WICKED
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum
Director: Jon M. Chu
ADRIANO
While not without its shortcomings, Wicked is a blast. On one hand, a lot of its visuals look pretty ugly, and despite a great performance from Cynthia Erivo, the main character lacks…well, character. Not that she's poorly written, but I found her flat, especially in comparison to Ariana Grande-Butera's show-stealing performance. On the other hand, the musical sequences are grand, the production values are extravagant, the finale is magnificent, and I had enough fun and emotional investment to say, as someone who knows nothing about the play, I'm properly interested and excited for what's to come.
PAIGE
As a non-musical fan, I must admit that Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of Wicked not only defied gravity but also my expectations. From its fantastical set pieces and dazzling costumes to its stellar musical choreography and performances, Wicked is cinematically magical. Cynthia Erivo is a fantastic Elphaba, but it’s Ariana Grande-Butero as Glinda who is the true standout. I had no idea she had these comedic chops in her. It's a captivating experience, even though the musical numbers can occasionally overpower the story's true meaning to leave it seeming underdeveloped.
AMARÚ
John M. Chu directs the hell out of Wicked, tackling many conscious and subconscious facets of prejudice and propaganda-riddled groupthink with grace, honesty, and grandeur. Through lush color, impressive choreography, and marvelous production design, he highlights the dangers of facade with themes that are both impactful and hilarious. But none of it would work if not for the breathtaking musical and theatrical performances. Contrasting Ariana Grande-Butera’s histrionics and Jonathan Bailey’s flippancy with Cynthia Erivo’s solemnity brings all the pomp and circumstance together to create a wondrous adaptation that makes me wholly excited for Part Two.
PRESTON
After a concerning opening scene where Ariana Grande’s high-pitched singing pierces the ears with indecipherable words, she redeems herself completely by almost single-handedly carrying the film. Surprisingly lacking in vibrancy of color, Wicked is still very good, but there’s a reason there are intermissions at Broadway shows. This first of two parts lasts the same amount of time as the entire theater musical, except sans intermission. Past hour two, I found myself jealous of the younglings doing cartwheels in the front aisle and just a little pissed off that the final words were sung in the repetitive and typical musical fashion.
