Wicked is Wicked Good
Let’s be real, as a self-proclaimed ‘reformed’ theater kid I had lofty expectations for the new Wicked movie. And Wicked took those expectations and shattered them. What. A. Movie.
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba (Elphie) is world-shatteringly good. I mean when I heard her open her mouth and start to sing I was immediately enamored. There is no one, and I mean NO ONE who comes close to the talent that Erivo possesses. You can’t even hold a candle to it. The genuine joy and wonder Erivo instills in Elphie once she arrives at Shiz University and believes she truly could be of us, especially during The Wizard and I, sets up the heartbreak as the rest of the story unfolds.
I was incredibly skeptical about Ariana Grande as Glinda. I knew she was talented and I knew how much care she had for this role from the numerous interviews she did, but nevertheless, I was worried. Boy was I wrong. Grande gave one of the most incredible interpretations of Glinda that I have ever seen and I have seen a lot (mostly via illegally recorded performances on YouTube). Throughout the film, Grande adds so much depth and emotion to Glinda, wonderfully foreshadowing the events of the film with her subtle, but powerful, acting choices in No One Mourns the Wicked.
These two women took this film and made something truly beautiful, devastating, and tragic. Their vocals are gorgeous together, and along with all the other vocal performances in the film make up an almost perfect soundtrack.
And the set. It was simply stunning. A perfect balance of ethereal and otherworldly while still being grounded in a more ‘real-life’ vibe. All of the cinematography beautifully showcased the magical world of Oz. Through lighting, angles, and an array of other techniques we are transported to this other world.
I hate to say it, truly I do, and as a reformed theater kid this breaks me; but somehow, someway through the magical performances of all of the principal characters, the beautiful choreography, and more, it may just be better than the stage version of the musical. Wicked utilizes every second of the film to further the themes and heavy topics that it touches on, something that the stage version couldn’t do because of its extremely fast pace.
