I truly think the casting for each role was perfect, everyone really nailed their mannerisms and tone and there was no opportunity where I felt taken out of the world of Oz. The director, Jon Chu, also deserves so so much praise. He put so much love into this movie with how elaborate the sets were, the casting, the choreography, the cinematography, the music. There was nothing left on the table when it came to this movie. I knew it was going to be good the moment the title card was shown, and it was such a clear and respectful nod to the original The Wizard of Oz movie of which Wicked came from.
All of the little references to either the original broadway production or to the 1939’s The Wizard of Oz movie were wonderful. I loved seeing Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth, the original Broadway Elphaba and Glinda, have not just a little cameo, but their own song and dynamic together, as well as a ‘passing of the torch’ when they come into the audience and interact with the girls playing their roles. It wasn’t too pushy but it was a nice tribute.
“Defying Gravity” needs its own section because of the experience it was. The subtle changes to the music from the original is something only a movie can do. The quiet build up for the line, “Something has…changed within me” because they knew just how much people were excited and ready for this song gave me chills. Every choice Erivo made in this song I was so invested in and so in love with. Her acting, her riffs, when she would give more emphasis on some lyrics over others. So. Beautiful. I love how they didn’t end the song with her riff at the end like in the theater production, but kept the music swelling as she flies off, it’s just the little things that kept me so in awe and immersed in the movie. Making space for her to sing, “Unlimited” as she’s really coping with the fears of being so powerful but being hunted and alone. She finds solace in knowing that she is unlimited now that she can defy gravity.
This has genuinely become my favorite movie of all time. I could not be more excited for Part Two coming out next year, and I will be buying Part One when it releases. I think that it is a movie anyone will like, or just even appreciate, because of how much love and effort was noticeably put in.