The lucky ones who have seen “Wicked” on stage might quibble about the extra padding, the abundance of special effects in Jon M. Chu’s film version. Just get over it. There’s really no need to get nitpicky about his buoyant screen reimagining of this musical that owes much of its origin to the Bay Area. That’s because what’s up onscreen is absolutely enchanting, a big-screen musical extravaganza that whisks you away from everyday cares, and belts it out at all the appropriate times.
With the well-cast three leads, catchy songs from Stephen Schwartz and peppy direction, “Wicked” casts an intoxicating spell that holds you from its opening “Wizard of Oz” homage to a showstopping performance of its liberating anthem, “Defying Gravity.” Chu throws out all the stops for that , and it suitably closes out the first leg in this two-parter (The sequel us due out Nov. 21, 2025).
Broadway gets a lot of credit for “Wicked,” but author Gregory Maguire is responsible for creating this multi-messaging origin tale that dishes on what made the green Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) so at odds with many in the merry old land of Oz, and what made Galinda (Ariana Grande) — eventually Glinda (one of the film’s best jokes) — so cursed good.
What if, though, Elphaba was the one who emanated authentic goodness and Glinda was a bit of a tool, far more concerned about appearance and popularity (one of the best numbers in the musical)? That theme produces an everlasting parable for all ages about how being bullied and sneered at takes an incredible toll, and can summon a tsunami-like power and fury.
Erivo channels that goodness and rage, the former just simmering, with aplomb when she inadvertently enlists with her sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) at Shiz University. Her classmates wince and turn away whenever they see the green Elphaba, including image-conscious Galinda. The two eventually wind up roommates but can’t stand each other. They bond and both eye a dandy of a prince named Fiyero Tiggular (Jonathan Bailey, enlivening every scene he’s in) who also dashes into the university. Meanwhile, Elphaba catches the eye of headmistress Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) and even the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).
The talent trifecta of Erivo, Grande and Bailey make all the song-and-dance routines true showpieces; they’re energetic, toe-tapping and beg to be rewatched. But it’s a tender dance sequence between Erivo and Grande that manages to bring a lump to the throat.
Erivo adds dramatic heft to the part and has a soaring voice, but it is Grande who’s the espresso in the production, and she’s sensational in every scene, one hair flip after another.
Other performances are good, but suffer when the actors — Yeoh and, more specifically, Goldblum — can’t manage to sing to the rafters. They just don’t have the pipes that the three leads do, and it’s sometimes glaring. On the plus side, original Broadway leads Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel pop in for a cameo.
Chu, though, populates “Wicked” with so much spectacle — from the forests, to Oz itself and so on — that the guest cameos seem more like minor distractions (the special effects are indeed special). But a third of the way in “Wicked” gets tangled up in a longish stretch of exposition that slows the pace down. Don’t worry, it doesn’t last.
“Wicked” marks Chu’s second big-screen musical (after 2021’s sorely overlooked “In the Heights”), and the Palo Alto native is easing on down that yellow brick road toward establishing himself as the new wizard of the movie musical. Most certainly his “Wicked” — just as Victor Fleming’s superior “The Wizard of Oz” did — possesses a heart, a brain and the courage of its own vision. Better than all that it has a soul and a spirit that will captivate generations of film lovers. Details: 3½ stars out of 4; in theaters Nov. 22.
Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.
‘WICKED,’ PART I
3½ stars
Rating: PG (mild scary action, thematic issues; brief suggestive material)
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey
Director: Jon M. Chu
Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
When & where: Opens Nov. 22 in theaters (Part II scheduled for release November 2025)
